Excellent posts, rocksolid.
The committee will point the problems, suggest some things... something that could pass, like the fact Battledome is alike to Crossword, and people have little interest. My comment about little interest was the 9th in the topic, and the map was done to be sent... So, I think the purpose is produce a greater reflexion and be more aware to some great errors... The committee will not design the maps, definitely.
If the committee is just there to point out the problems, then why is there any need for the committee at all? When I made my map, I had all sorts of people pointing out little problems all over the place that I would have never even considered. There are pleanty of eyes within the community already taking very close looks at the new maps. Theres no reason for five guys to get together and talk about the maps.
As is, individuals come in and point out what they see wrong and what they may like to be fixed. The author reads them and makes a decision. If theres a committee, five official guys all come together, and make official decisions on what needs to be changed. Then the author feels very pressured to make a decision a certain way.
For example, when I made my map, everyone was bitching at me to bump up the countries to 42. I didn't want to, and in the end I didn't. But if there was an official revision committee that reported back to me, "We feel this map would be better off if you added 2 more countries," i'd feel obligated to do it that way.
But I really see no purpose for this. People have said that it will not limit creativity in any way. The only argument so far seems to be that the Middle East map and the Indochina map wouldn't be in the current state they are in. Personally, I enjoy both maps, especially Middle East. Indochina has a very different gameplay, and thats interesting. You argue that with a committee, the Middle East map would have been improved before being sent to lack. But what if the author is unwilling to make any changes? You say that he could definitely make it better. What if he can't (doesn't have the tools), or simply doesn't want to? Then theres nothing you can do but take it or leave it. I would personally definitely take it (which is ultimately lack's decision). A committee would leave it, because they would report back to the author telling him/her to change it, but the author would never reply back with changes. And then a map is lost.
If the author IS willing to change it, than that can be accomplished without a committee. Everyone will bitch at the person telling them how ugly it is and how it needs to be fixed pronto, and the willing person will go ahead and make the changes.
As rocksolid mentioned, I had little to no experience with the CC forums when I started making my map. I came in, saw hoff was doing it, read lacks thread, and it seemed like a very open experience. I just had to make it, review it with the community, and send it to lack. As a new guy, I don't know if I would have made my map had there been more (and inherently intimidating) steps to take.