(CC'd mediawiki-enterprise since it is relevant.)

On Mon 14 Jan 2013 11:56:50 AM EST, Dmitriy Sintsov wrote:

...

This does point to another possible way to backport the changes -- some sort of compatibility extension. That allows the core to remain stable, but allows people to use some newer extensions if they need the features.

I am not sure Wikimedia would like to put their efforts on this.

Agreed. I didn't say they should.

The WMF is focused on its vision (which doesn't include supporting non-WMF users of MW). In the mean time, they've made this software available for the world to use.

My own experience shows that most of site owners are quite greedy people. Maybe I am bad at business though.

People are people.

We're slipping off topic here, but in as far as this relates to users of MediaWiki, I'll continue.

First, I should say that I've worked closely with people across the spectrum of business. I've worked with, and count as friends, several small business owners who run on-line sites as their core business.

On the other "side", I have friends who work at or run non-profits or charities including some at the WMF.

My friends who are site owners are, on the whole, no more self-interested than any of my other friends. They are focused on maintaining the business just as my friends at the WMF is focused on keeping Wikipedia and its sister sites running.

If we want something more from MediaWiki, we can ask the WMF for it, but, since we have the GPL license on the software, we are also empowered to do it ourselves if the WMF is not interested in helping.

Semantic MediaWiki is a great example of this happening and many non-WMF users of MediaWiki use SMW.

I think MediaWiki core alone can (and does!) benefit many people outside the Foundation in just the same way that SMW does. We have the power to make it more suitable for our own non-WMF uses.