[Foundation-l] Re: Communication, being up-to-date and Mailing List issue

Sat Jul 24 09:48:46 UTC 2004

First, I agree that there is a problem with communication.

Ronny Raschkowan wrote:
 > Hello!
 >
 > When i talked yesterday on IRC with another wikipedian, we had both the
 > same opinion that there's a problem with the communication, and staying
 > up-to-date.
 >
 > The problem is that people don't know for example, a feature had been
 > enabled or similar (high priority?) news concerning Wikimedia. Also,
 > most Wikis aren't up to date: They don't know for example, that it is
 > also possible to block logged in people using the IP - Ban interface.
 > Another problem is, that Wikis also couldn't know where they have to do
 > requests like: Request for Permission, for switching the logo path, for
 > queries, for updating a LanguageXX.php.

There are two different type of information here :
* new and sudden information (how to get informed)
* basic day to day information (who to contact, or where to go to have 
something done)

I think work has definitly to be done on the first (such as warning of a 
fundraising event).

Not so much on the second, other than regularly pointing out to a couple 
of good starting pages.

When I started reorganising the meta main page, I am quite sure very few 
could find what was needed.

I think now, they do much more than before. In spite of numerous new 
projects, there are far fewer requests on the mailing lists than before 
to ask for a new logo, or sysop status. I believe most people now find 
the right pages quite well.

Of course, documentation has to be written.

Possibly they don't know there
 > are IRC Channels and Mailing Lists, too. I would purpose two possible
 > ways to change that, but feel free to purpose other ways :)
 >
 > 1) "Reactivating" the Announce-l Mailinglist. As far, as there are a lot
 > of changed going on, (creation of language specific wikibooks, quote for
 >  example), it'd be a good idea to have this ML working, as far as people
 > could post the announces there and people interested in the changes
 > could suscribe to that list and get informed.

I am really unsure it will be valuable, but am ready for an experiment.
The first announcement list set by Walter did not work, and I think 
there are a couple of difficulties to solve, if you want to make it work.

You need the *largest* audience possible, and you need *all* relevant 
but *only* relevant information.

1) largest audience : Have everyone REGISTERED to yet another list and 
READ the mails

2) largest audience : Have messages TRANSLATED on that mailing list, 
BEFORE going on the mailing list

3) Have people THINK of using that list (comment : many still not use 
goings-on, but put everything in the huge mess of village-pumps)

4) Have people UNDERSTAND what to post and what not to post (need to 
define the goal very well).

Nothing impossible, but... that essentially mean, imho, that such a list 
will only will work IF someone is taking the responsibility and 
leadership of that solution and really put time in it.

 > 2) Creating a new Special page for all wikis (or similar), called
 > "Useful_Links" or similar ( I haven't found a good title yet ;) ).
 > People could read there where they can found the IRC Chat, where they
 > can found specific mailing lists, and where they can post request (for
 > permission, logo, query, etc), (Embassies?), etc. As far, people would
 > have a good reference page and would fastly find a way where  they can
 > report a problem to the community, request and communicate within the
 > community and with other users.
 >
 > These are just ideas how to do that. If you have another idea, feel free
 > to add it :).

I suppose most of this is more or less on all developped projects, some 
in the FAQ, some in other places. A central place is never a bad idea.

I am glad you are interested by all that Fire :-)

I hold on to my proposal to have a technical feature allowing to post a 
message from meta, to all (or part of) wikimedia projects.

--------

I think we should put some more work on meta, such as

1) making a multilingual home page
2) translating the english speaking main page in more languages
3) develop a feature to support more easily multilingualism on one wiki
4) improve flow of information for the whole area of 
wikimediafoundation. The information on the main page is now outdated.