2004-10-01 Technology Committee Report

PNB Technology Committee Report 10-01-2004

The Technology Committee wishes to report that it met and discussed several technical issues of importance to Pacifica.

As reported to the Board in June, the Committee passed a resolution at it's May 21st meeting regarding information requested from the Executive Director. The text of that resolution follows:

      RESOLVED, That the PNB Technology Committee requests
      that Pacifica Executive Director Dan Coughlin arrange for a
      written report on who is doing what for Pacifica's web streaming
      and archiving projects and what their technical approach is.

      FURTHER RESOLVED, That the PNB Technology Committee
      requests that this status report include the costs so far and
      projected.

The Committee's meeting of June 20th had as its guest Pacifica's webworker Pete Korakis, who briefed the Committee on this subject and satisfactorily answered many of its questions and concerns. At its most recent meeting, however, the Committee indicated that it still desires a written report, so it has forwarded this request to the PNB Coordinating Committee. There is some sentiment on the Committee that it would like the Executive Director to consider it a continuing responsibility to keep PNB standing committees as well as the full Board informed via periodic written reports; and, in its own case, it would like more technical detail in such reports than might be appropriate for a Board presentation.

At it's June meeting, the Technology Committee selected Curt Schroell as its Chair and Terry Goodman as its Secretary. It populated four workgroups with specialized areas of technical concern and it authorized a committee member to initiate a workgroup study of the MemSys membership software currently in use at all Pacifica stations. There has been little progress reported among workgroups to date.

Several committee members assisted with and/or attended Tech Talk sessions at the Ninth Grassroots Radio Conference, and technical concerns about HD radio discussed at that conference are on the Committee's next agenda.

The Committee's most recent meeting was on September 27th, in preparation for this PNB Meeting. The following resolutions have the Committee's approval:

    1. RESOLVED, The committee reports that it finds that there is no
         other technology that we are aware of that will allow Pacifica to
         reach the worldwide audience available via shortwave and that
         the Radio for Peace International proposal is compatible with the
         Pacifica Mission and its message of peace.

    2. RESOLVED, That Dave Adelson present a report to the PNB on
         the latest MP3 technology.

    3. WHEREAS, bugs and security holes are often found in initial
         releases of new software and interfaces,

         RESOLVED, The PNB Technology Committee recommends that
         prior to the public release by Pacifica of any new internet audio
         interface, it be provided to the PNB Technology Committeee for
         beta testing and security review.

Pursuant to the above resolutions, the Committee recommends that the Board hear presentations from Radio for Peace International and from Dave Adelson, as scheduled. Furthermore, the Committee recommends Board adoption of resolution number 3 above, minus the phrase "The PNB Technology Committee recommends."

Steve Conley, KPFA (absent)
Mark Hernandez, KPFA (absent)
William Walker, KPFA (absent)
Dave Adelson, KPFK
Nile El Wardani, KPFK
Terry Goodman, KPFK
Al Delaney, KPFT (absent)
Curt Schroell, KPFT
Wendy Schroell, KPFT
Roger Manning, WBAI
Patty Heffley, WBAI
Tiokasin Ghosthorse, WBAI (absent)
Zarinah Shakir, WPFW
Tracey Lewis, WPFW (absent)
Cleveland Spears, WPFW (absent)

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2004-10-01 Technology Committee Report