If commons is not a service project, what is it? Unlike other projects which have a measurable output, Commons' sole function appears to be as a repository of free images. It is therefore very much a service project as it serves other projects through storage of images.

I think the discussion here is especially important as this is the Wikimedia Commons discussion list. That being said, I feel that there should be an RfC/Poll on Commons about how it should change.

From: Huib Laurens <Abigor@forgotten-beauty.com>
To: Wikimedia Commons Discussion List <commons-l@lists.wikimedia.org>
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 10:34:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Commons-l] Some reflections about the governance of Commons

Hello,

I don't think we need to see Commons as a Service project, All Wikimedia
projects need the other projects.
Wikimedia is build on all the projects and saying that a project is only
a service project can make the people feel bad that are working on that
project.
I think the view that Rama uses can be seen in a lot of ways, and
regarding the point of view that you uses you can make all projects into
a service project.

We have now a discussion in  a "private" place about how people have to
change Commons, isn't it a better idea to make this a discussion on
Commons or on Meta (if you want a neutral place). Commons has a great
communety with people that are spending all there time on Commons, and
whe have photographers that can easely make money with there pictures
but chooses to release it under a free license.. I rather see a onwiki
discussion so we can hear there say's also..

Just my view here but I cant send the email without a notice about this..

I'm seeing a discussions or even multible discussions about how Commons
needs to change to be a better service project. But when Commons needs
to change, will we change all other projects also? There are still
images getting deleted because we couldn't get the source information or
other important information because the file was already deleted local,
there is a bug to give Commons adminstrators view permission for deleted
files globally, there has been a vote on Meta and still it isn't
activated (more than a year waiting time). Things like that will make
Commons also a better service project.. Or isn't that important enough?

Huib



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