>Look  at the  problems  EARN  has had  with  its  officially recognized  EARN
>Technical Committee (or whatever it's call; I know it as EARNTECH).
 
There  is a  misunderstanding here.  The "EARN  Technical Group"  (I mean  the
"old", pre-EARN89  one) had never had  any official status or  definition; its
only purpose was to make the Board feel  good, as it would ask it to study the
technical   aspects  of   something,   carefully  listen   to  its   technical
recommendations, and then  do exactly the opposite of what  was suggested (but
after  having listened  to  the pro's  and  con's and  haven  taken them  into
account).
 
The problem  has been  solved in  EARN89 by defining  the new  "EARN Technical
Committee" as  being just anybody (from  EARN) who wished to  join. This group
meets only once a year, during the  EARN end-user meeting, and does nothing in
particular  except  that  members  from  the  group  are  encouraged  to  form
sub-groups  to study  specific technical  topics and  report to  the Executive
Committee('s wastebasket).
 
  Eric