On 02/06/2017 12:43 AM, Christophe Henner wrote:
I'm delighted to see this issue getting some attention. I believe the core of the problem comes from the WMF's identity, from the start, as a technology company; so shifting in this direction might be an uphill battle, but I feel strongly that it's the right way to go.
Be careful there, we're agreeing! :D
Joke aside, I'm not sure it is an uphill battle, but that is a shift I believe we, not just WMF but all of us as a community, need to do. From mere "tool" to a movement. Which means that the tech and the platform are a way to enable us to achieve our goals. But our goals aren't technical, they're societal. We're a people movement not a tech movement :)
Never a surprise to find agreement with a Wikimedian in general, or with you in particular -- but I'm glad to hear it! I am heartened to hear that you believe this kind of shift is attainable, and look forward to seeing the WMF make some decisive moves toward centering on social dynamics before technical innovation.
One more past blog post of mine, which I think expresses the value of transitioning away from a tech focus, and toward a social focus: https://wikistrategies.net/wikimedia-needs-trustee/ (Please ignore the framing of "what WM needs in a trustee, I should probably republish this to be a bit more generic)
-Pete [[User:Peteforsyth]]