Jeffery Nichols wrote:
If people are interested, I would like to get together
in an online
meeting to discuss what our first project may be. I would especially
like to hear some ideas from some of the people who say they are
interested in WMC but don't want to work on the bylaws. Before the
bylaws can be completed, we need a more specific idea about what we
will first do after being established. I have argued that we should
try to set up an online database and gallery of Canadian historical
and artistic media, but I would like to hear everyone else's ideas, as
well as discuss the logistics of setting up that kind of website.
Would current participants and people who have not yet attended a
meeting be interested in chatting for an hour or so next week on the
topic? If so, let me know and I'll set a time.
Of course, I'm never
interested in online meetings. They are just not
suited to a ponderous person who often pauses before responding to comments.
That said, it's important to remember that Wikipedia was active for more
than three years before WMF was incorporated. In those earliest years
Jimbo was footing the bills.
The online database is a great idea. What's more important than a
discussion of possibilities is for individuals to commit to certain
projects and tasks. It's fair enough to say, "I'm not interested in
writing by-laws," but at the same time is that person committing to
something else. Now it is important for someone to accept personal
responsibility for setting up the online database.
Setting up a website is great, and presumably it will employ Mediawiki
software. That takes someone to commit to paying for bandwidth,
starting the site at a technical level, and installing the basic software.
Using wikisource.ca for this is OK by me as the current owner of the
domain name. I will raise the point when I'm at Wikimania, and unless
more constructive ideas are raised there will make it available in
September to someone who wants to start the website.
Ec