On Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 4:06 AM, David Goodman <dgoodmanny(a)gmail.com> wrote:
We are secure because of the volunteers, not the
funding. If the
foundation were to disappear, the project could continue. The only
funding actually necessary is for the physical operation of the
project.
While it seems as the the most logical explanation is not correct, actually.
While WMF and other Wikimedia entities are more or less a democratic
organizations, we are competing with capitalist entities. And
capitalist entities exist while they are able to expand. Thus, we
*have to* expand while we are able to do so. Fortunately, we are able
to expand. Fortunately, we have much more chances to restructure
ourselves when it would be needed.
Collapse is always an option. And it doesn't have to be connected with
some mechanism inherent to our structure. It could be connected with
mismanagement, including wrong presumptions.
Starting positions are also very important. Our starting position is:
first. Collapse of WMF would lead into balkanization of the movement,
with many of "third" starting positions (as the "second" projects
already exist for 5+ years).
So, while the community is *much* more important, it is strongly
connected to the existence of WMF, at least in this moment.