Wikimedia-in-mum June 2011

wikimedia-in-mum@lists.wikimedia.org

20 participants
25 discussions

Creative Commons talk - Shishir Jha - June 18, 2011
by Pradeep Mohandas 20 Jun '11

20 Jun '11

hi, Just a small little note to let everyone know that the Mumbai community hosted the Creative Commons workshop yesterday. We had with us IIT-B Associate Professor and Creative Commons Project Lead (India), Shishir Jha. We had a nice mix of audience - people interested and active in copyright issues, film makers, librarians, publishers, etc. of up to 30 people. Shishir Jha began his talk with an explanation of the digital economy and then showed a 10 min intro (to give you an idea - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BESbnMJg9M; if you know where a copy exists outside of YouTube, please do share!) to Creative Commons after talking about the various Creative Commons licenses. Ashwin Baindur was present from the Pune community and gave us an insight into Wikimedia Commons. He also explained why Wikimedia used the CC licenses it did and illustrated it with an example. Gautam John, from the Wikimedia Chapter was also present at the meeting. He presented a brief about the Wikimedia chapter and invited members to join the chapter. He also spoke about Pratham Books' experiment with the use of Creative Commons. We had a fine and diverse audience who were people who had worked on the ground. They had faced some of the problems related to copyrights and raised good questions. The project (pad.ma - you can find them at http://pad.ma/) have taken video of the talk which will be released to Wikimedia Commons. We will also upload slides from Shishir's talk if he sends it to us - we have made a request. The Mumbai community has sponsored the membership for Shishir Jha to the Wikimedia Chapter as a token of our appreciation. warm regards, Pradeep Mohandas

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Press Contacts in Mumbai
by wheredevelsdare＠hotmail.com 17 Jun '11

17 Jun '11

Hiya, Pradeep and Tinu are working on invlovling the media in tomorrows GLAM event in Mumbai. They are on the lookout for Press Contacts in Mumbai - if you can help please email tinucherian(a)gmail.com or pradeep.mohandas(a)gmail.com or call Pradeep on +91897253586. Thanks!

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Reminder:1st GLAM Event in Asia and Chapter Membership
by wheredevelsdare＠hotmail.com 17 Jun '11

17 Jun '11

Hiya, Just to remind everyone that this Saturday the Mumbai Community will be hosting the FIRST EVER GLAM EVENT IN ASIA (GLAM Creative Commons Workshop Mumbai 1). It is a matter of immense pride that Mumbai is the venue for this and all WikiMumbaikars are urged to come forward and attend this event. The venue is National College Auditorium, Bandra, timing 17:00 to 20:00 hours. The GLAM Creative Commons Workshop will feature a talk by Shri Shishir Jha, Project Lead of Creative Commons India. WikiPuneri Ashwin Baindur will be joining us from Pune. Also present will be Gautam K John, Secretary of WikiMedia Chapter (India). Those interested in taking up Membership of the chapter are requested to download and fill up the membership form. The membership fee payment (Rs.100/- annually) details are on the form - those wishing to pay by cheque may handover the cheque with their forms to Gautam in person on Saturday. Form: http://wiki.wikimedia.in/File:WikimediaChapterMembershipFormIndividualV1.pdf Look forward to seeing you all on Saturday. Kind Regards, User:AroundTheGlobe

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Welcome to the FOSS India IRC Network
by Vivek Varghese Cherian 17 Jun '11

17 Jun '11

Hi, The FOSS India Internet Relay Chat Network (irc.foss-india.org) is a communications network for friends,well wishers and community members of the Free Culture and Free/Open Source Movement in India. Come join us and have a wonderful and intellectually rewarding chat experience. Regards, -- Vivek Varghese Cherian (विवेक वर्गीस चेरियान) Senior System Administrator RHCSA #100-173-327 Member of USENIX,SAGE,LOPSA,EFF, FSF Associate. Website : http://www.vivekcherian.com Blog: http://www.vivekcherian.net Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/vivekvc Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vivek.v.cherian IRC: Vivek and ViveKVC on both Freenode and OFTC GPG Key fingerprint = 1EB1 0647 9574 18A3 40B5 8D74 F842 576B 3C2B 8538

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Fwd: [Wikimediaindia-l] Invitation to join Chapter as Member by 23 June 2011 to participate in EC elections during AGM
by Pradeep Mohandas 15 Jun '11

15 Jun '11

hi, Forwarded from the Wikimedia India mailing list. I apologise if this has reached you multiple times. warm regards, Pradeep Mohandas ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Arjuna Rao Chavala <arjunaraoc(a)googlemail.com> Date: 15 June 2011 09:58 Subject: [Wikimediaindia-l] Invitation to join Chapter as Member by 23 June 2011 to participate in EC elections during AGM To: "Discussion list on Indian language projects of Wikimedia." < wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org> Hi Wikimedians, The Chapter has a statutory requirement that we have our first Annual General Body meeting before the end of September 2011. We plan on holding this, in Bangalore, on 24 Sep 2011. (Note: We had earlier mentioned the date as 17 Sep 2011 but this was changed based on unforeseen changes in the schedules of EC members and to give more time for members to join in.) Filling vacancies in the EC will be one major item on the agenda of AGM. That said, only people who have become members at least three months prior to the date of the AGM are eligible to stand and to vote. Please remember that there is allowance for those members not in Bangalore to vote as well. What we will do in the next 2 weeks is to begin a draft nomination process and send it for your feedback and inputs. Hence we urge you to join Wikimedia Chapter by 23 June 2011, if you have not yet applied for membership. Please spread this message with your fellow wikimedians and encourage them to apply for membership immediately. The Individual membership form<http://wiki.wikimedia.in/File:WikimediaChapterMembershipFormIndividual.pdf> along with either Cheque/DD payable at par at Bangalore should be received by 23 June 2011 at Chapter's office. If you are using online transfer, please send a scanned copy of your membership form before 23 June 2011 to membership(a)wikimedia.in along with your online payment details and ensure that your physical membership form reaches chapter office before 30 June 2011. We are really looking forward to an active and strong interest in the Chapter from the Community. Sincerely, Arjuna Rao Chavala President, Wikimedia Chapter _______________________________________________ Wikimediaindia-l mailing list Wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l

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Advance payment for venue of conference - Wikimedia India National conference 2011
by Pradeep Mohandas 15 Jun '11

15 Jun '11

hi, We're meeting the officials from Mumbai University for booking the Convocation Hall which is the proposed venue for the event. We've been requested to carry a token deposit amount for the same. To meet this immediate expense, we'd like to draw on the funds that remain after Wikipedia Tenth Anniversary Celebration for Mumbai. The amount requested is Rs. 10,000/- (TEN THOUSAND ONLY). If you have any objections to the following questions please respond to this email. 1. We would like to make use of the funds remaining from the Wikipedia Tenth Anniversary Celebrations for Mumbai for the Wikimedia India National Conference. Do you have any objection? 2. We would like to make immediate use (we're meeting them on Thursday, June 16, 2011) of Rs. 10,000/- towards paying an advance for the venue to block our booking. If you have any objection to this, we will return the money to the fund once we raise such money for the Conference. Do you have any objection? Absence of any objection will be treated as consent. It would be great if you could respond as soon as possible. These funds are available to the Mumbai community as a whole for activities related to Wikimedia. warm regards, Pradeep Mohandas

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Event Organising Committee
by wheredevelsdare＠hotmail.com 14 Jun '11

14 Jun '11

Dear All, *Cross posted on India/Mumbai/Pune Mailing lists to reach everyone. Recipients from other cities are requested to forward this email to their respective city list as well.* Welcome to Mumbai for the First Annual WikiConference India scheduled to take place 18-19-20 November 2011 and is co-hosted by Mumbai and Pune Communities along with Wikimedia Chapter (India). The first Organising Committee meeting shall take place this Saturday, 18 June 2011 in Mumbai. The first ever GLAM event event in Asia which will be hosted by Mumbai will take place at National College in Bandra from 5pm-8pm the same day. The Event Organising Committee (OC) consists of (Random Order): 1. Bishakha Dutta (Wikimedia Foundation Trustee) 2. Hisham Mundol (Consultant, India Programs) 3. Achal Prabhala (Member, Global Advisory Board) 4. Gautam K. John (Secretary, Wikimedia Chapter (India)) 5. Arun Ramarathnam (Member, Wikimedia Chapter (India) Executive Committee - Former President) 6. Salman Haroon (Delhi) 7. Jayanth Nath (Kolkata) 8. Ashwin Baindur (Pune) 9. Sudhanwa Joglekar (Pune) 10. Srikeit Tadepalli (Pune) 11. Mandar Kulkarni (Pune) 12. Kundan Amitabh (Mumbai) 13. Moksh Juneja (Mumbai) 14. Prof. Nagarjuna (Mumbai) 15. Vickram Crishna (Mumbai) 16. Pradeep Mohandas (Mumbai) 17. Pranav Curumsey (Mumbai) 18. Tinu Cherian Abaraham (Bangalore) 19. Shiju Alex (Bangalore) Wikimedia Chapter (India) President, Arjuna Rao Chavala has kindly agreed to support the event as an Advisor. He is invited to attend all OC meetings as Advisor. Once again, thanking the entire Indian Community for all their support and requesting continued support during the planning and execution of this event. If anyone has any suggestions, do write to any of the above or on this mailing list. Kind Regards, User:AroundTheGlobe

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Wiki India Conference
by Outofindia 12 Jun '11

12 Jun '11

Count me in to support the Conference in Mumbai and hold the yet to be developed bidding processes for next year...there's no time to lose...Espcecially since we have dates from Jimmy Wales. Also FUND RAISING for the event should not be restricted to a particular group/city but all incoming funds should be directed to one person who heads the finance committee who has a Conference Account....that is transparent. Fund raising, promoting the event and passing the word around should be everyone's effort. Warm regards Harriet from Mangalore! -- Harriet Vidyasagar www.outofindia.net www.womenofindia.net INDIA: 91-99011 66276 USA: 1-301-649-2240

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Re: [Wikimedia-in-mum] [Wikimediaindia-l] Community-Chapter Relations
by Pradeep Mohandas 11 Jun '11

11 Jun '11

hi, Cross posted to the Wikimedia-India, Wikimedia-Mumbai and Wikimedia-Pune mailing lists. I agree with points made by User:AroundTheGlobe and Ashwin in the thread. I think holding a proper discussion on the modalities of the Organising Committee would ensure that the event will not happen in 2011. We would therefore request that the Chapter consider the Organising Committee proposed comprising of various Community and Foundation members and provide a list of members that it would like to be represented by as soon as possible. I would also like to add that Jimmy Wales has expressed availability to attend the event on November 18, 19 and 20. warm regards, Pradeep Mohandas On 9 June 2011 20:53, <wheredevelsdare(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi Arjuna, > > Thanks for your response. The issue here is time - and we dont have any of > it. We are running against time for the logistics. For the scale of the > conference we have planned, we should have had an Event Organising Committee > in place by now and have started locking the logistics. If we are to host > this we require ample time to ensure a successful event. > > We have made public our intention to host this conference way back in April > and even requested people to volunteer for the Organising Committee and > various sub-committees on this same mailing list last month. You yourself > came to Pune Meetup 14 in May and were given a presentation on the > preparations until then. The next we heard was only on this mailing list > earlier this week. All through this the chapter was silent and no other > community came forward with a rival bid. On the other hand, communities > across India have come forward supporting us and we are grateful for that. > Several people reverted to our volunteer appeal and several people pledged > remote support. > > It is not that Mumbai/Pune are against any possible rival bid, it is just > that time is against us at this point. We have done a lot of work this far > which will all go down the drain if things are not firmed up ASAP. *We > request that if there is anyone who wants to place a rival bid, they simply > email this list with "A non binding expression of interest" within the next > 24 hours.* We can then wait and give requisite time for you to formally > place something - and there can be a fair evaluation of all the proposed > hosts. If there isnt anyone else, let us not waste time and get going on > where we should have been right now - off the black board and onto the > ground. We have lost enough time as things stand. I hope this is fair enough > for all parties concerned. > > Kind Regards, > User:AroundTheGlobe > > > Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2011 16:02:08 +0530 > > From: arjunaraoc(a)googlemail.com > > To: wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > Subject: Re: [Wikimediaindia-l] Community-Chapter Relations > > > > > Hi Wikimedians, > > > > > > Thanks Ashwin, for initiating the feedback thread on the communication > > from the Chapter. As Chapter starts engaging with the Community, I > > look this as a positive sign to build the relationship > > ('storming'[1] part of a typical team building process). > > > > Of course, there are whole lot of stuff that EC has initiated > > (Donations, projects, City/Language SIG) and we look forward to the > > feedback on that as well and request that the feedback be not colored > > by the perception generated and shared on Wiki India Conference topic. > > > > Keep this discussion going, so that we can collect feedback for a day > > or two and address the same after discussions in EC. > > > > Let me assure you, that we value all your feedback and will revert > > to you with further updates on the communication in few days time. > > > > Thanks > > Arjuna Rao Chavala > > President, Wikimedia Chapter > > [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckman%27s_stages_of_group_development > > On Thu, Jun 9, 2011 at 11:03 AM, Ashwin Baindur > > <ashwin.baindur(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > The national chapter recently informed the community about its > Membership and Community engagement plan -June 2011. > > > > http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003346.html > > > In that document, the regulatory framework for conduct of > Wikiconferences was released. > > > http://wiki.wikimedia.in/India_Wiki_Conference_Framework > > > Shortly thereafter, a clarification was issued. > > > > http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003378.html > > > Members of the community must be puzzled at the need for clarification > from the Chapter on the issues of its regulatory framework when there was no > discussion online. This is because the recent announcement of the framework, > in conjunction with other issues, led to the community believing that the > chapter had forsaken it. > > > A little history - the idea for a Wikiconference was mooted way back in > March by the Mumbai community and they asked the Pune community to co-host > it to which the Pune community agreed. As India now has a national chapter, > we naturally asked for their support more than two months ago. For more > than two months they were silent. Yesterday, they responded saying that the > community was invited to submit their proposal, duly modified as per the > said framework, and resubmit it for consideration with other bids. The > cavaliar treatment of the serious efforts put in to date by the communities > and the contents of the Framework of Regulations were disturbing to the > community. > > > At the face off it, one may just consider the Regulatory Framework as > just another logical and reasonable document, but its language, text and > subtext upset the community, in light of Chapter's attitude. > > > The first and over-riding issue was the type of language used and its > indication of the relation between chapter and communities. We all know that > the Wikimedia Foundation encourages national chapters so that the community > and creation of knowledge by them is facilitated. However, the language > herein clearly gives a message - that the Indian chapter is boss and all > Indian wikimedian communities are subservient to it. > > > While that is a great inequity in itself, the community was also > aggrieved that the framework has been foisted on them without discussion, > without any attempt to get them to participate and buy in into the plan, > without community consensus and without any consideration of the community's > interests. This feudalistic attitude is considered to be an anachronism in > volunteer driven communities of the 21st Centuries especially in India. So, > no matter whether the framework is good or bad, sensible or not, the > approach to the community taken by the chapter is to be firmly objected to > and resisted. > > > The Mumbai & Pune community supports the chapter, and have defended the > chapter on number of occasions in email discussions. Members of the two > communities have enthusiastically joined the chapter once membership opened. > A member of the Mumbai and a member of the Pune community are the first two > members to join by NEFT and physical cheque. To the best of my knowledge 24 > members from Pune joined the chapter in response to Arjuna Rao Chavala's > appeal for member ships when he came last month to our Pune meetup. > > > We earnestly believe that India needs an active, sympathetic, > facilitative and supportive chapter. We look forward to heartily cooperating > with such a chapter - alas, the chapter's latest tune was nothing of that > kind. It seemed to be indicative of wanting power and to dominate. > > > The third issue, were the "black" provisions of the framework. Each of > the sentences seemed to imply negative connotations for the community. > > > To give you some examples of the "black" provisions - > > > Example one - Finance > > > The responsibilities of the Host city team included "Fund raising", > whereas the corresponding responsibility of the Chapter Team was > "Responsible for facilitating financial operations and accountability for > finances for the event". > > > The message conveyed was that the community was responsible for > raiising funds but only the chapter was allowed to decide how it was spent. > No commitment of raising monetary support was made by the chapter for the > event. > > > Example two - Logistics > > > The responsibility for the "Host city team" is mentioned as being > "responsible for City logistics in terms of Venue, local transportation, > stay assistance". However, the city community was to be given no say in the > decision-making i.e. organisation of the programme, guest list, expenditure > etc. The OC head was to be some person of chapter Executive Committee. That > meant, the community had to do the hard work but the chapter would take > credit. If the conference succeeded, it was the chapter's moment of glory. > Whereas if the conference failed, the communities would be blamed. > > > Example three - Venue > > > After three months of spade work by Mumbai-Pune, when no other city had > shown any inclination to take up the project, the chapter thanked the city > community for the "proposal", came up with this framework, asks the city to > make changes as per the framework and resubmit it for consideration within > two weeks or so. Then, all proposals/bids would be considered by the chapter > and the decision communicated. > > > For two months, the community waited with bated breath for the > chapter's response and was floored when it eventually came. There were no > emails of encouragement, no saying "we support you", no saying "great job > guys, lets give it to Mumbai-Pune this time, next time, cities can bid". The > community, not surprisingly, were forced to construe such a response as lack > of support by the chapter. > > > So what was to be done? The community was furious at being treated this > way. They could not acquiese to this kind of 'fatwa' type of decision-making > by the chapter. It was felt that if the community accepted this state of > affairs this time around, it would act as a precedent and set the tone for > all future interactions between community and chapter. > > > So, we indicated to the chapter informally through various people that > this sort of thing just will not do. We were prepared for a confrontation on > matter of principle. However, thanks to various third party > back-of-the-scenes attempts, the chapter is now beginning to realise this. A > member of the chapter Executive Committee has given a clarification. You can > read it here - > > > > http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003378.html > > > The community's demands are few and equitable. > > > Firstly, treat us like equals and stakeholders. Amongst us, chapter > will then be first among equals. The community will not accept any other > form of relationship. > > > The second request is always ask our opinion before issuing policy > especially for a thing like Wikiconference which has not been conducted > before. The chapter must be consultative and facilitative of the community. > The community will not accept orders by fiat. > > > Lastly, this present framework will not do. We need a framework which > gives autonomy to the Organising Committee to successfully pull off an event > of this scale and nature. While organising this Wikiconference, the > community is willing to develop a sensible, practical framework which can be > debated and finalised after the event is over. In this manner best practices > and lessons learnt will be incorporated. > > > We felt that you as a community member should know what was going on > and what happened and how we responded to it. Our next step is to list the > issues concerning how the Wikiconference should be conducted and discuss > them on the list. At present, an active discussion on this is going on > between Pune and Mumbai communities off-list. In the meantime, we invite the > chapter to Mumbai where these issues can be discussed amicably face to face > and resolved. > > > We thank all those who spoke out in favour of the community. > > > Please write back with your views and support as this concerns every > one of us. > > > Ashwin Baindur > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Wikimediaindia-l mailing list > > > Wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimediaindia-l mailing list > > Wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimediaindia-l mailing list > Wikimediaindia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l > >

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Community-Chapter Relations
by Ashwin Baindur 10 Jun '11

10 Jun '11

The national chapter recently informed the community about its Membership and Community engagement plan -June 2011. http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003346.html In that document, the regulatory framework for conduct of Wikiconferences was released. http://wiki.wikimedia.in/India_Wiki_Conference_Framework Shortly thereafter, a clarification was issued. http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003378.html Members of the community must be puzzled at the need for clarification from the Chapter on the issues of its regulatory framework when there was no discussion online. This is because the recent announcement of the framework, in conjunction with other issues, led to the community believing that the chapter had forsaken it. A little history - the idea for a Wikiconference was mooted way back in March by the Mumbai community and they asked the Pune community to co-host it to which the Pune community agreed. As India now has a national chapter, we naturally asked for their support more than two months ago. For more than two months they were silent. Yesterday, they responded saying that the community was invited to submit their proposal, duly modified as per the said framework, and resubmit it for consideration with other bids. The cavaliar treatment of the serious efforts put in to date by the communities and the contents of the Framework of Regulations were disturbing to the community. At the face off it, one may just consider the Regulatory Framework as just another logical and reasonable document, but its language, text and subtext upset the community, in light of Chapter's attitude. The first and over-riding issue was the type of language used and its indication of the relation between chapter and communities. We all know that the Wikimedia Foundation encourages national chapters so that the community and creation of knowledge by them is facilitated. However, the language herein clearly gives a message - that the Indian chapter is boss and all Indian wikimedian communities are subservient to it. While that is a great inequity in itself, the community was also aggrieved that the framework has been foisted on them without discussion, without any attempt to get them to participate and buy in into the plan, without community consensus and without any consideration of the community's interests. This feudalistic attitude is considered to be an anachronism in volunteer driven communities of the 21st Centuries especially in India. So, no matter whether the framework is good or bad, sensible or not, the approach to the community taken by the chapter is to be firmly objected to and resisted. The Mumbai & Pune community supports the chapter, and have defended the chapter on number of occasions in email discussions. Members of the two communities have enthusiastically joined the chapter once membership opened. A member of the Mumbai and a member of the Pune community are the first two members to join by NEFT and physical cheque. To the best of my knowledge 24 members from Pune joined the chapter in response to Arjuna Rao Chavala's appeal for member ships when he came last month to our Pune meetup. We earnestly believe that India needs an active, sympathetic, facilitative and supportive chapter. We look forward to heartily cooperating with such a chapter - alas, the chapter's latest tune was nothing of that kind. It seemed to be indicative of wanting power and to dominate. The third issue, were the "black" provisions of the framework. Each of the sentences seemed to imply negative connotations for the community. To give you some examples of the "black" provisions - Example one - Finance The responsibilities of the Host city team included "Fund raising", whereas the corresponding responsibility of the Chapter Team was "Responsible for facilitating financial operations and accountability for finances for the event". The message conveyed was that the community was responsible for raiising funds but only the chapter was allowed to decide how it was spent. No commitment of raising monetary support was made by the chapter for the event. Example two - Logistics The responsibility for the "Host city team" is mentioned as being "responsible for City logistics in terms of Venue, local transportation, stay assistance". However, the city community was to be given no say in the decision-making i.e. organisation of the programme, guest list, expenditure etc. The OC head was to be some person of chapter Executive Committee. That meant, the community had to do the hard work but the chapter would take credit. If the conference succeeded, it was the chapter's moment of glory. Whereas if the conference failed, the communities would be blamed. Example three - Venue After three months of spade work by Mumbai-Pune, when no other city had shown any inclination to take up the project, the chapter thanked the city community for the "proposal", came up with this framework, asks the city to make changes as per the framework and resubmit it for consideration within two weeks or so. Then, all proposals/bids would be considered by the chapter and the decision communicated. For two months, the community waited with bated breath for the chapter's response and was floored when it eventually came. There were no emails of encouragement, no saying "we support you", no saying "great job guys, lets give it to Mumbai-Pune this time, next time, cities can bid". The community, not surprisingly, were forced to construe such a response as lack of support by the chapter. So what was to be done? The community was furious at being treated this way. They could not acquiese to this kind of 'fatwa' type of decision-making by the chapter. It was felt that if the community accepted this state of affairs this time around, it would act as a precedent and set the tone for all future interactions between community and chapter. So, we indicated to the chapter informally through various people that this sort of thing just will not do. We were prepared for a confrontation on matter of principle. However, thanks to various third party back-of-the-scenes attempts, the chapter is now beginning to realise this. A member of the chapter Executive Committee has given a clarification. You can read it here - http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaindia-l/2011-June/003378.html The community's demands are few and equitable. Firstly, treat us like equals and stakeholders. Amongst us, chapter will then be first among equals. The community will not accept any other form of relationship. The second request is always ask our opinion before issuing policy especially for a thing like Wikiconference which has not been conducted before. The chapter must be consultative and facilitative of the community. The community will not accept orders by fiat. Lastly, this present framework will not do. We need a framework which gives autonomy to the Organising Committee to successfully pull off an event of this scale and nature. While organising this Wikiconference, the community is willing to develop a sensible, practical framework which can be debated and finalised after the event is over. In this manner best practices and lessons learnt will be incorporated. We felt that you as a community member should know what was going on and what happened and how we responded to it. Our next step is to list the issues concerning how the Wikiconference should be conducted and discuss them on the list. At present, an active discussion on this is going on between Pune and Mumbai communities off-list. In the meantime, we invite the chapter to Mumbai where these issues can be discussed amicably face to face and resolved. We thank all those who spoke out in favour of the community. Please write back with your views and support as this concerns every one of us. Ashwin Baindur

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