[Foundation-l] A chapters-related question

Wed Jul 8 14:59:01 UTC 2009

2009/7/8 Thomas de Souza Buckup <thomasdesouzabuckup at gmail.com>:
> Ilario,
>
> you said:
>
>> without an organization it's impossible to found
>> a point of contact (for example there is no legal representatives).
>
>
> I understand your concern, but in reality, there are many ways to determine
> a point of contact "without an organization". For instance, "instead of
> legal representatives, (in Brazil we'd have) task assigned peers". They
> could be the point of contact too.

They can be a point of contact for their task, but not for the group
as a whole. I think the Brazilian method will work quite well at doing
individual initiatives, it's the higher level stuff you may not be
able to do as much as regular chapters.

>> IMHO the case of Brazil can be a *type* of chapter (for example a first
>> step) and not a different type of organization.
>>
>
> I agree with you. In Brazil we have the same mission as any other chapter.
> Maybe it's a "first step" to become a chapter, but maybe it's a format for
> the long-term to do the same as the any other chapters (promote Wikimedia
> projects in a certain region). Shouldn't all types of chapters collaborate?

The problem is, there is nothing to actually recognise as a chapter.
There is nobody to sign a chapters agreement (you would have to have
every member sign it and then amend it whenever someone joined or
left). There is nothing to stop you doing most of the same things that
chapters do, but I can't see how you can actually be a chapter.