I sent back an email, asking, "what is the criteria for acceptance? Given that I work for a company that has an online learning management system, part of my daily job is quality assurance and product design on a Learning Management System, and in my weblog, I have been promoting Integral University, what is the criteria for acceptance?"
I haven't gotten a response yet, although I still hope to. It's been 24 hours (am I impatient or what?
)Outside of the fact that I've had posts on the Beta, so clearly I'm going to be disappointed about that, there is a legitimate question to be asked:
Namely, on questions of inclusion/exclusion, is the criteria going to be open and transparent or not?
For example, it could be that for IU beta testing, only 50 people are wanted for this testing (a low number I know, just throwing it out there.) However, 10,000 people want to be beta testers! Clearly, some people must be excluded.
However, the criteria by which this is done, should be transparent, fair, and communicated to those of us who, ahead of time, are excited by the project, and have been promoting and contributing to the project (in some sense).
It may be as simple as, people who joined Integral Naked as a paying member before December 2003. That was the cutoff (and that cutoff doesn't include me, as I joined Integral Naked in the latter part of 2004). It may be those that have managed to attend and pay for workship in Colorado. (Or online). Both of the above are acceptable, and a simple explanation is all that is required.
But an arbitrary "thanks for your interest but you have been excluded" without rhyme or reason, isn't really acceptable. It is similar to an automated letter you receive from the HR depaartment of a company you apply to.
My own opinion, take it for what it is worth, is it would be better to communicate a transparent criteria for exclusion/inclusion - that would be a better mode of creating community. Decisions "made from on high", without explanation don't do the trick.
Since there are at least a couple of people connected to IU who read this blog, could you please forward this on to relevant parties?
I'm also sure that everyone at IU, at the moment, is jammed with work, similar to before all the product release that I've done, but it would be appreciated.
UPDATE - Check out Vince's comment below - the criteria was the first 250 were allowed, out of the 600 that applied to be beta testers. Very fair and reasonable, and I appreciate the response.
