NetEc
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Lex NetEc

1. PREAMBLE

  • 1.1 NetEc is a community of projects that are presented on a joint site. NetEc aims to further the usage of electronic networks for Economics and related disciplines. It departs from the idea that the presence of computer networks such as the internet offers the possibility to distribute information at much reduced cost. NetEc aims to support the free publication of information on the internet. It provides directory services of existing information in order that users can find the material more easily. It is hoped that the increased exposure of material listed in NetEc will motivate providers of data to supply more and to cooperate with NetEc in the construction of directory services.

  • 1.2 NetEc is essentially built from the contributions of volunteers. The principle of serenity should be guiding all contributions of volunteers to NetEc. According to this principle, every volunteer contributes as much as (s)he wishes to NetEc projects. Nobody should condemn any other for lack of action.

    • 2. STRUCTURE OF NetEc

  • 2.1 NetEc is a collection of projects. All names of projects have a name ???Ec, where ??? is a sequence of three to five characters. Today, the following projects exist: BibEc, WoPEc, CodEc, WebEc, BizEc, HoPEc and JokEc. This is the historical sequence by which they have been created. All presentations of the projects should preserve that sequence. JokEc will always be mentioned last in the list of projects. New projects may not be opened without the agreement of Council. Opening a new project leads to an amendment of Lex NetEc that is not subject to a 2/3 majority decision.

  • 2.2 NetEc project may acquire funding that subsidizes their business without the agreement of Council. Nevertheless the main orientation of the projects should be guided towards including volunteers. Funding should not be seen as a means to substitute for voluntary action but rather complementing it.

  • 2.3 No deliverable of NetEc may be sold, and no charge may be made for its usage on the network without the agreement of Council. Projects may not sell added material that complements the network deliverable without the agreement of Council.

  • 2.4 Council may, by 2/3 majority expel any project from NetEc.

    • 3 GOVERNANCE OF NetEc

  • 3.1 NetEc is directed by a Council, comprising the life member, the heads of the projects and co-opted members.

  • 3.2.1 The life member of Council is the founder of NetEc, Thomas Krichel. He is a member of Council during his life or until he chooses to step down. In case of his death or abdication Council will nominate another person (not necessary a member of Council) who continues his legacy as life member of Council.

  • 3.2.2 The heads of projects are members of Council as long as the projects are part of NetEc. The present project heads are Fethy Mili (BibEc), Jose Manuel Barrueco Cruz (WoPEc), Dirk Eddelb"uttel (CodEc), Lauri Saarinen (WebEc), William Cardwell (BizEc), Barry Schachter (HoPEc) and Pasi Kuoppam"aki. The number of votes of a member is equal to the number of projects (s)he is heading.

  • 3.2.3 Council is free to nominate new members called co-opted members, by 2/3 majority. The term of a co-opted member is limited in time. The term is fixed at the moment of nomination. Any term of office of a coopted member may not exceed 5 years. The term is renewable. A co-opted member has the same rights as all other members of Council, including a vote in her own continuation of office. Nomination of a new member leads to an amendment of Lex NetEc. The present co-opted members are: (none)

  • 3.3 Council is free to amend Lex NetEc at 2/3 majority. The introduction of new projects only requires simple majority, although it amends Lex NetEc.

  • 3.4 Council nominates a person who acts as secretary. (S)he must be member of Council. Any decision by the secretary may be revoqued by Council. Upon request of Council, (s)he inserts modifications into the text of Lex NetEc. Council does not have an email list but uses the broader lists NetEc-talk and NetEc-tech as a forum to discuss the issues, and uses group reply features of mail software to communicate among members. Deliberations of Council are not public.

  • 3.5 Any member of Council may propose a resolution by mailing all the other members at once, with a subject line starting with "Council:". If a resolution is unopposed during one week, it carries through as adopted. If a resolution is opposed it may be debated for a further week. After that debate closes and a vote is called by the secretary. If the debate leads to a rewording of the resolution text by the proposer, the updated resolution is treated like a new one. In case of a blocking situation, the vote of the life member counts twice.

  • 3.6 The secretary publishes each resolution on the NetEc Web sites. (S)he gives each resolution the name of an animal such as to make it easy to refer to it. So may be a flea resolution, a camel resolution etc...

  • 3.7 The secretary calls a vote of Council using a mail to all members with a subject line starting with "vote:". Votes in Council are expressed by a mail to the secretary. Members have to express their vote within the 48 hours that follow the sending of mail by the secretary. The limiting time for the receipt of vote, expressed in GMT, appears on the voting email. It is at least 48 hours but may exceed that time at the secretary's discretion. The secretary may repeat the vote if there has been a technical problem with the voting procedure.

  • 3.7.1 The votes in Council are counted by the secretary. (S)he announces the result of the vote, listing each member of Council and the vote (s)he has expressed. This mail announcing the result of the vote is only announced to the members of Council. It is strictly confidential. Outside Council, the secretary announces the result of the vote, but not how the result was obtained, i.e. what type of majority there was etc. This restriction servers the undermine efforts by persons outside Council to lobby dissidents within Council.

  • 3.8 Actions of NetEc are discussed on electronic mailing lists that are close but not moderated. NetEc-talk@mailbase.ac.uk concerns all political aspects of NetEc in particularly its relationship with the rest of the world. NetEc-tech@mailbase.ac.uk deal with technical questions of the internal workings of projects. The discussions on these list should be treated as confidential.

  • 3.8.1 The secretary may add or delete members from the list. Any addition or deletion from the list must be announced to the list concerned at least 48 hours before the addition or deletion becomes effective.

    • NetEc Last modified: 5 Feb 1997