Good idea. Where i see this as beneficial would be in several areas. This might end up including the West Coast
Whereever we stage events, the visas are going to be a nightmare. California has several dozen consulates and INS offices. A Wikimedia California would have the boots on the ground to get Consular Officers to help us with visas. Even if we still have to submit a stack of paper, it will be a lot more coordinated than worrying about someone being denied at the border.
Also museums often bar public members from photographing their collections. A organization would have the ability to get these museums to open their doors.
----- Original Message ----
From: Kul Takanao Wadhwa <kwadhwa(a)wikimedia.org>
Cc: wikimedia-sf(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 1:49:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-SF] California Chapter
We should probably have a discussion with Mike (general counsel) to
figure out the best
legal structure for this depending what we want to accomplish as a US
"chapter."
--Kul
Head of Business Development
Wikimedia Foundation
phoebe ayers wrote:
>I think the answer is, as Brion said, "it's hard." It has been really
>difficult to organize US-based chapters so far because of our
>particular legal structures. Therefore a better question to ask is "If
>we had one, what would the chapter be doing, and can we do those
>things anyway?" Because we are in the US and therefore money can be
>handled directly by the Foundation, having the structure of a chapter
>may not actually provide much benefit. That does not stop us however
>from getting together and doing stuff, like the current chapters do
>now.
>
>-- phoebe
>
>On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 12:30 PM, Geoffrey Plourde <geo.plrd(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Several meetups have already occurred, I am curious as to whther or not
>>people are interested in making a chapter.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message ----
>>From: Brion Vibber <brion(a)wikimedia.org>
>>To: wikimedia-sf(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>>Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 12:27:25 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-SF] California Chapter
>>
>>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>>Hash: SHA1
>>
>>Geoffrey Plourde wrote:
>>
>>
>>>San Francisco Wikipedians (Sanfranpedians?);
>>>
>>>I am looking into starting Wikimedia California. Would anyone here be
>>>interested?
>>>
>>>
>>I think we have yet to figure out firmly what the mission or legal
>>structure for chapters in the US would be... :)
>>
>>For other countries, a big part of it is to establish a local legal
>>structure that can accept tax-free donations -- something the Wikimedia
>>Foundation itself handles here the US.
>>
>>But that structure can also be a useful way to organize local
>>activities, outreach, conferences and meetups as well as other online
>>and offline activity by Wikipedians other Wikimedians. Since the
>>Wikimedia Foundation decided not to become a membership-based
>>organization, concentrating on the high-level hosting and PR, there's a
>>bit of a vacuum still on how individuals can get involved and organized.
>>
>>
>>Rather than starting by saying "let's start a chapter", I might suggest
>>picking some particular event to organize, such as a California or west
>>coast-based Wikimedia user conference, and then we can see what kind of
>>organization can and should grow up around the community that builds it.
>>
>>I should also stress that such an event should be a community-organized,
>>community-oriented affair. Make the Wikimedia Foundation a guest, not an
>>organizer or a funder... :)
>>
>>- -- brion vibber (brion @ wikimedia.org)
>>-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
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>>=5ODM
>>-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Wikimedia-SF mailing list
>>Wikimedia-SF(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>>https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-sf
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
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>>Access, No Cost. W00t
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>> Wikimedia-SF mailing list
>> Wikimedia-SF(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-sf
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Wikimedia-SF mailing list
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>
>
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Several meetups have already occurred, I am curious as to whther or not people are interested in making a chapter.
----- Original Message ----
From: Brion Vibber <brion(a)wikimedia.org>
To: wikimedia-sf(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 12:27:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-SF] California Chapter
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Geoffrey Plourde wrote:
> San Francisco Wikipedians (Sanfranpedians?);
>
> I am looking into starting Wikimedia California. Would anyone here be
> interested?
I think we have yet to figure out firmly what the mission or legal
structure for chapters in the US would be... :)
For other countries, a big part of it is to establish a local legal
structure that can accept tax-free donations -- something the Wikimedia
Foundation itself handles here the US.
But that structure can also be a useful way to organize local
activities, outreach, conferences and meetups as well as other online
and offline activity by Wikipedians other Wikimedians. Since the
Wikimedia Foundation decided not to become a membership-based
organization, concentrating on the high-level hosting and PR, there's a
bit of a vacuum still on how individuals can get involved and organized.
Rather than starting by saying "let's start a chapter", I might suggest
picking some particular event to organize, such as a California or west
coast-based Wikimedia user conference, and then we can see what kind of
organization can and should grow up around the community that builds it.
I should also stress that such an event should be a community-organized,
community-oriented affair. Make the Wikimedia Foundation a guest, not an
organizer or a funder... :)
- -- brion vibber (brion @ wikimedia.org)
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zKwAn0y3gefGLI1RwjVrxhMH4ziv03lx
=5ODM
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
_______________________________________________
Wikimedia-SF mailing list
Wikimedia-SF(a)lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-sf
____________________________________________________________________________________
Special deal for Yahoo! users & friends - No Cost. Get a month of Blockbuster Total Access now
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San Francisco Wikipedians (Sanfranpedians?);
I am looking into starting Wikimedia California. Would anyone here be interested?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Like movies? Here's a limited-time offer: Blockbuster Total Access for one month at no cost.
http://tc.deals.yahoo.com/tc/blockbuster/text4.com
Hi all! It looks like the Wikimedia Foundation will have a booth at the
upcoming Maker Faire in San Mateo, California.
<http://www.makerfaire.com/>.
While the staff will be manning the booth, and we're still working out
details, we'll be looking for a few volunteers from different projects
to help out. Let me know if you're willing to drop your hat into the
ring :)
--
Cary Bass
Volunteer Coordinator
Your continued donations keep Wikipedia running! Support the Wikimedia
Foundation today: http://donate.wikimedia.org
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
Phone: 415.839.6885 x 601
Fax: 415.882.0495
E-Mail: cary(a)wikimedia.org
Gia May <giamay1(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Absolutly! We wouldn't want to support the ghetto. It can
> only lead to gentrification and the sooner we get everyone to
> boycott them the sooner the'll starve. Thanks for standing up
> for decency.
>
> Gia
I've seen a few other software oriented groups try the
public library. They've all moved on. We may as well just skip
that step...
--
_jsn