Eric noted:

>    .... when I reached the page where I was to vote there was
> no clear cut way to review the ballot measures before I actually
> voted.   ....

For most of the items on the 2000 SIGIMAGE & SIGHPSQL ballots,
Eric is correct:  You have to go to the "voting" page to see them all.

While involved in what amounted to a complete restructuring of
the SIGIMAGE and SIGHPSQL ballots for '00, I noticed that in a
majority of cases "extended descriptions" that previously existed
for most items pretty much repeated the words contained in the
ballot item itself; and only in some cases provided additional
amplification.  By being as brief as possible in expanding words
for many items on the ballot, it seemed like we could dispense with
the separate "extended descriptions" for most of them... So we did.

Whether or not the above effort was essentially successful is I
suppose a YMMV perception thing;  and admit in retrospect I now
see at least one or two more items on the SIGIMAGE Ballot where
additional words would probably have been appropriate....  Be that
as it may, at the end of above process we ended up with extended
descriptions for only six of 40 items on the SIGIMAGE Ballot and
13 of 45 items on the SIGHPSQL Ballot;  along with lists of items
that were deleted / modified / added since the 1999 Ballots.

In doing the above I am probably guilty of throwing a monkey
wrench into Joe's carefully constructed ballot sequence;  in that
the extended descriptions now no longer contain a complete list
of all enhancements for each ballot....  so, if there are any mea
culpas due, expect I'm on the hook.

Anyway, because we now only have two weeks to get the results
to Interex;  and knowing that Joe does not have unlimited time that
he can donate pro bono even to this good cause, can we live with
the current sequence for this year ??...  Once you actually get the
ballot up in your browser, AFAIK you can take as long as you want
to study it before you vote and submit....  but yes:  you can't leave
and "go elsewhere" from that session until you finish....

I am duly chastised;  and note that next time we should include a
list of ALL enhancements in the "extended descriptions";  that can
be viewed at leisure before getting into the ballot itself;  even if it
just repeats verbatim to wording in the ballot items.

Are we O.K. for this year ????....  I certainly hope no one will be
discouraged from visiting        http://www.csillc.com/sigs/
and casting their ballot....   I actually think this is a pretty slick
application (my above oversight notwithstanding...)..    :-)

Ken Sletten
SIGIMAGE Chair