So essentially the database is one giant complicated system, and our main problem is that we can't really manipulate it to do what we want. This means that we are increasingly using kludges and occasionally ask for emergency help from someone without enough time to really get involved that much. To anyone familiar with government software, this is actually a very familiar story!
Now, I propose we engage in a traditional approach from many governments:
1. First, a fact-finding panel composed of twenty-three people in various interest groups, split fairly closely by partisan lean, who will travel to Gstaad for a two-week retreat in order to come up with the process by which we will decide on the next steps for the
Well, actually, let's start by breaking down the use of the database:
The immediate problem is that it's really hard to design a whole new system to do these things without a ton of technical knowledge, and even if we did do that, we'd just be stuck with another giant complicated system that will get gummed-up in short order. There's no way to make a big complicated thing that isn't big and complicated.
The solution is that we shouldn't be trying to do everything all with the same system. We should be using different systems for each task.
The obvious objection is that this would make the Chancery an incredibly difficult and exhausting position that no one would ever want. But aside from the fact that this is already true right now, it's also not correct. Since even though we have different systems, we can still use the same simple tools to make it work: spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets are essentially just very accessible databases, available to everyone. They're incredibly low-maintenance, incredibly transparent, and incredibly versatile. You can pipe the information from a spreadsheet to all kinds of fancy purposes, including glitzy front-ends to present the data in a pretty way. And if we use a few tricks, we can make them work for these purposes.
Now, obviously we don't want the Chancery in charge of just manually updating everything all of the time. That'd get very onerous. I'd suggest that using different implementations of Google Forms is the best approach. Google Forms can be embedded into webpages, so that we can have a Chancery webpage for Ziu votes. A member of the Ziu is issued a code for their votes, and then when they want to vote on the Clark, they go to a page and enter their votes for each bill, and then enter their code. The spreadsheet is programmed with any of a number of relatively simple formulas to match codes up (or reject them) and the results are automatically tabulated on the sheet, and simultaneously automatically transcribed elsewhere for display.
The devil will be in the details, but I think that this will be a system that anyone can learn to manage and most could learn to modify and improve. And what's more, this would be something that others could make even better -- I'm just a teacher, and so think about what someone who knows more about spreadsheets could do! -- and could build on.
So right now, that's where I'm at. One big word: "spreadsheets," with hours of thinking and figuring to do. But updating Infotecă with all of its information takes only about a minute per month... I bet a clever system of automated spreadsheets and forms would at least take no longer than we currently spend on this stuff.
Now, I propose we engage in a traditional approach from many governments:
Well, actually, let's start by breaking down the use of the database:
- Records
- Voting
- Legislating
The immediate problem is that it's really hard to design a whole new system to do these things without a ton of technical knowledge, and even if we did do that, we'd just be stuck with another giant complicated system that will get gummed-up in short order. There's no way to make a big complicated thing that isn't big and complicated.
The solution is that we shouldn't be trying to do everything all with the same system. We should be using different systems for each task.
The obvious objection is that this would make the Chancery an incredibly difficult and exhausting position that no one would ever want. But aside from the fact that this is already true right now, it's also not correct. Since even though we have different systems, we can still use the same simple tools to make it work: spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets are essentially just very accessible databases, available to everyone. They're incredibly low-maintenance, incredibly transparent, and incredibly versatile. You can pipe the information from a spreadsheet to all kinds of fancy purposes, including glitzy front-ends to present the data in a pretty way. And if we use a few tricks, we can make them work for these purposes.
Now, obviously we don't want the Chancery in charge of just manually updating everything all of the time. That'd get very onerous. I'd suggest that using different implementations of Google Forms is the best approach. Google Forms can be embedded into webpages, so that we can have a Chancery webpage for Ziu votes. A member of the Ziu is issued a code for their votes, and then when they want to vote on the Clark, they go to a page and enter their votes for each bill, and then enter their code. The spreadsheet is programmed with any of a number of relatively simple formulas to match codes up (or reject them) and the results are automatically tabulated on the sheet, and simultaneously automatically transcribed elsewhere for display.
The devil will be in the details, but I think that this will be a system that anyone can learn to manage and most could learn to modify and improve. And what's more, this would be something that others could make even better -- I'm just a teacher, and so think about what someone who knows more about spreadsheets could do! -- and could build on.
So right now, that's where I'm at. One big word: "spreadsheets," with hours of thinking and figuring to do. But updating Infotecă with all of its information takes only about a minute per month... I bet a clever system of automated spreadsheets and forms would at least take no longer than we currently spend on this stuff.