Systemspace Network List
Network Enhancement Idea 1
Quintuplicate
10 July 2021
[Replaced by NEI: 6]
INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK ENHANCEMENT IDEAS
I. SSN-l
SSN-l (Systemspace Network List) consists of all who are interested in reviving the Systemspace Network. Any member of this mailing list may at any time add any other person to the list.

SSN-l makes decisions by consensus.

II. Network Enhancement Ideas
Information and ideas are imparted on SSN-l primarily through Network Enhancement Ideas (NEIs, pronounced "nays"). (Think RFCs, PEPs, or what-have-you). A NEI should try to be short and readable, but beyond that their authors should not feel bound by any other requirements.

III. Coordinating NEIs
A secretary keeps track of NEIs. The position of secretary is determined by consensus and rotates every 100th NEI, but if no one else is willing to be secretary, the current one is reelected for another 100 NEIs. Quintuplicate is the first secretary.

The secretary is responsible for:
- Making NEIs available to all members as soon as possible after they are received
- Numbering and dating NEIs
- Issuing an index of NEIs at the end of their term (and updating it once there already is one)

If they want, the secretary can enhance NEIs (hah!) by adding features like headnotes, RSS feeds, and such.

IV. Format of a NEI
A NEI needs the following, and no more:
1. The header
Systemspace Network List
Network Enhancement Idea 

2. A title, which need not be unique.

A NEI should be an attached .txt file. The secretary will assign a number and date to a NEI. The minimum length of a NEI is one sentence. NEIs may be reproduced at will unless their authors explicitly state they are copyrighted. A NEI should be cited as "NEI #" except where this citation would not guide the reader to the source.

V. Subjects Covered by NEIs
NEIs are the primary means of exchanging ideas, but they are not the only means. The NEI series is intended to be of general interest to SSN-l, and to advance the SSN in some way. As such, purely personal and private quarrels, long-winded arguments without new points or evidence, and simple comments on and replies to other NEIs are best dealt with by emails within SSN-l, not NEIs. 

Beyond this restriction, there are no others. Proposals for technical protocols, drafts of rules, and philosophical discussions are all acceptable, as are brief questions and statements, if their authors believe they are important enough for the attention of all members of SSN-l and think they will improve the SSN.

In time, these standards (or lack thereof) may tighten. This is natural and acceptable. We all need a small group to bounce ideas off each other. Right now, SSN-l is that small group. If and when we get bigger, it may not be.