Daniel Mayer wrote:
Having robust datacenters around the world - each
supported by the national
chapter in the nation it is in - also helps to ensure uninterrupted service and
longterm viability of what we are doing.
It should take a lot less of a server to serve in read-only mode. I hope.
Just leave out the word 'foundation' from the
UK chapter name, and I'll be
happy (it would be needlessly confusing). 'Wikimedia UK' sounds like a great
name to me. :)
Ah, OK!
I recently registered wikimedia.us for a future
Wikimedia U.S. (or Wikimedia
USA) chapter and saw that the .org.uk was available - now it is not. I hope
somebody we know and who likes us registered it...
It appears to be registered to one "James Forrester". <s>Looks a bit dodgy
to me ...</s>
I envision four major core areas that national
chapters would be well-suited to
tackle:
1) Supporting a local datacenter (just a squid farm first, but later a full
datacenter with database slaves receiving updates from the live master in
Florida but fully capable of becoming their own master if needed for whatever
reason).
A good reason to accumulate money in the short term.
2) Directing social energy into improving Wikimedia
projects. A club system
would be set-up under each chapter where a club would cover a metro area. Club
members and different clubs would periodically gather and have WikiJam sessions
at libraries, museums, national parks, universities, places of historical
interest, etc.
Yep.
Imagine a small army of Wikimedians with digital
cameras and PDAs descending
into one of these places to extract each available bit of information.
Imagine every notable object in the middle of London being photographed,
uploaded and written about.
Impromptu WikiJams to cover events in the club's
metro area would be very
useful for Wikinews. I think the fun we have from collaborating online will
also manifest itself as we gather data together in the real world.
Oh, very good!
3) Distribution and popularization of Wikimedia
projects within that nation.
4) Also important would be helping the Wikimedia Foundation gather the
resources and help it needs to further the goal of bringing free knowledge to
the world. National chapters would be better-suited to work with their nation's
governments and large companies to help make this happen.
Yep.
This would allow the Wikimedia Foundation to
concentrate on international
issues and coordination - esp getting free content in the hands of people who
do not have access to the Internet. Under this system, grants (including those
from and through chapters - see point 4) will likely one day supplant direct
donations as the major source of funding for the Wikimedia Foundation since
most donation money from readers will go to national chapters (yes, including
Wikimedia U.S.).
This bottom up approach appeals to be greatly.
It will also give people a greater sense of ownership of the project.
Things to watch out for: local foundations being used for nationalist
POV-pushing.
- d.