what if using "wikimedia", for example. "chinese wikimedia conference"?

what if using "wikimedia", for example. "chinese wikimedia conference"? just to clarify that "chinese" here means ethnic chinese around the world, not limited to the people's republic of china or mainland china, as what "china" nowadays often refers to. a number of users of zh.wikipedia (along with other wikimedia projects in chinese language) from mainland china, taiwan, hong kong, malaysia, canada, united states, germany, etc. have expressed interests to attend. the chinese community decided to hold the conference in hong kong, which enjoys convenient transportation and high degree of autonomy from the central government in beijing. among other candidate cities were beijing, shanghai, and taipei. blocking of wikipedia in PRC poses concerns/difficulties for promoting wikimedia and organizing a conference within mainland china. taipei has a highly devoted local community but there is a difficulty also from politics that entry permits generally are not issued to mainland chinese. -roc (User:R.O.C) 2006/3/16, Angela <beesley(a)gmail.com>om>: > I'm pleased to see a conference in China is being planned, but this >and similar events really need to use a different name, both to >prevent confusion with the actual Wikimania, and to avoid the need for >each event to get permission from Wikimedia to use the name. > >Angela. >_______________________________________________ >foundation-l mailing list >foundation-l(a)wikimedia.org > http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l >

There seems to be a cultural gap which misleads the translator to regard "Wiki-meetup" as "wikimania".

Hi, Ladies and all, I am Theodoranian from zh.wikipedia. I went to Frankfurt last year, and now I am thinking to go to Boston to join the 2006 wikimania. I want to explain the "2006 Chinese wikimania" to you. Actually, this annual conference is first-time-held this year, since Zh.wikipedians from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and else places thought that there should be a meetup. The formal name of this meetup is "中文維基年會" in Chinese (which literally means "Chinese Wikimedia Annual Conference"), and we don't have an appropriate English name for it yet. Now, we are still thinking what would be good. However, somebody translated the "CWAC" into English as "Chinese wikimania". There seems to be a cultural gap which misleads the translator to regard "Wiki-meetup" as "wikimania". Just for your information. Theodoanian 2006/3/16, Anthere <Anthere9(a)yahoo.com>om>: _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l(a)wikimedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l

A few random thoughts about this. I am extremely happy that the Asian continents, and the Chinese particularly, are working on such a project. As a matter of fact, I believe that local "Wikimanias" or local "Wikimedia conferences" should be held on a very regular basis, in order to strengthen the community around the world and regionally. I have been thinking about these extensively thanks to Effeitsanders who has launched the idea of the "Wikimania reloaded" (working name) in the Netherlands and has many times asked for my input, which I scarcely gave (I didn't know what to say). So here are my thoughts about the whole idea, now that I have thought about it. I believe regional conferences should be planned with the Foundation for many reasons: 1) I find it a bit sad having two conferences (or three, as is) so close together. The idea of having a "worldwide conference" should not be impeeded by other conferences around the world, because it: a) spreads the attendance b) spreads the sponsors c) spreads the speakers d) somehow defeats the whole point of having a world-wide conference (why would I go to Boston or Frankfurt if there is a conference nearer to me three weeks afterwards?) And anyway, it is using the trademarks, so the Foundation should have an input in it, especially where local chapters are not present, so as to make sure that the name and spirit is used in the right way (not to mention the logos ;-) ) In the end, I believe working together allows synergy. Working each in our own little corner thins out the efforts. I urge the organizers of the Chinese conference to get in touch with the Board to explain what they want to do and how, so that we can coordinate all of this. 2) I am more in favour of an "Olympic Games" type thing, where we'd have say Wikimania as an annual worldwide wikimedia conference once every 4 years (or 2, or 6, I don't know) and then in the years in between as many local conferences as there are people ready to organize them. That's for the grand scheme. On the more specific matter of trademark and logo use for the Chinese Conference: 1) Why use the Wikipedia logo if it is a Wikimedia conference? 2) I've changed the licence on the poster to a dual licence {{copyrightbyWikimedia]] for the logo and CC-BY-SA for the design. Best, Delphine (who still hopes to see Chinese and Dutch in Boston :-( ) -- ~notafish _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l(a)wikimedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l

Chinese wikipedia community is still young and small. Chinese wikipedians are seperated by historic and political factors. Taking me as an example, in the past, I couldn't imagine I can join a project and work together with people from the "Hostile the Other side of the Strait". Then, we argued and had many conflicts in the Chinese Wikipedia. And now, we are trying to see each other to make friends, to share the knowledge of intellectual property rights, the new discoveries of wiki technologies, and to exchange opinions of managing and promoting the wikipedia and all the projects which Wikimedia foundation hosts, in our conservative society and even in an environment where PRC government banned Wikipedia.

I admit the importance to work together. But I don't think we should do the same thing together all the time. After the wikimania in Boston, it's time to spread to strenthen the power of Wikimedia.

Angela wrote: I agree. We are approaching people, sponsors and so, with the idea that Wikimania is an ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL conference of our projects. And in some texts, it also says it is organised by the Wikimedia Foundation. It will be very confusing if many wikimanias are being organised per year, some with 400 participants from many countries, others with 100 participants at a national level or why not even some wikimeet with 20 people. This will mean a wikimania is an meetup for some wiki users. No more. ant _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l(a)wikimedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l

In the beginning there were Logos,