Given that the purpose of the new site is discussion toward the improvement of Wikipedia/Wikimedia, I don't see a problem in principle with a post mentioning the existence of the new site. Repeated promotional e-mails would be out of line, but I trust that will not be an issue.
Newyorkbrad
On 7/9/14, Fæ faewik@gmail.com wrote:
What do users of this list feel about it being used to discuss issues, or attract more members, to non-Wikimedia websites?
Checking the definition at https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l it's ambiguous as really almost anything that mentions Wikimedia could be in scope. I'm slightly concerned that if the 'offwiki' website is free to use this list membership to attract greater participation by Wikimedians, then to be fair and equitable, the same courtesy should be allowed to any other website or forum which may be expected to have a number of Wikimedians as participants. Obvious examples are wikia.org, wikipediocracy.com and facebook.com.
Fae
On 10/07/2014, Newyorkbrad newyorkbrad@gmail.com wrote:
Wil, thank you for the announcement of your site. Although things there were in a bit of a chaotic state the last time I looked at it and there are clearly some bugs to be worked out, we will see whether it can ultimately emerge as a fruitful discussion forum.
With regard to potential impersonation user registrations, including users registering in the names of "prominent Wikipedians," or for that matter of prominent Wikipedia critics, it is essential that you take steps to verify the identity of registrants using such usernames. Existing criticism sites such as Wikipediocracy and previously Wikipedia Review have consistently checked such registrations before allowing postings, and it is good practice that they do so, to avoid potential negative impacts not only on the persons potentially impersonated but on the reputations of their sites as well. (There are other issues as to which those sites do not epitomize good practice in my view, but this one they get right.) Similarly, I assume that such checks are performed on Wikimedia mailing lists such as this one. There is every reason that offwiki can do so as well and I hope you intend to.
Regards, Newyorkbrad
On 7/9/14, Wil Sinclair wllm@wllm.com wrote:
Hi all, I've started a new wiki called Offwiki: http://offwiki.org. Our community discusses potential changes to Wikipedia and its Wikimedia sister projects that aren't easily discussed in forums like this mailing list. We also try new ideas that we hope will be adopted on-wiki- both social and technical in nature.
But that's not the primary reason I'm writing all of you. I've noticed that many prominent Wikipedians have created accounts to avoid impostors claiming their very public usernames for themselves. My apologies, but Wikimedia doesn't run an OpenID server, and there's really no other way for me to confirm identities before a user has created a username. The problem is technical, and AFAIK there is nothing I can do about it.
So, if you're concerned about your username being phished out, then consider creating an account at http://offwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page. Maybe you'll even stick around for a few minutes to see what we've been up to. :)
Thanks. ,Wil
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-- faewik@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote.
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