Changes between Version 21 and Version 22 of ussf_book_chapter
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- Sep 24, 2008, 12:13:06 AM (17 years ago)
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ussf_book_chapter
v21 v22 109 109 * A particularly difficult challenge was the Media Justice Center (MJC). Our tech team worked for three days straight setting up nearly 40 computers for use by media people in on-line writing, video and audio storage and transmission, and many other media-related tasks. Over 350 media workers registered at the MJC. 110 110 111 To make this happen we had not only toconnect all those computers in networks that were Internet connected but install various pieces of special software to make the video storage and transmission work possible.111 To make this happen we had to not only connect all those computers in networks that were Internet connected but install various pieces of special software to make the video storage and transmission work possible. 112 112 113 113 That's when the techies started flooding in. … … 115 115 People with tech skills from all over the country began presenting themselves: stopping ICT members as we were buzzing around the venues, tracking us down in the MJC, emailing and cell phoning us -- all offering their support and asking what we needed done. 116 116 117 There was no shortage of work and our job of assigning people in an organized way was made easier by the willingness of dozens of technologists -- some of whom had actually hitchhiked across the country -- to do whatever was necessary. They improved software, tested computers, wired rooms and alwaysparticipated in the planning and evaluation discussions that are always a major component of any wiring project of this size.117 There was no shortage of work and our job of assigning people in an organized way was made easier by the willingness of dozens of technologists -- some of whom had actually hitchhiked across the country -- to do whatever was necessary. They improved software, tested computers, wired rooms and participated in the planning and evaluation discussions that are always a major component of any wiring project of this size. 118 118 119 119 These "volunteers" ranged from progressive techie veterans like Michelle Murrain -- "...mostly I volunteered at the Forum, primarily helping to set up the servers for the Media Center" -- to young techies from as far away as Hawaii. … … 123 123 During the days before the Social Forum team members met, divided tasks, discussed eventualities and felt we were ready for anything. We also noticed a potential problem. 124 124 125 A couple of days before the Forum was to launch, we noticed that the website had slowed down appreciably under pre-event registration and began a discussion of what that meant. This site would crash under the load it was about to take on.125 A couple of days before the Forum was to launch, we noticed that the website had slowed down appreciably under pre-event registration and began a discussion of what that meant. We came to the conclusion that this site would crash under the load it was about to take on. 126 126 127 127 Our tech team worked all night right before the Forum to split the database portion of the Drupal installation from the site itself: a solution that returned the site to peak performance. There was no recurrence of the latency throughout the Forum. … … 143 143 Daniel came up with the solution and worked, under intense pressure, for the next 15 minutes to make it happen. 144 144 145 When they were finished all traffic to the Social Forum website stopped being sent directly to New York. Instead, it was rerouted to our Delaware server as if that server was hosting the site. That server which wasn't hosting anything related to the Forum, transparently forwarded all requests from Delaware to New York where the site actually lived. Although the Internet was designed to route around problems such as the one we were facing, we did not have access to the Bell South routers that needed to be re-configured to go around the faulty connection. We needed an alternative, non-standard way to re-route traffic, one that we could implement ourselves, without relying on Bell South.145 When they were finished all traffic to the Social Forum website stopped being sent directly to New York. Instead, it was rerouted to our Delaware server as if that server was hosting the site. That server, which wasn't hosting anything related to the Forum, transparently forwarded all requests from Delaware to New York where the site actually lived. Although the Internet was designed to route around problems such as the one we were facing, we did not have access to the Bell South routers that needed to be re-configured to go around the faulty connection. We needed an alternative, non-standard way to re-route traffic, one that we could implement ourselves, without relying on Bell South. 146 146 147 147 So, during the first hour and a half of the Social Forum, registration staff in Atlanta were going to the wrong server looking for the website and being rerouted from that remote location to NYC to get the site. We circumvented Bell South's troublesome router. 148 148 149 I dwell on this because this was, for me, a moment of great pride in the I TC team. We were there to make sure thatevent could use the Internet and, when confronted with the power of a corporate system effectively blocking that, our people figured out a way around it.149 I dwell on this because this was, for me, a moment of great pride in the ICT team. We were there to make sure that the event could use the Internet and, when confronted with the power of a corporate system effectively blocking that, our people figured out a way around it. 150 150 151 151 Registration opened and proceeded flawlessly and, after 90 minutes of that, Bell South's router suddenly reconfigured and we returned to normal functioning. … … 159 159 In fact, when people notice systems most is when they fail or don't meet expectations. But at the Social Forum, the idea was not for the technology's seamlessness to hide it but to reveal its power and potential and allow it to deepen the Forum's democratic culture. 160 160 161 The key to that was to deepen and increase the interaction people had with the system. For example, if someone walked in and wasn't registered, th e registrar immediately sent him or her to one of the banks of registration computers through which people could self-register. With the help of a techie assigned to that area, people went on line and registered themselves, spending a fraction of the normal time, avoiding lines, learning a bit about the Internet and getting some self-confidence in its use.161 The key to that was to deepen and increase the interaction people had with the system. For example, if someone walked in and wasn't registered, that person was immediately sent by the registrar to one of the banks of registration computers through which people could self-register. With the help of a techie assigned to that area, people went on line and registered themselves, spending a fraction of the normal time, avoiding lines, learning a bit about the Internet and getting some self-confidence in its use. 162 162 163 163 "Watching the huge line of attendees move smoothly through the registration process because of an online system that WE built was exhilarating," Josue Guillen remembers, "The tech team was AMAZING! So many people contributing so much of their time, their expertise, was remarkable." … … 167 167 Finally, for the first time in history, USSF participants blogged the Social Forum while it was going on, providing real coverage of the event for those not there and sparking discussion and reflection among those who were. 168 168 169 Critical to raising Internet consciousness was, of course, doing that among the event's organizers. There is no question that Social Forum organizers deepened their understanding of technology's critical role as they saw what it could do and how it was, in the end, an organizing project in and o theritself.169 Critical to raising Internet consciousness was, of course, doing that among the event's organizers. There is no question that Social Forum organizers deepened their understanding of technology's critical role as they saw what it could do and how it was, in the end, an organizing project in and of itself. 170 170 171 This was no small task because our movements' culture in the U.S. continues to rely on the face to face work that has been the mainstay of organizing for this country's entire history. In that culture, it's easy to view the Internet as just another tool and to take it for granted. Nobody who worked on the USSF will eve ntake it for granted again.171 This was no small task because our movements' culture in the U.S. continues to rely on the face to face work that has been the mainstay of organizing for this country's entire history. In that culture, it's easy to view the Internet as just another tool and to take it for granted. Nobody who worked on the USSF will ever take it for granted again. 172 172 173 Says Daniel Kahn Gillmor: "Initially, the leadership seemed to want a typical "contractor" relationship to the tech -- the tech team saw it as more of a mutual organizing activity. Since the whole theory of the forum was "another world is possible", iwas pleased that the leadership seemed to mostly come around to seeing the merits of approaching tech work like they'd approach any other communication opportunity.173 Says Daniel Kahn Gillmor: "Initially, the leadership seemed to want a typical "contractor" relationship to the tech -- the tech team saw it as more of a mutual organizing activity. Since the whole theory of the forum was "another world is possible", I was pleased that the leadership seemed to mostly come around to seeing the merits of approaching tech work like they'd approach any other communication opportunity. 174 174 175 175 "I felt that by the start of the forum itself, the tech team got good respect from leadership and other forum participants, in spite of the tension and stress inherent in the process." … … 183 183 Perhaps the greatest measure of success for an event of this type is how well it is able to perceive that forward movement, capture it and create an environment that peels away those things that blind us to how well we are doing and brings our successes and our strengths into relief. 184 184 185 One of our greatest strengths is this thing we call the Internet, this remarkable movement we've created based using this simple and powerful technology and the USSF certainly demonstrated its power and importance.185 One of our greatest strengths is this thing we call the Internet, this remarkable movement we've created based on using this simple and powerful technology and the USSF certainly demonstrated its power and importance. 186 186 187 187 By that measure of success, the USSF was among the most successful events in modern U.S. history.
