In a message dated 9/25/2006 4:08:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
gerard.meijssen(a)gmail.com writes:
The Wikimedia Foundation is NOT Wikipedia. Boardmembers should have an
obvious interest in what we do. Being notable does not qualify people. If
you want someone notable, ask Kofi Anan to become a board member when his
tenure as the secretary general of the United Nations has ended. This is
what I call notable; notability as an IT person is not what I would think
qualifies a person as a board member of the Wikimedia Foundation.
No one is suggesting that notability is the sole criteria. However, we are a
project devoted to education, so bring in educators, we are a project devoted
to free culture, so bring in people who are at the forefront of the free
content movement. And yes, we are a project devoted to reaching out to the
developing world, so bring in people with experience in that world. Larry Lessig
or other people like seem like a good idea. And if someone of the stature of
Kofi Anan asked if he could help Wikipedia by serving on its board, we should
be grateful.
Danny