on 6/25/07 1:22 AM, David Goodman at dgoodmanny@gmail.com wrote:
1.The founder gives speeches and cultivates donors. His pronouncements are quoted whenever someone thinks they might serve the purpose.
This may be where the role has evolved to, but is it the same as when it began?
A person decides to begin a project of some kind. The planning involves the subject, focus and goals of that project; who will be the persons involved in that project; where the home base of the project will be; and the myriad of other practical details necessary to launch it. Key to this is how that project will be managed day to day - the human and institutional issues that could, if not dealt with, interfere with the primary purpose of the project. This oversight role, initially, would be filled by that founder, or someone he designates. But, whether by he, or this designee, this crucial role must exist if the project is to survive much less thrive. Does such a day-to-day oversight role exist in today's Wikipedia; and, if so, who is filling it?
2.The foundation runs the servers.
Thanks, I¹m learning.
3.What day to day functioning? OTRS is volunteers.
Policy creation, revision and oversight; conflict management and resolution, to name just two. What difference does it make to the management of a project or organization whether the participants are volunteer or paid? the focus must be on fulfilling the purpose and goals of that project.
4.I was describing not what I thing ought to be, but what I think actually is. The cellular structure that I describe is what I think I see. (Agreed, some sociometrics would be helpful as evidence)
David, I wasn't responding directly to your last post; that is why I altered the subject heading. My purpose was to interrupt the dialogue with these basic questions wanting to go back to the drawing board as it were.
<snip> > it is a total failure at keeping all
the parts up to standards, and getting people to work where work is needed.
And this isn't an issue that needs to be dealt with now?
Can't have everything.
Without these you don't have much of anything.
I'm far from urging revolution,
Neither am I.
and too well adjusted to the chaos to be restless--
The Project is only 6 years old without direct management, this chaos will become catastrophe.
those who want to put order into the project are the revolutionaries.
David, if wanting to bring order to something is considered revolutionary, it doesn't say much for its present condition.
Those who want polish are the ones getting restless.
What good is polishing a pair of shoes if the seams are in danger of coming apart?
I see Wikipedia as a large research project, made up of many smaller, individual projects. The goal of the main project is to compile knowledge and to disseminate information. There is someone getting the word out about the project and assuring there is enough funding to sustain it. There are people managing the electronics and medium the project is utilizing. There are countless persons gathering and editing the information that is going into the Project. But, once again, who is actively overseeing all of this?
Marc