[Foundation-l] Priorities

Mon Oct 22 22:38:17 UTC 2007

on 10/22/07 6:19 PM, GerardM at gerard.meijssen at gmail.com wrote:

> Hoi,
> I agree with your sentiments. However, this is the Foundation list and it is
> largely an English language Wikipedia phenomena. I do not feel that it is an
> issue that I should deal with because I am not really connected to what
> happens on the English language Wikipedia. Even though it is "not good"TM it
> is not something that feels like "us" to me. It is you lot of the English
> language Wikipedia that have to deal with it.
> 
> As it is so often said, the English language Wikipedia often prides itself
> for being the yardstick that other can measure themselves against. This
> implies a responsibility.. It does not feel right though.
> 
Fair enough, Gerard, and points well made - and taken. We in the English
Wikipedia do have a lot of our act to clean up.

Thank you,

Marc Riddell

> 
> On 10/22/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> 
>>>>> Florence Devouard wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> ... I felt I could not say publicly that
>>>> Wikipedia was one
>>>>>> of the tools to bring peace on Earth because I
>>>> also know working on our
>>>>>> projects (not only Wikipedia) is somehow becoming
>>>> increasingly
>>>>>> difficult. We are more numerous, more protective
>>>> to our
>>>>>> featured-content, less welcoming to our newbies
>>>> (for technical or social
>>>>>> reasons).
>>>>>> How many experts have been driven away by the
>>>> agressivity of some of our
>>>>>> members ? How many new editors just were
>>>> discouraged by the difficulty
>>>>>> of editing a table or a template ? How many
>>>> newbies were blocked because
>>>>>> they just did not understood quickly enough how
>>>> to use a talk page ?
>>>>>> Also, during the year, several cases of online or
>>>> offline harassment of
>>>>>> contributors were reported. Harassement which
>>>> came as a result of their
>>>>>> contributions to our projects.
>>>>> 
>> Brian McNeil wrote:
>> 
>>>>> In trying to do my bit for fundraising I emailed
>>>> Howard Tayler, a webcomic
>>>>> artist asking could he help with my nonexistent
>>>> drawing skills and make up
>>>>> an ad for his site that I'd pay for during part of
>>>> the WMF fundraiser.
>>>>> 
>>>>> As an indication that there is indisputably a
>>>> problem that needs addressed,
>>>>> here is the response I got.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> I use Wikipedia from time to time, and appreciate
>>>> its value to the growing
>>>>> internet community, and to the world at large.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I will not, however, help them raise money. I am
>>>> strongly opposed to the
>>>>> "anti-webcomics" agenda that has been espoused by
>>>> a number of prominent
>>>>> editors. If the foundation really cared about what
>>>> these editors write, and
>>>>> how they treat other people, it would take steps
>>>> to curb their behavior.
>>>>> 
>>>>> This, unfortunately, is a very non-negotiable
>>>> position on my part, and I'd
>>>>> prefer to not argue about it. We'd just be wasting
>>>> each others' time.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I appreciate your attempt to raise money for a
>>>> cause you believe in, and am
>>>>> flattered that you'd think of me in connection to
>>>> it.
>>>>> 
>>>>> --Howard
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>> 
>>>>> This issue isn't just costing us contributors;
>>>> we're losing goodwill and
>>>>> fundraising opportunities.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> Brian.
>>>> 
>>>> Right....
>>>> 
>>>> What is that anti-webcomics" agenda he is talking
>>>> about ?
>>>> 
>>>> Ant
>>>> 
>> on 10/22/07 1:50 PM, Birgitte SB at birgitte_sb at yahoo.com wrote:
>>> 
>>> This is an en.WP issue (again). Articles on web-comics
>>> have been deleted as not notable on en.WP. [1]  It
>>> might be useful to share with Howard what the actual
>>> mission of Wiki*media* is and how it works, just for
>>> the sake of clarity.  But I can't imagine anyone would
>>> really support WMF writing and enforcing new deletion
>>> guidelines for en.WP or anything else that would truly
>>> appease him.
>>> 
>> Brigitte,
>> 
>> This is the key to his message:
>> 
>> "If the foundation really cared about what these editors write, and how
>> they
>> treat other people, it would take steps to curb their behavior."
>> 
>> The web-comics issue must, of course, be presented to. But, to focus only
>> on
>> the web-comics issue is like extinguishing a single tree in the middle of
>> a
>> forest fire.
>> 
>> The issue with Wikipedia is the deteriorating culture, and the equally
>> deteriorating language of that culture! And anyone who stands by and
>> allows
>> it to happen - and to continue - is equally culpable. Cultural change
>> happens only when the people who are a part of that culture change. And a
>> culture is a reflection of everyone who is a part of it.
>> 
>> Marc Riddell
>> 
>> 
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