[Foundation-l] Global rights proposal

[Milos Rancic]

On Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 3:56 AM, Nathan <nawrich at gmail.com> wrote:
> Partly in reaction to the two recent proposals for the adoption of global
> user rights, I've started a page on meta containing a proposal for a policy
> governing the establishment, implementation and use of all global rights on
> Wikimedia Foundation projects. Before we establish a number of different
> global rights, with different principles and controls expressed in each
> policy, it is essential that we create a framework in which to control these
> new rights. After a period of time of discussion on meta, I'll publicize the
> proposal on the English Wikipedia and ask that others do the same elsewhere.
> After the commons view_deleted proposal, I'll ask that the community on meta
> delay consideration of new rights proposals until a broader umbrella policy
> can be agreed upon.

Yes, this is a good idea and it is at the next generalization level.
And I'll comment it at the talk page.

However, we have one more step above which we didn't solve: Every
global policy has to be discussed at the local projects *before* the
final discussion at Meta.

This may be achieved by making supporting documents for every
proposer: Where to announce it at local projects. Also, every proposal
should have a summary which may be quickly translated to other
languages. Every local project should summarize their input in
English.

Every proposal (including this one) should have some time frame. Let's
say, 15 days for the initial discussion, 5 days for announcing it at
local projects, 15 days for discussion at local projects, 5 days for
summarizing discussions at local projects and giving comments back to
the Meta, 15 days for further discussion and 15 days for voting. Of
course, according to specific circumstances, some of those numbers may
be changed.

This is 70 days for every proposal. It may look like a long period and
even like a bureaucratic procedure, but I really don't see any other
solution for getting the input from every project. Wikimedia community
is a complex one ("something more" than this list and Meta) and we
have to find a way how to deal with that. Dealing with people at one
project is much different than dealing with people at 700+ projects.
If we want to have a functional global community, we have to work more
organized and with longer time frames. And we have to learn how to
communicate with each other.

If anyone has a better idea, I would like to hear it.

BTW, I was thinking about making a group which would deal with global
policies and which should have, ideally, all projects represented.
However, I think that a group, which would work only from time to
time, wouldn't be efficient; it is very possible that such group would
function only during the first months of its existence.