Super Assurers

Warning

Note that the Super Assurer programme is more or less deprecated.

Note that the SuperAssurers programme is effectively Frozen

Alternate Subpolicy is under construction: Nucleus Program

Super Assurer Program has these problems:

All Assurance is now ruled by Assurance Policy (now POLICY)
- Under AP, only 50 points can be issued in any single action.
- In order to operate the Super-Assurer system in the future, a subsidiary policy will be required under Assurance Policy rules.
- Without the subpol, it is operated outside policy. The new policy completely replaces the old regime.
- Operating outside policy will likely result in a dispute filed.
There is no point in issuing 100++ points because the Assurer Challenge has to be passed regardless.
There remains a question of how to "fill the Assurance desert."
- A good question for AssuranceOfficer and the board.
The board has to approve any Super-Assurers.
None have been approved in the last year, and none are planned.
- It was already stopped for Germany, Austria or Netherlands.

With that understanding, the following is OLD information.

Current Information

Super Assurers are approved by the board. Email to cacert-board at lists.normal.place.

What exactly is a "Super Assurer"?

A Super Assurer is an assurrer with at least 100 points, who has temporarily been granted "Super" status by the CAcert Board of Directors. This allows them to issue up 150 points when they assure someone. This is used to "seed" areas which do not have many assurrers yet. The extension of the priviliges last only during a public event, such as an Assurance Party, trade show, or similar event.

To better understand the need for temporarily increasing the point value, consider an area where CAcert has not yet established a foot hold. It takes a minimum of 3 assurances (at 150 points), or up to 10 assurances (at 100 points) for a new person to become an assurer themselves. That means at least 3 people in a geographic area must go through the TTP process in order to be assurred. If one (or more) of those assurrers are not available, new people wanting to be assured will not be able to do so. By allowing temporary Super Assurer status, a dozen (could be a lot more depending on attendance) new Assurers can be created, which will make it much easier for people to get the necessary assurances.

Historical Information for Research only

these are old statements, kept for the historical record for those who are documenting and re-organising the SuperAssurance Policy.

Origins of the Super Assurer policy

(from Duane, 2005-06-21, record of the origins of the Super Assurer policy)

The most efficient way is to email board at cacert dot org

The rules are any 2 board members can approve a time limited increase to anyone with 100 or more points so long as there are no objections from the other board members once the increase is issued. The only otherthing is that people are organising a user group meeting or attending a conference.

It generally helps to include a little background information on why you need an increase, likely numbers going to the conf/meeting and likely number of people that will be assured etc etc etc.

While we have limited funds, in some cases we will also help with printing/travel/accommodation costs if it's deemed a worth while enough.

While someone with a time limited increase can issue up to 150 points, it's generally a good idea to get 2 or more people witnessing documents as past increases show some people in the rush make some small mistakes but having 2 people view all requests tends to catch everything.

It's also been suggested not to give out the full 150 points if possible, but to give out say 120 points and then let people assure others for the other 30 points, this gives people a "safe" environment to learn how to do this, and it will increase the inter-web trust links.

More Details

After the flurry of emails about lack of response to time critical requests and such, I think what we really need is to develop some simple automation for the repetitive board work that is required at the moment.

We should be a in a position where we can direct the overall, more abstract, direction of CAcert, and not have to spend copious time dealing with the micro-management of CAcert's assurance system.

I'd like to start a conversation on how we can reduce the work-load required by all of us without jepardising the security of the assurance process, and at the same time improve our processes. To this end, I've got some suggestions:

Enforcement by technical means of a timeout on 200 point increases so that no one has to remember to reduce the user's points at the end of an event.
A single executive board member, or two ordinary board members, acting within certain defined parameters, should be able to raise an assurer's points to 200 temporarily, without having to conduct a vote. There should be some safety valves here that are required in order for raising points using this "fast track" method, such as:
- the recipient must have been an assurer in good standing for X period of time; and
- the recipient must have at least X points already; and
- you, as a board member, may not act alone to increase the points of someone known to you personally, but should instead have another board member do it.
- the recipient must have been given, and agree to adhere to, a policy on the use of their additional assurance capability.

This is just a starting point off the top of my head, so any suggestions are welcome.

We should each be able to raise the points in an automated fashion via the website. There should be informational fields that are required to submit the form, including:
- The event or reason for increasing the points.
- The other board member who reviewed the application, if applicable.
- The expiry date of the increase (no more than X days later).
When a board member raises the points of an assurer, an automated email should be sent to the cacert board list with the details.
Any two board members can immediately disallow the points allocation by notifying the list, at which point it will immediately cause a vote of the full board on whether to allow the point increase.
Should this vote happen before the actual rise of points? Ie send mail, if nobody responds within x hours points get allocated?
The board may vote at any time to disallow objections by a member of the board if they have, on several occasions prior, vexatiously and vapiously disallowed more than X previously assurances.
The board may approve, with majority vote, if one can be found, of a committee of regular members to maintain this task. The committee will answer to the Secretary of the Board, and it will be the Secretary's duty to oversee SuperAssurances.
The board, will be required to answer any request within a period of 2 weeks. Any request not answered in 2 weeks will be automatically denied.
The board may approve, with majority vote, if one can be found, of a committee of regular members to maintain this task. The committee will answer to the Secretary of the Board, and it will be the Secretary's duty to oversee SuperAssurances.

Another old statement

200 points - "Super Assurer". Used to 'seed' new areas where there are no other assurers present or to mass assure at big events. To receive 200 points, you must be fully assured already and make a request to the CAcert Board of Directors stating the reason and length of time for the requested increase. If granted, the value is only temporary for a set time.