Just to clarify Wikimedia UK's position regarding Wikimania 2014.
So far the Wikimedia UK board has made no decisions and received no
proposals regarding Wikimania 2014 - spending money on it or otherwise.
What we do have is a section in the current draft of the 2013 activity plan
suggesting allocating £40,000 for Wikimania 2014. This draft is currently
up for community consultation before we discuss it at our September board
meeting. As a result of the discussion there we will develop a proposal to
vote on, and whatever is accepted, we will then send to the FDC; how the
FDC will respond, no-one knows. Then when we know the FDC's opinion, we
will have another version, and then when the fundraiser out-turn is known
in January there will be a further iteration before our actual 2013 budget
is finalised. So there is plenty of work left to do on this. What's more,
since our financial year runs from February and bid selection is in April
it's inevitable that most of any budget allocation we make for Wikimania
would be for *after* a successful bid, rather than before it.
While I can understand why this it a topic of interest, I'm not sure there
is any need to get worked up about it. We make a conscious effort to do our
planning as openly as possible, and share early drafts of documents with
the community for input. We are also unable to reject proposals that have
not yet been made. Please think carefully about whether shouting at us as a
result is a good idea ;-)
Personally I hope that we end up with a very strong, volunteer-led, London
bid which will be successful and that Wikimedia UK will be able to support
Wikimania 2014 in every way possible - but there is still a very long way
to go yet.
Many thanks,
Chris Keating
(User:The Land)
Chair, Wikimedia UK