Hi,
I take part to the preliminary session of the World Summut on Information
Society (WSIS) [1] in Geneva, from February 17th to 25th.
There are already a lot of people supporting our ideas (sharing knowledge and
free content) who take part in the WSIS. These people do lobbying for these
ideas to members states delegates for adopting a resolution in the WSIS.
So these ideas get also promoted among people taking part in the process.
I propose that Wikimedia Foundation gets involved with the WSIS:
* The foundation should start the process to get official recognition from
WSIS.
* The foundation should look for financial support to send delegate(s) to
Tunis.
* Does the foundation have a proposition or a recommendation to the WSIS ?
Comments and propositions:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/World_Summit_on_Information_Society
Regards,
Yann
[1] http://www.itu.int/wsis/preparatory2/pc2/index.html
On Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:25:47 +0900, Aphaia <aphaia(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> > Still, I do understand that there is a problem
> > here, and I hope you can solve it. It might be a kind of
> > self-fulfilling prophecy too
>
> I appreciate your understanding. But not only understanding, if
> possible, would I
> like you to give us a help and assistance? I expect it wouldn't be
> helpful not only JA
> but also other projects potentially.
I am not sure what kind of assistance I can give, given that I do not
speak Japanese (well, at least not more than 50 words of it).
I did make a check, and found that indeed the Japanese Wikipedia has
a remarkably low number of admins. It has about the same number as the
Dutch one (ja: 31, nl: 34), even though the Dutch one is about half
the size of the Japanese one, and compared to other languages is
relatively low. The Polish and Swedish Wikipedias have considerably
more admins. I think that to compare to the other languages, the
Japanese number could easily be doubled.
> Before diving into the topic, I would like you to remark a fact I am
> not there a sysadmin.
> I thought JA WP needed more helper and requested sysopship twice. My
> requests were
> rejected with 65-72% approvals [JA WP holds 75% criteria for
> promotion]. In my view
> some of JA users are afraid I am a sort of authoritarians, with an
> iron rod, and/or suspect
> I don't shere with them the view what Wikipedia should be.
Interesting... On nl: we have had all requests approved upto now,
usually with no objections.
Andre Engels
I have created
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_COTW
as a proposal for weekly cross-project, cross-language collaborations.
This could include things like help documents, promotion materials, or
work on underexposed projects. I'm sure people will come up with lots of
cool ideas for this. Besides getting things done, I hope this will
strengthen the awareness of Wikimedia as an organization and of Meta as
a site.
The idea is that thet Wikimedia Collaboration of the Week (WM-COTW) will
be featured on the Community Portal or a similar page of many (all?)
projects, in many (all?) languages. These should really be big,
worthwhile projects. Of course often they will not be completable in a
week, but it will drive people to Meta to work on them.
Please comment on this proposal or edit it. I would like to take it live
soon -- implementing it will be up to the individual wikis.
If someone wants to create a nice logo for this, that would be very neat!
All best,
Erik
Help us create a unique visual identity for the Wikinews project!
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikinews_design_contest
The Wikinews design contest, which will run until April 17, 2005,
consists of two components:
* www.wikinews.org multilingual portal
* site stylesheets
You can also offer prizes for the best designs! If you can't contribute
a design, please offer a prize, to increase the incentive to contribute.
While the contest is running, please also feel free to edit the existing
portal at:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Www.wikinews.org_portal
All best, and good luck to all participants,
Erik Möller
Hi
Sorry in advance if this is the wrong list to post this to.
I would like to know about importing csv files into an existing wiki.
I have tried to find the documentation for doing so but have not had
much luck.
If anyone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.
Thanks in advance.
--
john
Sorry, Andre, you'll see it twice. I forgot to include the address of
the list ...
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aphaia <aphaia(a)gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:25:47 +0900
Subject: For improvement of JA situation (Re: [Foundation-l] And blocked again)
To: Andre Engels <andreengels(a)gmail.com>
On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:46:56 +0100, Andre Engels <andreengels(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Aphaia:
> > But I have to point out Japanese Wikipedia lack administrative issues
> > in general. ...[omitted by the author herself] A dormant project
> > like Japanese Wikipedia can't react to things if they are so of urgent
> > and importance.
>
> I think you made a bad choice of words there. I would not want to call
> such a succesful project as the Japanese wp (according to the
> statistics having over 100 major contributors and 4000 edits a day)
> 'dormant' in any way.
Thank you for your comment, you let me notice my another wrong wording:
I would have liked to say in the first sentence of your quotation,
"Ja Wikipedia lacks 'an interest in' administrative issues..."
I admit it is very active project, but I doubt its activities have consciousness
enough appropriate to keep such a huge project and community.
I fear if it is an unsustainable growth. The balance of increase of content
and maintenance there might be kept nowadays. So I don't think I have to change
the word dormant: a sleeping person could move very actively in a
dream but we don't
think him awake.
As for size, according to a daily and monthly survey of a Wikipedian
(User:Mintlef, http://wikipedia.g.hatena.ne.jp/mintleaf/),
JA WP has 100 major registered contributors and probably a same number
of or larger
number of anonymous contributors; It is another sign of lack of intentionally
avoiding involvement and engagement in my opinion. And this enormous anonymity
make JA issues harder, probably. So here the first question is what we can do
motivate those anonyms to register themselves to the project. /##To
make a better and
comfortable project, perhaps - without personal attacks but feeling of
love and approval...
but how? I attempted some of expressions of approval and some people
found them nice,
but right now they are alike of petals in the ocean.)
> Still, I do understand that there is a problem
> here, and I hope you can solve it. It might be a kind of
> self-fulfilling prophecy too
I appreciate your understanding. But not only understanding, if
possible, would I
like you to give us a help and assistance? I expect it wouldn't be
helpful not only JA
but also other projects potentially.
Before diving into the topic, I would like you to remark a fact I am
not there a sysadmin.
I thought JA WP needed more helper and requested sysopship twice. My
requests were
rejected with 65-72% approvals [JA WP holds 75% criteria for
promotion]. In my view
some of JA users are afraid I am a sort of authoritarians, with an
iron rod, and/or suspect
I don't shere with them the view what Wikipedia should be. Perhaps at
the latter point
they might be correct, because I can't assume what kind of view they
have (some of you
remember the ascii art I showed). As for the former point, I would
like not to comment here; it is more suitable to talk in other places,
not here on foundation-l. But please remind
my opinion belongs only to me as an individual and perhaps it is not a
typical view of JA Wikipedians.
In my view the core issue of JA WP issues are evasive attitude of
users both registered
and anonymous. It causes lack of interest on administration and
maintenance, avoidance of involvement and engagement, suppression of
good interaction
on responsibility.
And Japanese project is in fact younger than other projects and less
experienced,
or precisely, experiences what no other project has known.
Its increasing rate can be compared only to a few other projects and a
half of edits have
been done anonymously. With language barriers the experiences on the
other projects
and wisdom are hardly available there on JA WP. I dare say, JA WP will
be someday
unsustainable, unless we began right now to make appropriate actions.
I assume, one of reasons some of JA people tend to use external forums
instead of Village Pump or talk page: fond of anonymity and avoidance of
responsibility under a stably using registered name. One day I opposed
a sysop say
she would post her question not to VP but to a certain forum there I
was harassed, but
she replied the latter would give her quicker responses. And I admit
the fact might be so,
but such de facto approval could cause a potential fork and make VP
and the community
deserted. In my opinion we have not rely on anonymous talk to make our
decision, though
those people who are for anonymity might have a different opinion. If
such additional forum
should be discussed to improve the situation, we could later be back
to this point.)
In my view now regretfully JA WP lacks appropriate governance in
proportion to its size.
It is one of most active project among us. But perhaps one of most assistance
needed ones, I presume. I take this lack of interest and engagement
very serious.
It is not only a potential hazard on JA WP, but could be on other where people
are evasive in general. I heard on some small Wikipedias good editors
avoid being
nominated as sysop candidate, since they thought they couldn't - here we notice
not only lack of involvement but lack of self-esteem. In my opinion
the JA WP issues
are potentially shared by such other projects and we should seek their
resolutions.
So , as Andre pointed out, the task of administrators are there visibly harder
than on other projects I have ever involved since 2004 in my view.
And there among
the administrators again the lack of involvement arises. Recently an
user requested
for adminship but he said clearly he has no intent to use his
privileges positively.
I objected his promotion because in my view though he is a good editor
but not an
active contributors and showed clearly not to be an active
administrators. But an admin,
who is active contributors but seldom use his privileges in my view,
supported him
with words "it is not a problem, because we have already admins who don't use
their privileges).
In my view on JA WP such a strange idea has spread for a while - it has become
not merely functions to serve as a janitor but a title for eminent
users. Personally
I don't like this idea. In my view administrator are alike as janitors
or gardeners fighting with
vandals and trolls and keeping the project as clean as possible. It is
not a sort of honors,
though it is natural for us to feel honored to be supported and
trusted by a number of
trusted people. So here too, I think, JA needs to be improved to have
more admins;
if users have a wrong image, it could be a hazard for them to be appointed.
And last, the issues of malice and gossips come. I asked once some good editors
to let me recommend them to admins but was denied. They feared to be featured,
particularly on the forum I mentioned on the above. After my own
harassment, I can't
say they were too evasive. It is very a horrible experience, indeed.
And here would you
let me express my applications for those who support me: they made me succeed in
gather my strength in spirit again. But I have been fortunate. I have
friends out of JA WP
and could pour my worries in front of them. But most of Ja users are
active only on Ja
and would have no support out of their "community". People could
rumored it was a pity
but wouldn't cast the consolation to the person embarrassed directly.
Or, it was my own
case, they came to the embarrassed person and said "I am very sorry. I
hope you are back.
But I can't support you in public. I don't like to be offended as like
as you. But you are
a strong person, I know. You can bear it. and I like you." It is not a
hostility indeed but
I don't think I would like to be a part of such a group. So now it
seems to me very
reasonable many past active users left that project within three months.
So we have here to have another improvement, I guess, but at the same time,
I feel it is not my own task: the JA community wouldn't be able to notice
what is wrong in this situation, and deny to change the situation, in
the worst case.
If I recall correctly, Erik Moeller suggested the Foundation or the
Board would intervene,
I think it might be a possible reaction from us.
At least now the interested thread use the name of Wikipedia (it is
already a trademark),
though the Foundation legally has no right to close it, but can demand
it not to use
the name of Wikipedia or not to behave there is any sort of relation
between that external community and our project. And for the community
the Foundation has a right to intervene:
for example, not to refer to any other external communication ways as
if it is under the
control of the Foundation nor the project, not accepted as an official
part of the project,
nor recommended as an active part of the projects: As for the forum I
mentioned, in case
they can't improve themselves, it would be helpful at least for the
community the Board demands to the community not to refer nor
recommend it in the project documents, like the guidebook for newbies
(now they did). But on this point I think I am too involved and
will appreciate opinions of the third parties who aren't regulars
there and give a look
on the forum concerned. Both other JA users' feedbacks and ones of
other projects' participants will be appliciated.
--
Aphaea(a)*.wikipedia.org
email: Aphaia @ gmail (dot) com
--
Aphaea(a)*.wikipedia.org
email: Aphaia @ gmail (dot) com
(Last message accidentally sent prematurely---sorry. Continued:)
Is s/he just blowing smoke, or is this a serious issue? What is the
relationship between the policy of each Wikipedia and the policies of
the Foundation in general?
A meeting to discuss the programme for Wikimania, Wikimedia's
conference in August, will take place on at 20:00 (UTC) Friday 18
February in #wikimania on IRC.
Anyone interested in discussing the programme, and especially working
on the call for papers, is encouraged to come to the meeting.
Please see http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania:Call_for_papers
and http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania:Programme for details.
Angela.
An anonymous user posted the following on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Blocking_policy :
== Blocking anonymizer's proxies is unconstitutional ==
*'''The right to anonymous free speech is protected by the 1st
amendment of the US constitution.'''
*'''Anonymity--the ability to conceal one's identity while
communicating--enables the expression of political ideas and the
practice of religious belief without fear of intimidation or public
retaliation.'''
:''Protections for anonymous speech are vital to democratic discourse.
Allowing dissenters to shield their identities frees them to express
critical, minority views . . . Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny
of the majority. . . . It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill
of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect
unpopular individuals from retaliation . . . at the hand of an
intolerant society.''
:<small>Supreme Court ruling in McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission,
1995.</small>
Some Wikipedia members (sysops) have implemented a policy to routinely
block users that choose to post using an anonymous proxy
([[Wikipedia:Blocking_policy#Anonymous_and_open_proxies]])
These members of Wikipedia have decided to block the ability of people
to the right of anonymity giving reasons related to the need to curb
vandalism of articles.
These are not sufficient reasons to limit my liberties and the
liberties of others. The WP community is strong enough to withstand
vandalism, without resorting to these measures.
Case in point: On February 9, [[User:David.Monniaux]] blocked IP
address 168.143.113.125 (anonymizer.com), a respected and paid service
for anonymous browsing. This IP address was used by hundreds of WP
users that wanted to protect their anonymity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Contributions&target=168.….
The steps taken by David Monniaux in blocking of that IP address have
been disputed by me.
([[Talk:French_legislation_against_cult_abuses#Controversy_with_an_anonymous_user]].
I kindly request Wikipedia editors to re-open the debate about the
right of the people to contribute to Wikipedia while protecting their
rights to free speech, and to curb sysop powers to utilize blocking
policies.
Copies of the above have been sent to:
* The Electronic Privacy Information Center http://epic.org/
* The Electronic Frontier Foundation http://www.eff.org/
* The American Civil Liberties Union http://aclu.org/
--[[User:38.119.107.72|38.119.107.72]] 23:53, 13 Feb 2005 (UTC)
Before the foundraising, I propose to update the foundation wiki,
http://wikimediafoudation.org.
I tried to update some pages like "Main page", "Our Projects" and
other pages I could update with assistance of some editors and
traslators.
Until now, besides En, main page was updated in four languages pages
(DE, FR, JA, PL).
Here I am grateful for our friend translators.
But we need much more assistance, more translators.
Here is the current situation of major pages:
Home - De En Es Fi Fr It Ja Ko Pl Pt Zh
About Wikimedia - En Fi Fr It Ja Ko Zh-
Our Projects - En Fr It Ja Nl Pt Zh
Fundraising - Ar Bg Cs De En Es Fi Fr He It Ja Ko Nl Pl Pt Sv Zh
And of course other language translations are welcome.
Now there are language barriers and lack of information for us, most of pages
on the wmf site remain still not updated. And I expect many visitors
of the wmf site,
not only donors but also genuine visitors enjoy browsing the wmf site.
In my personal view, it were sad only one page is avalable in tongues
I can understand ...
Some of them was not edited since last September and I feel strongly
they need to be
renewed: it is a bit clumsy "the latest news" ended in the last
September. And I found
almost every page should be a bit outdated (it is a self-criticism
rather than blame. I am
an wmf site editor and left pages too for a long time).
I recommend and ask you to check the main page in your language(s) of
the wmf site.
Particularly the language which has their own donation page.
It would be nicer and more frinedly, if we can provide the visitors
at least three other pages: Main Page, About and Our Projects. (Any
suggestions?)
If you would like to join us, please consider to give a look on meta,
Translation requests/WMF. URL is:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Translation_requests/WMF#Home
The close inforamtion of update are available on that page. If you
have a question,
please ask it on its talk, #wikimedia or my talk.
Your assistance will be appliciated. See you again on meta. ;-)
--
Aphaea(a)*.wikipedia.org
email: Aphaia @ gmail (dot) com