I would still appreciate it very much when OpenCouchsurfing.org could put a link to HospEx Ne>t ( http://www.hospitalityguide.net/link.txt ) on the page. Maybe there are some people that have the same need to write more objective about ALL networks.

Cheers,
John

To the uninitiated to hospitality exchange I mention both, still, but that will change once BeWelcome reaches 10.000 members.

I want to point out my post is not meant as publicity; I’m am positive towards BeWelcome and I think this is obvious in my post. Nevertheless was my post essentially is is not publicity but posting of links about which I hope people will make their own mind up. I want to give people different inputs, not make publicity.

I by the way tell “strangers” only about Couchsurfing anymore (you could say: direct them there), since Hospitality Club slowed down since some time and I felt CS is the better working site (I actually used to advertise both).
I didn’t advertise BW yet, as it is still very small and I want people to get to know the joy of hosting; but then again it can’t grow without advertisement, so I’m not being logical.
I might start advertising BOTH CS and BW to people in future (like I used to do with CS and HC), maybe with some explanations why they should also support BW. I would hope people sign up for both then.

Cheers
Michel

As one of the “core” or alpha developers for BeWelcome.org, I am glad for any positive publicity BW gets. Our progress has been slow but steady. There is a very solid philosophical, democratic, and technical foundation for the future, created by an amazingly committed and talented group of volunteers (none of whom get paid). I feel that it’s just a matter of time before critical mass is reached; perhaps it’s already beginning now.

I’ve been very impressed with the level of maturity, integrity, leadership, openness, transparency, adherence to democratic principles, tolerance for diverse viewpoints, willingness to solicit criticism and outside review. There’s always room to improve, but that’s part of the exciting challenge of BW.

It’s a day vs. night contrast with my experience as a core developer for CS. After over and over again giving the benefit of doubt, I increasingly became disillusioned and ultimately disgusted with the management of CS.

That is why, unlike many who express themselves here, I no longer support CS in any way, as long as it’s under the domination of Casey Fenton, but give all my support to BeWelcome. By posting here, I wish to give fair warning to potential CS volunteers, to save them from the kind of volunteering experience I had, but also hoping that they might instead chose to support BW.

I don’t blame those who still work toward a better CS, but I feel that BW is a much better way for me to support the hospitality movement (and more, eventually).

Cheers for the links.

@ Kaspar
Thanks for your impressions. Oh, and no worries about the last Beach Camp; different times, different moods.

My critical opinion. Well, I think the weekend was awesome. It was great to meet some volunteers for the first time and to see people again I had met years ago. (And, Michel, on a personal note, sorry for not having been too social at the previous Berlin Beach Camp. I will make up for that next time.) The atmosphere was great and I feel it was a very successful unconference.

Apart from that, I can only be critical of myself. I haven’t taken any responsibility within BW. I’ve only been taking part in some discussions and worked a bit on the wiki, that is still not open. I never had the perseverance to really get into the source code and I took up my usual stance of not taking more power than needed (i.e. I don’t have server access to the wiki). And I’m not even an official member of the BeVolunteer organization. But well, all that will happen when it’s the right time.

So overall, BW is moving forward and for the money and effort it takes and the pleasure and progress it gives we should have many more of these unconferences.

Yes it is good to see all the options .
Alex of the hospitality guide has been doing a good unbiased job for years.though the site has become inactive recently
http://www.hospitalityguide.net/