WikipediaEditor Durin wrote:
The overarching problem here is that Wikipedia is collapsing. This list is just a symptom of that.
- The Foundation has become ineffective and no longer cares about its mission and goals. There's a number of symptoms resulting from this state. One such symptom is the abysmal state of fundraising. In hard numbers, the fundraising is better. In terms of per-capita analysis, absolutely terrible. In short, the importance, scale and complexity of Wikipedia has dramatically increased while fund raising has only slightly increased. It's not keeping up, and the more that it can't keep up the worse the problems will become.
By the way... on the very topic of fundraising, would you care reading that post from Sabine, and reflecting on the fact YOU are complaining in length about the complete and utter inability of the Foundation to handle fundraising, and the fact people organizing fundraising on behalf of the Foundation are faced with an abysmal lack of responsiveness from the community members ?
I think we are all in the same pool, working toward the same goal, dedicated to the same values. Some of us are editors and try to do the best as editors. Some are rather helping on the software side and trying to develop the most useful tools, some are helping with the fundraising and trying to raise as much money as possible, without upsetting the community, some are working on the legal side, trying to make as much as possible sure that we avoid lawsuits or come out of them with the best possible outcome, some are working on making sure the accounts are audited, some are working to hunt the copyright violators, some are lobbying government to get the most favorable laws... in short, there are many of us, and we all try to make the best in an area we have chosen. When you see an area in trouble, yes you may speak about it, but the best you can do is 1) help if you can or 2) try to find other who can help if you can not 3) avoid discouraging those who are working in this area
Your email above achieve none of these three goals.
So my suggestion for you, so that you feel good at the end of this day, is to go read Sabine blog. Read all the things she is currently working on. Consider if you can help. If you can not, if you know someone who can help. Or at least, give an advice to her, gives a feedback, a warm word of support, a little wikilove. The more support she has, the more wonderfull our next fundraiser will be
Ant