Doesn't being a spokesperson automatically make you an active, participating, engaged user (or member of the community)? I can't figure out how somebody could become a spokesperson or have whatever role in a community without being active/engaged/...

The point is to make those who don't want to take part so actively (99,99%) understand that they can - if they want - vote for somebody they trust and then forget about the whole thing again for 6 months. This way they can still be "users only" but have their voices heard. (If the ones they voted for deserved their trust.)

I also think it's worth mentioning that, in general, this "huge, overwhelming ultramajority of [disengaged] users" are not posting, reading or even aware of websites or fora devoted to their device.

They're represented by consumer protection legislation, assisted by Nokia support and aren't aware there's a community; let alone a community council.

Anyone reading this forum is engaged, whether they're technically literate/care about the community/vote or not. It's just a matter of degree (which karma partially captures).

One more point, because you used the word "literate" (this is getting more and more off topic now, anyway):
Let's not forget that whatever is discussed here refers to those who read and write English well enough to participate.

I don't have statistics at hand, but I'd roughly guess that while 100% of the people i know manage to order a beer and a burger in English when abroad, only 30% would be able to read this forum (=find help and useful information here) and only 5%-10% would be able to actively participate.

This is relevant if we discuss the "how representative is this community and its council?"-topic: Markets are different in each country, consumers react differently, and an online community that uses English only will never represent the needs of all users worldwide, simply because too many participants from English speaking territories distort the image.

So we find that the people here on ITT and on maemo.org are only a subset of active and engaged users. You may have folks blogging about their tablets in Italian or gathering in whatever Spanish forum we never heard of... And we can't help it. We'll have to take what's there, do what's feasible. Then, in the future, find mechanisms to invite those who want to participate, but don't speak English. Which will make the community and its council more representative, but still will not help with those who just happily browse the web with their tablets and never even think of going to a forum. They are, as you say, bound to use other feedback channels.

I did read the post above mine. If you read mine, you will see that I quoted the phrase "engaged user" -- where do you think I got that phrase? I got it from the post above mine.

The users I am worried about are NOT engaged users. They are just regular, low-octane users. The post above mine focuses on "engaged users".

Why didn't I vote? Nobody asked me. The reason probably is that I have only posted something like like 17 posts since Jan 2006. This doesn't qualify me for the honor. I do however visit internettablettalk quite often without logging in.

Perhaps the Council should aim to have part of its members drawn from the unwashed masses of users. If a newbie writes a post and gets a perfunctory search the forums first, they would have my vote ... but of course I don't get a vote.

You might want to seek membership from folks who are interested in using their devices, but may not be an advanced user, developer, or not someone who posts a lot.

I can see why Nokia is interested in having the face of the community to talk to -- but unless the majority of the community gets a say in the council, or the council is drawn from a representative cross-section of users, it doesn't seem to be representative, and given enough time may tend towards elitism.

The Zaurus community never had a Community Council -- maybe because Sharp ditched the users early on -- but it has been able to still be a more or less vibrant community over the years.

My perception of all of this conversation must be edging on insanity, because... When I bought my first NIT, I was just an average user who wanted a new device to replace my stolen iPod. After using it for a couple of days, I discovered itT. After a couple of days on itT, I discovered maemo.org. And, the rest is history (i.e., I'm not an "engaged user."). My 'insanity' must come from thinking that anyone who buys one of these things and doesn't, at some point, become an "engaged user," must not really care about the future of the device. So... Make your own judgments there.

(Yes, I'm just pontificating. I know that this isn't going to always be the case.)

Tim

Evidently you didn't read it closely enough, then. Here's the relevant paragraph:

I did not vote because I feel I ve been not on the tablet boat for enough time. Is like living in a country for enough time, you have to gain your rights.
I missed to follow all the maemo meetings, the evolution of the tablets philosopy, the probal painfull progressive obsolencence of 770,n800 and now the n810, each new os released.
I joined pretty late the family (end of 2008) and the hype around new maemo5 and new tablet is always being high. My 1st and only OS is diablo and will probably be the last
I like to learn a device and have to deal with hw/sw limits and manufacter choices. I dont stop playing with the actual hardware (and os) just because (maybe) in the future another piece of hardware will 'solve' everything .
A lot of works being done on tablets and ITT is a great source for nearly everything I need to keep doing my s*its. Im not an OS guy (I think the os should be as minimal as it can and should be ROCK SOLID) so im not really involved in OS developings, Im not a linux guy,opensourceobsessed philisopher, so the (amazing) stunts to bring ubuntu,mer,debian dont really appeal me. Im not a gadgeeter follower so what happen outside is preatty meanless (android,iphones, window mobile, palm,palm???? ) just inspirational source of ideas; im not a marketing freak, i cant care less of articialy build hype, wacky laserlight show on tittis in latex or follow random speechs of douche designers and mamagers (lucky seem there are not so many in Finland but they have imported someone from the rest of the world).
I dont have any real reason to use a tablet, I cant use for my job, I dont have a budget to buy next tablet (s*it i dont even have the budget to buy any decent n60 device to replace my dying motorola).
I can't see any good reason to vote the council since Im the worste customer and community member Nokia and Maemo could aspire to have.
One request i have would be to have access at every documents/manual/file nokia have about the hardware and software of the N810 (god how I loved the old computer/tv manuals with the componets schemes...)
Anyone in the council insanily brave enough to ask this to Nokia for me?

There's a (low) barrier of entry to vote. Anyone who really cares enough is able to with very little effort. There has to be a line somewhere, but it doesn't mean anyone below that line doesn't have overlapping interests with those above.

And, to re-iterate, the council was not dreamt of - nor conceived by - Nokia. I hope, however, they see this self-organisation by the community as something which has been beneficial.

With whom would the council commune in a community with no leadership (or corporate overlord)?

What's a Community Council, and why should I care?

Seriously?