shall we please refrain from personal remarks? thx.
On 12/30/06, The Cunctator <cunctator(a)gmail.com> wrote:
On 12/29/06, Teun Spaans <teun.spaans(a)gmail.com> wrote:
This sounds very socialist and even more
impractical.
I don't think you understand socialism very well.
Give anyone with a gift > 100.000$ a
sitenotice of 1 day. If our costs
have
doubles, double the amount to get a sitenotice
mention. It doesnt hurt
to
thank our friends. But we should communicate
clearly, timely and in an
open
mind with the community. That communication
lacked.
teun
On 12/29/06, The Cunctator <cunctator(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>
> How about sponsors get listed in the order of the percentage of their
> net worth they contributed? So some guy who makes $15K a year and
> donates $100 gets listed higher than some guy worth $6 billion who
> donates $200K.
>
> Yes, I recognize that's not actually feasible, but I think you get the
> idea.
>
> You shouldn't get to pay to get higher placement on some donor list
> just because you're richer.
>
> On 12/29/06, James Hare <messedrocker(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> > What I'd like is a link to a list of donors, and big sponsors like
Mr.
> > Anonymo and Virgin Unite can be listed
by the top then following
that is
> a
> > generic list of the other donors. I also like how there's a
thank-you
> letter
> > on the WMF wiki for Virgin Unite.
> >
> > On 12/29/06, Tom Holden <thomas.holden(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > I think it is worth remembering that both sides of this discussion
> > > ultimately want the same thing, namely for the WMF's assorted
projects
> > > to retain the independence (both
financial and otherwise) they
need
> > > for their continued success. One
side has maybe been guilty of
> > > threatening to throw their toys out of the pram, but the other
side
> > > has equally damaged their position
by adopting a rather
patronising
> > > tone.
> > >
> > > Proposing that "editors who don't like it just leave" is
never a
valid
> > > solution. There will always be
people with differing opinions to
the
> > > Foundation, and it is vital for
the continued success of the
project
> > > that these people feel there is a
forum where their views will be
> > > seriously considered. We will always need every editor we can get.
The
> > > gradual reform of WMF's
political structure from (benevolent)
> > > dictatorship to democracy is obviously a key part of this process.
> > >
> > > Now having Virgin's name and logo on every page is certainly not
the
> > > end of the world. Wall Street
bankers are not yet rubbing their
hands
> > > together with glee. That said it
does represent a significant
change
> > > in the WMF's fund-raising
strategy. Whether or not Virgin hoped to
> > > benefit from their donation, the fact is that the message both
> > > increases brand awareness and gives the brand positive
connotations.
> > > Contrary to the repeated dogmatic
assertions of some on this list,
> > > like it or not this is effectively advertising. (Think of the last
few
> > > Honda adds say. Not a purchasable
product in sight...) Rightly or
> > > wrongly, I like many others feel this should have had more public
> > > discussion a significant time before the event.
> > >
> > > It is important to remember that people's objections to
advertising go
> > > a long way beyond just
"they're annoying" or "they're the tools of
the
> > > capitalist scum". There is a
real risk of them introducing biases
and
> > > distortionary pressures which
would severely damage the
credibility of
> > > the WMF's projects.
Furthermore, it is always dangerous for a site
to
> > > mix its factual content with
advertising, as one can easily be
> > > mistaken for the other. I'm sure you could all think of many
further
> > > arguments, which, broadly, is why
WMF has shied away from
advertising
> > > in the past.
> > >
> > > Certainly though it is only polite to thank our donors. However,
it
is
> > > just as important we thank Paul
from Michigan who gave $2 as it is
we
> > > thank Virgin who gave $200,000 (or
however much it was). The way
WMF
> > > has traditionally done this is by
posting a thank you notice along
> > > with a link to a list of donors. I do not see any reason why this
is
> > > not as adequate for Virgin as it
is for Paul from Michigan. If I
was
> > > to give an ordinary (non-matching)
donation of $200,000 would I
get a
> > > day long thank you notice?
> > >
> > > In future I propose that matched donation days be advertised by
> > > something like the following:
> > > "All donations today will be matched by a
> > > (corporate/charity/individual) third party sponsor. The WMF offers
> > > them and all its other donors its sincerest thanks."
> > >
> > > I really do not believe this would have any significant impact on
our
> > > ability to attract matching
donors, and it would certainly have
spared
> > > us the past few days of arguments
here and elsewhere.
> > >
> > > As for further funding ideas, I still think our best bet is to
> > > continue on towards becoming a devolved, democratic, membership
based
> > > organization. I would much rather
give a regular donation to a UK
> > > charity in exchange for the benefits and rights of membership,
than
a
> > > one off donation to an
organization that will spend the money
without
> the guarantees of a written constitution and full
democratic
> accountability, and I am sure many would agree with me.
>
> Yours in peace,
>
> Tom Holden
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