[Foundation-l] Vote to create Wikiversity Vote

Fri Nov 11 12:23:42 UTC 2005

On 11/11/05, Ray Saintonge <saintonge at telus.net> wrote:
> Anthony DiPierro wrote:
> >You misquoted me. I never said donations should only be used for Wikipedia.
> >But instead of repeating myself I'll be precise: "The specific purpose for
> >which [Wikimedia] is organized is: to create and freely distribute freely
> >licensed encyclopedias, textbooks, reference works, and other literary,
> >scientific, and educational information in all languages of the world."
> >That's straight from the amended articles of incorporation. To spend any
> >significant portion of donations on anything else is at best unethical.
> >
> I don't see a Wikiversity as going beyond the quoted mandate.  Teaching
> is a way of distributing information..  Trying to impute restrictions
> into donors' minds is pointless.  How many donors have actually stated
> such restrictions?

I see teaching as going beyond distributing information.  Maybe you're
right that it isn't my place to speak for others.  But if so, I'm not
sure what the purpose is of having this discussion in the first place.

> >>Most of what Wikiversity is going to be doing on the website anyway is
> >>writing curriculum standards, course syllibi, instructional examples,
> >>and testing materials. How is that any different from writing books or
> >>encyclopedia articles. Besides, all of these tasks have been happening
> >>on Wikibooks anyway. The only real debate is if these tasks should
> >>happen as a seperate project or if it is something that belongs within
> >>Wikibooks.
> >>
> >>
> >I already said I have no problem as long as the purpose of Wikiversity is
> >limited to creating and distributing learning materials, and doesn't include
> >actually using those materials to teach.
> >
> If that were all it did it would be pointless to have the project.  My
> own resistance is based in part on on the concern that it might be
> limited to the kind of sterile role that you imagine.

I assume you agree that it's not pointless to create and distribute
learning materials, in which case you're saying it's pointless to do
this as part of a project separate from Wikibooks.  Anyway, if this is
what you're saying, I agree...

> >In any case, I think the project should stay within Wikibooks.
> >
> There is certainly no urgency for moving it out of Wikibooks
>
> Ec

There's enough urgency in the minds of some people that it has been
listed on their VFD page.

Anthony