Conference Opens
Steve Edwards, Conference Chair, reconvened the World Service Conference at 8:17 a.m. on Saturday, September 1,2007.
Let’s begin Roll Call with Ms. Patty.
We have 158 votes on the floor. Quorum is 106. I neglected an agenda item known as the Serenity Prayer. The “we” version of the Serenity Prayer. Next up is Information Technology.
CLOSING REPORT
C.A, WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2007
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) REPORT
INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS
This year, we discussed our increasing role in service to our fellowship and this conference, discussed old and new technologies, reviewed our workbook, and reviewed all CA.org linked websites.
This committee has five new members:
Melissa Lewis – Oklahoma Area Alternate Delegate
Marc Harvey ~ Orange County CA Area Delegate
Wesley Blount ™ Massachusetts Area Delegate
Al Furoy – Northern Alberta Delegate
Trevor Scheible – Trustee
We have five returning members:
Terry Marsden – Utah Area Delegate
Leon Mason – CALA Member
Robert Poulsen – Northern Alberta Alternate Delegate
Karen Rupp – CA Online Service Area Alternate Delegate, IT Vice Chair
Richard Schafer – Colorado Area Delegate, IT Chair
PowerPoint presentation is presented regarding the logo.
COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS:
- Karen Rupp – Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bullet point 8 which presently reads:
‘Any page containing quotes from copyrighted CA literature must contain the appropriate copyright notice, and identify the piece being quoted. The book “Hope, Faith & Courage” is NOT available for online reprinting, and is not covered by this provision.’
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And replace with:
‘Any page containing quotes from copyrighted CA literature must contain the appropriate copyright notice, and identify the piece being quoted. The books “Hope, Faith & Courage” and “Hope, Faith <& Courage II” are NOT available for online reprinting, and are not covered by this provision/
Second,
Steve Edwards – Would you like to speak to your motion?
Karen Rupp – not at this time.
John Whitaker – This is just brining in our HFC I!, but my question is saying we can’t use that in the website, we have “Reaching Out” from HFC !, is that a problem?
Steve Edwards – the piece you are referring to is a separate piece of literature.
John Whitaker – one part is.
Richard Schafer – one part is conference-approved. That would be allowed.
Cynthia Cronkhite – POI – l was wondering whether further books can be included as housekeeping or will it require another motion every time there is another book?
Steve Edwards – I believe it would be dangerous to include any potential book. 1 think a motion is a better way to deal with it
Cynthia Cronkhite – I offer a friendly amendment, change HFC and HFC 11 to Cocaine Anonymous books are not available for online printing.
Richard Schafer – we do not accept. We understand it but we would like to bring it back to the body.
Cynthia Cronkhite – I speak against the motion as it is worded. While the roll-out of HFC ii did occur at the conference this year, future books might take place at another time. And there may be a gap between publication and the conference guidelines.
Steve Edwards – Any further debate?
Motion carries with substantial unanimity.
2) Wesley Blount – Motion: To change page 8 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bullet point 2 which presently reads:
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‘Sites may only post literature that has been approved by the CA World Service Conference for use in CA meetings or CA service work’
And replace with:
‘Sites may only post literature that is currently approved by the CA World Service Conference for use in CA meetings or CA service work’.
Second.
Steve Edwards – reads the motion. Wesley would you like to speak to your motion?
Wesley Blount – not at this time.
Steve Edwards – any debate? Seeing none. The motion carries unanimously.
3) Marc Harvey – Motion: To change page 8 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bullet point 4 which presently reads:
‘UNDER NO CONDITION SHALL ANY AREA, DISTRICT, GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL POST MATERIAL FROM THE BOOK “HOPE, FAITH & COURAGE”, except for such sections as might be distributed as part of Conference-approved meeting formats.
And replace with:
‘UNDER NO CONDITION SHALL ANY AREA, DISTRICT, GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL POST MATERIAL FROM THE BOOKS “HOPE, FAITH & COURAGE” AND “HOPE, FAITH & COURAGE II”, except for such sections as might be distributed as part of Conference-approved meeting formats.
Second.
Steve Edwards – reads motion. Would you like to speak to your motion?
Marc Harvey – not at this time.
Steve Edwards – any debate? Seeing none. The motion carries with substantial unanimity.
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REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS
Referral # 4188: Please review websites linked to www.ca.org stating ‘we are a fellowship of, for and by cocaine addicts’ – this is an untruth according to our traditions. We must be sure to portray ourselves as we truly are – all inclusive and non-drug specific. Therefore, homepages to be free of such exclusive and exclusive information.
Our response to this referral: We reviewed CA websites linked to www.ca.org and found that an out-of-date disclaimer containing this phrase (“Cocaine Anonymous is a Fellowship of, by, and for cocaine addicts seeking recovery. Friends and family of addicts should contact Co-Anon Family Groups, a Fellowship dedicated to their much different needs/1) appears on a number of sites, resulting in the following motions:
a) Melissa Lewis – Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bullet point 5 which reads
‘A WSO-supplied disclaimer must be placed at the bottom of the main page of the site’
And replace with:
‘The current WSO-supplied disclaimer must be placed at the bottom of the main page of the site
Disclaimer: “Cocaine Anonymous is a Fellowship of, by, and for addicts seeking recovery. Friends and family of addicts should contact Co-Anon Family Groups, a Fellowship dedicated to their much different needs
Second.
Steve Edwards – would you like to speak to your motion?
Melissa Lewis – not at this time.
Steve Edwards – any debate? Seeing none, the motion carries unanimously.
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- Al Furoy – Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 6 which reads:
‘A WSO-supplied trademark statement must be placed at the bottom of the main page, and any other page where the CA logo appears’
And replace with:
The current WSO-supplied trademark statement must be placed at the bottom of the main page, and any other page where the CA logo appears
Trademark Statement: “This site copyright © 1996 – 2007 Cocaine Anonymous World Services, Inc. “C.A.”, “Cocaine Anonymous” and the C.A. Logo are registered trademarks of Cocaine Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Second.
Steve – would you like to speak to your motion?
Al Furoy ~ not at this time.
Dan Sadur – POi – do the dates automaticaily change?
Richard Schafer – yes, that’s housekeeping.
Susan Bredau – this motion concerns me because we put event flyers on the website and that flyer is downloadable. This makes it necessary to put the disclaimer on the flyer?
Trevor Scheible – we are adding to it. Any page with the logo should have that disclaimer on it. It should be updated. We are clarifying. With the logo this disclaimer needs to be on the page.
Richard Schafer – it must be on the webpage, it is a webpage with the logo and most webservants know how to separate the two.
Bill Burmeier – why is the motto “we’re here and we’re free” not part of the motion.
Richard Schafer – is that a friendly amendment?
Steve Edwards – would you like to offer a friendly amendment?
Bili Burmeier – Yes,
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Richard Schafer- accepted.
Steve Edwards – any further debate?
Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 6 which reads:
‘A WSO-supplied trademark statement must be placed at the bottom of the main page, and any other page where the CA logo appears’
And replace with:
The current WSO-supplied trademark statement must be placed at the bottom of the main page, and any other page where the CA logo appears
Trademark Statement: “This site copyright © 1996 – 2007 Cocaine Anonymous World Services, Inc. “Cocaine Anonymous““We’re here and we’re free” and the C.A. Logo are registered trademarks of Cocaine Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Steve Edwards – The motion carries unanimously.
Robert Boson – Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 7 which now reads:
‘A WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering ail material on the site, must also appear on the main page’
And replace with:
The current WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering ail material on the site, must also appear on the main page.
Copyright Statement: “This World Wide Web site (your website url. Example: www.yourarea.org) is a publication of Cocaine Anonymous® (“your area or district”), Inc. Ail material, including, without limitation, trademarks, copyrights and all other rights, presented or included herein, including all subsidiary pages, is owned and/or copyrighted by (“your area or district”). Permission is
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granted to download and store this material for individual, non-proprietary use only. All other rights are fully reserved. Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or any other similar organization
Second.
Steve Edwards- would you like to speak to your motion?
Robert Bolson – not at this time.
Steve Edwards – any debate?
Bryan Seid – in the motion, i offer a friendly amendment to remove the word alcoholics anonymous because you are singling them out
Steve Edwards- please clarify.
Bryan Seid – Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with any other organization.
Robert Schafer – yes, we will.
David Crosland – my question was similar.
Steve Edwards – do you have a POI or a friendly amendment?
David Crosland -1 suggest Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with any other Anonymous fellowship or similar organization.
Robert Schafer – Yes.
Mona Ibrahim – friendly amendment, take out the inc.
Robert Schaffer-accepted.
e) Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 7 which now reads:
‘A WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page’
And replace with:
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‘The current WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page.
Copyright Statement: “This World Wide Web site (your website url. Example: www.yourarea.org) is a publication of Cocaine Anonymous<D (“your area or district”) Im. All material, including, without limitation, trademarks, copyrights and all other rights, presented or included herein, including all subsidiary pages, is owned and/or copyrighted by (“your area or district”). Permission is granted to download and store this material for individual, non- proprietary use only. All other rights are fully reserved. Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with Alcoholics–Anonymous any other Anonymous Fellowship or any-other-similar organization
Elizabeth Saldebar-1 don’t have the opportunity to make a friendly amendment, l suggest to move it in front of the parens,
Tony Drake – POI – 1 believe she can make a friendly amendment at the Chair’s discretion.
Steve Edwards – Yes.
Elizabeth Saldebar – 1 would like to put back in the Inc after the trademark.
Richard Schafer – Friendly Amendment to ensure it’s Cocaine Anonymous Inc?
Elizabeth Saldebar – Yes.
Richard Schafer – We accept.
f) Motion: To change page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 7 which now reads:
‘A WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page’
And replace with:
‘The current WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to inciude the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page.
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Copyright Statement: “This World Wide Web site (your website url. Example: www.yourarea.org) is a publication of Cocaine Anonymous® Inc. (“your area or district”) Inc. All material, including, without limitation, trademarks, copyrights and all other rights, presented or included herein, including all subsidiary pages, is owned and/or copyrighted by (“your area or district”). Permission is granted to download and store this material for individual, nonproprietary use only. All other rights are fully reserved. Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous any other Anonymous Fellowship or any–other-similar organization.’”
Mona Ibrahim – why leave Inc on Cocaine Anonymous and then follow it with another Inc?
Steve Edwards – let’s stop there, let’s make sure the Inc is in the right place.
Dan Santa Maria – Couple of POL Am I correct if l read this, using my Area as an example, Colorado Inc.?
Trevor Scheible – if you are incorporated, yes . And if not you don’t have to put it in.
Dan Santa Maria – that’s the intent of the original wording. We have amended wording that moved the Inc which references the parent Cocaine Anonymous.
Steve Edwards – We will take a 10 minute break.
*****BREAK*****
Steve Edwards – please take your seats and come to order.
Apparently we have come to a solution on the break and the Committee is going to ask for unanimous consent to restate their motion correctly. I hope there is no objection from the floor to them doing that.
g) Motion: To change Page 7 of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines bulletpoint 7 which now reads:
‘A WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page’
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And replace with:
The current WSO-supplied copyright statement, edited to include the Area or District name, and covering all material on the site, must also appear on the main page’
Copyright Statement: “This World Wide Web site (your website uri. Example: www.yourarea.org) is a publication of Cocaine Anonymous® (“your area or district”). All material, including, without limitation, trademarks, copyrights and all other rights, presented or included herein, including all subsidiary pages, is owned and/or copyrighted by (“your area or district”). Permission is granted to download and store this material for individual, non-proprietary use only. All other rights are fully reserved. Cocaine Anonymous is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous-any other Anonymous Fellowship or any other similar organization
Steve Edwards – any further debate? Rereads the motion. The motion carries unanimously.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR
None.
REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Referral # 4196: Please arrange ALL guidelines/workbooks are downloadable from www.ca.org. This would allow ail members to freely access these documents and raise awareness for all levels of service.
Committee’s response: Referral # 4196 is forwarded to WSO,
Referral # 5082: Can the CAWS website contain a ‘search1 key? It is helpful when looking up certain things such as ‘blank referral forms’. It
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would be helpful to search within the website rather than exit the website and search within a search engine?
Committee’s response: Referral # 5082 is referred back to WSO for the webservant to determine the workings or functionality of www.ca.org.
Referral # 5121: Transiate ‘cocaine’ into multiple languages* and optimize this word for international search engines, such that ca.org is returned.
minimum list of languages translated to be for countries/languages where there are known CA groups.
Committee’s response: We referred this back to WSO. With support for the office a list was emailed to the office webservant where we translated the word ‘cocaine’ into these languages Dutch, Canadian French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish for the webservant to incorporate on the website:
Dutch – cocaine Canadian
French – cocaine
German – kokain
Italian – cocaina
Portugese ~ cocaina
Spanish – cocaina
Swedish – kokain
Japanese – □□□□
Korean- □□□
Chinese (simple) □□□
Icelandic – kokain
Finnish – kokaiini
Russian – кокаин
Referral # 5122: Add FTP – (or similar) link to ca.org for downloading conference material, policies, guidelines, archives, etc.
Committee’s response: We referred this back to the WSO. We support WSO and ca.org in using the HTTP download protocol over the need for a separate service like FTP – all materials can be downloaded using HTTP, which means that when you click on a document on the world webpage the browser opens a downloading window and transfers the document.
REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS
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Referral # 5057: Instead of storing the reader for Adobe Acrobat, we should have the ur! listed. The reader is so old that it doesn’t work on newer documents and listing the url seems like a smaller affiliation.
Committee’s response: Currently available on ca.org is Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0 for Mac, Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0 for Vista, Adobe Acrobat Reader 8.0 for XP, Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 for ME, Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 for Windows97, Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.05 for Windows95. Within our traditions we cannot give the url because we are not affiliated with Adobe. We believe the updates were made after this referral was produced.
Referral # 5062: That the IT Committee provide electronically and including updates the Public Information Committee the/its guidelines for creating and maintaining CA websites for reprinting in the WSPI manual. This is the wish of the WSPI Committee.
Committee’s response: The IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines 2007 page 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be electronically available for the PI Committee for creating and maintaining CA websites for reprinting in the WSPI manual stating This is an excerpt of the IT Committee Workbook and Guidelines 2007’.
Referral # 5155: Create an emailing list that people could register emails® on the CA website which would provide an email of a new event posted on the website.
Committee’s response: This is outside the scope of this committee. There is no control over email lists so we do not recommend that any lists are created.
NEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS OF THIS CONFERENCE
Chair – Karen Rupp (Delegate, Online Meetings)
Vice-Chair – Marc Harvey (Delegate, OCCA)
Secretary – Wesley Blount (Delegate, CAMI)
CLOSING COMMENTS
It has been an honor and privilege to serve on the IT Committee for all 4 years of my term as Colorado Area Delegate. As most of you know, technology is a passion of mine and to be able to truly serve CA as a whole has been a gift, this gift of service has allowed me to serve, learn and grow. I am humbled by the
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thanks we have received over the years, where it is this committee that is grateful, thankful, and appreciative for the opportunity to serve.
Respectfully Submitted:
Richard Schafer, Chair IT Committee
Karen Rupp – on behalf of the Committee, I want to thank Richard for the work on the committee and the work he has done for CA.
Steve Edwards – l personally want to thank Richard on behalf of the fellowship and I will never forget how he came to our rescue last year during the power outage. Any questions?
Mona Ibrahim – observation…when I was searching for the Birthdays for CALA, why does it say November and not the date.
Richard Schafer – we don’t control the search engine responses. We don’t change the ca.org website we just make suggestions.
Nick Alexander – had a referral come from former delegate/web master and it was #5057 about Adobe Acrobat Read, What can I tell him?
Richard Schafer -1 believe since he drafted the referral and the webservant updated all the versions.
Dan Santa Maria – could you explain how search engines peruse websites, capture and catch information, potentially display of full names.
Richard Schafer – this has been brought up by more than one area. There is an expressed caution when minutes/phone lists are posted. Search engines go out and get the information and they look at key words and return results. If someone was to input your phone number and it is used on hotline, that will be returned very quickly. The caution if you don’t want to be associated with CA or vice versa, it is recommended that we use the hotline numbers for all contacts and that we put no personal information on the website. We highly recommend that we do not put personal information on website.
Dan Santa Maria – I know IT committee has been taking this under advisement With ability of search engines to do that, have you known employers to do such searches.
Richard Schafer – most employers will do a search of name and phone number when you apply for a job. One of the most immediate thing they will be doing.
Don Logan – I hold in my hand the West Inland Empire meeting directory that has the CA logo. With something like this should something like this be down there.
Richard Schafer – the reference on what we passed is that is has to be on the web page.
Mona Ibrahim – I put the referral in about the search engines in on the CA website. Can we block other search engines?
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Richard Schafer – the initial answer is no. That is just the way technology in the box works.
Mona Ibrahim – is it difficult to put a Search key within the CA website?
Richard Shafer – not too difficult but it is up the CA to determine if they want that on their website.
Peter Olsen – there was a personal number put on the website and we have since changed it, can we get it changed on CA.org. Richard Schafer – absolutely. Just iet the office know.
Vinny Martin – the Office owns the website and you guys support it Richard Schafer ~ yes
Vinny Martin – legal disclaimer..why is the committee dealing with it rather than the Office.
Richard Schafer – they have asked us to provide the information to the fellowship and that is what we are doing.
Steve Edwards – seeing no further questions, please help me thank the IT committee for their hard work.
Now we will hear the WSBT Closing Report.
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