Hi all,
The committee is having a bit of strategic planning 'retreat' meeting
this weekend.[1] Liam is joining Sarah, Brian and I in Melbourne.
John, Nathan, Gideon and Andrew[2] are unable to attend but we will
take note of their input
As a member or interested observer your opinions are also needed. As a
member organisation and one reliant on volunteers we must give due
weight to projects and ideas favoured by members. Therefore, your
input would be appreciated in this brief survey:
<https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cGkyT3UycWYwT0RyZzdVOWlRRF….>
The survey is anonymous unless you choose to provide your name and
email (useful if you want to volunteer for some particular project :))
In the survey I have listed 11 reasonably "big" projects that have
been suggested over the past few months. They are:
# Support a bid for hosting Wikimania 2011
# Host a WikiConf in Canberra in late 2009
# Run Wikipedia Academy events for the general public
# Run Wikipedia Academy events for academics
# Run events (e.g. talks) for educators
# Develop and sell Wikimedia-related merchandise
# Create a 'Wikimedia for Australian schools' selection
# Create classroom kit for teaching Wikipedia on the NSW HSC syllabus
# Organise "backstage pass" style tours of organisations such as museums
# Concentrate on cultivating positive and broad press, and develop
more promotional material (press kits) for the Wikimedia projects
# Host regular meetups in as many cities as possible, and online
events such as editing competitions for members and IRC meetings
There is also a section for other "big" ideas, or you can always reply here. :)
During the retreat,
The idea is not to decide *EVERYTHING* WMAU will do during 2009, which
would be impossible - mainly because much of what we will do will be
member-driven, not ctte-driven - but to at least choose some
direction, choose which projects to concentrate on and which to put
aside for now, and figure out our reasoning for these decisions. Then
hopefully we will feel a bit more purposeful, and not overwhelmed by
the possibilities and pushed about like grass in the wind. 2009 is
also a fairly short term for this ctte - 10 months at most as our next
AGM must be between July and November.
It is worth having big ideas. The Wikimedia Foundation has introduced
a grants funding process for chapters
<http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_chapters/WMF_grants> and
there are organisations in Australia such as the auDA Foundation which
I certainly believe we could gain funding from, having joint funding
from WMF and another org would give us quite a good position indeed.
But I think it is proper to choose your plans and then find funds
accordingly, rather than vice versa. We will talk about money issues
at the retreat but it will be in tandem with making plans.
Anyway I look forward to seeing what everyone thinks, so please do
take a minute to fill out the survey
<https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cGkyT3UycWYwT0RyZzdVOWlRRF….>
and comment on it here or in private email if you like.
cheers,
Brianna
[1] I note that ctte members have chosen to cover their own costs for
participating in this retreat.
[2] I'm not sure we took the time to announce this properly - see
<http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Meeting:Committee_(2009_January_15)#Inviting_n…>
- in mid January we chose to invite Gideon and Andrew as non-voting
participants in the committee. So thanks to them for accepting these
positions :) and I count their input equally as with other ctte
members.
--
They've just been waiting in a mountain for the right moment:
http://modernthings.org/
Hi all,
We just sent off our submission to the DBCDE on their 'Digital Economy
Future Directions' paper, which has been mentioned a couple of times
here. You can find the final version of our submission here:
<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DBCDE_Digital_Economy_Future_Directi…>
Major thanks is due to Nathan and Liam, who basically put the whole
thing together themselves, and not only followed up with friendly
groups and their submissions (EFA, ADA) and got us an extension, but
also filled out our submission so it really reflected our own voice
rather than just echoing others.
Thank you Nathan and Liam!
cheers
Brianna
Hi all,
I notice we've still got a few spaces available for the inaugural 'Backstage
Pass' tour organised by WMAU and our inimitable VP, Liam :-)
Having been tangentially involved in discussions about this event
(tangential involvement = talking over a drink and a nice thai meal ;-) -
it's pretty clear to me that this is a very exciting project, and I'd
encourage anyone who may be able to jump on board to do so - and sign up
below;
http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Backstage_pass
Also (and further to angela's posts previously) - I think it would be great
for this project to get some attention at the upcoming 'Wiki Wednesday';
http://www.customware.net/repository/display/WikiWednesday/Wiki+Wednesday
So if anyone signed up might be able to attend next Wednesday - why not sign
up to explain a bit about it? - It's a very friendly crowd in my experience
(well there were the one time I've attended personally!) - I'd also love to
be able to communicate something about the potential of organisational /
corporate membership of WMAU too - but that's probably jumping the gun a
little! - Maybe some folk will be interested in joining though, so that's
all to the good :-)
cheers,
Peter,
PM.
There's a workshop on Internet filtering and censorship from 10:30 am
to 4:30pm. Details are at
http://cyberlawcentre.org/censorship/forum2.htm - please let me know
if you'd like to go.
Soon after that is Wiki Wednesday which is kindly being hosted by
Telstra. Details can be found on the new wiki at
http://wikiwednesday.org.au/wiki/Sydney
Angela
This is a very cool initiative - artists donating their 'ideas' to others to finish.
The public domain at its purist!
Jessica Coates
Project Manager
Creative Commons Clinic
Queensland University of Technology
ph: 07 3138 8301
fax: 07 3138 9395
email: j2.coates(a)qut.edu.au
From: Sungshin [mailto:polyopticon@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 24 February 2009 5:02 PM
To: polyopticon(a)gmail.com
Subject: Donate an idea!
Alex has sent you a group e-mail from Collaborative Commons.
This is a project to release all artists from residual lingering ideas, and let someone else make them happen. I
n 2007, a friend (visual artist Stuart Russell) initiated a project titled 'Something for nothing', which was an offer to other artists to unburden themselves of ideas, too long held, no longer relevant to where your practice now is, or simply impossible - but which have been carefully described in notebooks, filed, boxed, archived and kept within reach. It developed into an exhibition/collection of ideas to be given away, held at Craft Victoria in May, 2007.
The call is to deliver an idea, via email, (leisac(a)unimelb.edu.au) or to the front office at the Drama School or as a blog post on the www.collaborativecommons.com website - as word, film, box, series of tapes...whatever form the gathering of this idea has taken over the years, - You give up the whole thing!
The ideas once collected will be offered / given away as part of Collaborative Contract 2009 as part of the 3rd Year program at the Centre for Ideas at the VCA. These projects will then be offered to the 3rd year groups as a kind of ideas market on Friday February 27th, for them to form groups around and take forward. Final projects will then be shown/exhibited/performed/played at the VCA in May of this year.
Nothing offered will be returned - and if you would like to be recognised as the initiating artist, please attach a letter stating how you would like that worded.
Start digging in your offices, studios and storage units - all ideas need to be to me by Thursday February 26th. and remember... You can't take it with you!! Regards, Leisa Shelton and Alex Gibson
Hi all,
The minutes of the committee's February 15 meeting are pasted below and are
also now available on the wiki at
http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Meeting:Committee_(2009_February_15).
Cheers,
Sarah
'''Start time:''' 16:20 AEDT.
'''Attendance:''' John, Brianna (chair), Brian, Nathan, Liam (minutes)
'''Apologies:''' Sarah, Andrew
===Agenda:===
==Confirmation of minutes==
1. [[Meeting (2009-01-15)]] minutes
''Proposed by Brianna, 2nd by Nathan. Carried without dissent.''
2. [[Meeting (2009-02-08)]] minutes
''Proposed by Brianna, seconded by Liam. Carried without dissent.''
2.1. Matter Arising: Noted that agenda item 1. (regarding Wikimedia
Australia's 50th member) should be listed as deferred to a specific time -
agreed that this should be within 2 months time (April).
''Proposed by John, seconded by Brian. Carried without dissent.''
==Agree on [[Passing resolutions by wiki]]==
At present, all ''Wikimedia Australia'' committee resolutions must be made
at a real-time meeting (usually by IRC). This proposal seeks to facilitate
better discussion and less mailbox overflow through the allowing of
resolutions to be passed in another format - on-wiki.
Discussion ensued as to the role/proper usage of the committee's mailing
list if resolutions are proposed, altered, discussed on the wiki. The point
is made that the process needs to be clear so as to avoid changing the
wording of a resolution midway through voting. The debate must be had in one
place (not on list and wiki simultaneously) therefore all debates on
alterations should be had on wiki and mailing list used to notify people of
those debates. Expressed was a desire to respect the first place of
discussion and keep the discussion in that place as far as practicable.
'''Motion:'''
Allow resolutions to be proposed, passed and failed by the method of
wiki-based discussion and voting. The procedure for determining a valid
resolution as follows:
A page should be started for each topic.
A committee member puts a resolution forward for voting by creating a
section on the page with the heading including the word "Resolution:". They
must announce it to the other committee members by including the tag
"PROPOSED RESOLUTION" in the subject line, and a link in the body of an
email to the committee mailing list. A minimum of quorum members must
formally respond (vote aye, nay or abstain) within five working days for the
resolution to be formally recorded. Once voting has begun, the wording of a
resolution may not be changed. Additional resolutions on the same topic may
instead be proposed.
If two or more members use the tag "DEFER TO MEETING" in their comments,
resolutions on the topic may not be passed by the wiki method, and must be
brought to a real-time committee meeting.
Comments tagged "PUBLIC" will be publishable. Votes and "DEFER" remarks are
also publishable. All other comments will not be publishable.
Resolutions that have a quorum of responses within the five working days
should be recorded as passed/failed at Wiki resolutions by the member who
moved the resolution. As the first item of business after approval of the
minutes at every committee meeting, there will a formal motion to minute all
wiki resolutions, whether passed or failed. Details of passed and failed
resolutions (wording, proposer,seconder, votes, result, date, defer remarks,
public comments) should be published by the secretary at the end of the
calendar month.
''Proposed by Brianna, seconded by Nathan. Carried without dissent.''
==Relationship of WM-AU communication methods==
1. Official-wiki to WM-AU on Meta
Discussion on the role that the pages about
[[m:Wikimedia_Australia|Wikimedia Australia on MetaWiki]] should have, now
the chapter is set up and has its own wiki. It was agreed that the meta page
should be almost exclusively used for introduction and contact details and
not for discussions/regular updates. The WM-AU wiki should be used for all
updates, discussions, event planning etc. Content from the pages on Meta
should be moved across to the WM-AU wiki and depreciated on Meta. (refer to
the practice of other established chapters as examples)
2. Various mailing lists
Discussion on the role of various mailing lists associated with us: the
"Australia list", the chapter "member's list", the "announce" list, the
"committee" list. Raised was the possibility of somehow combining the first
two so as not to only allow financial members of Wikimedia Australia the
chance to discuss (as the "members list" is member's only). It was pointed
out that the two serve different purposes and only have partially
overlapping subscription-membership. Many people are interested in
Australian articles on Wikipedia but not Chapter activities and vice versa.
However this differentiation is possibly not made generally clear.
It was decided that cross-posting of information should be done more often.
Also, this needs to be revisited in a bit to see if the mailing lists are
being used properly and people are receiving all the relevant information.
==[[m:Wikipedia Loves Art|Wikipedia Loves Art]] update, possible alternative
option==
The Art Gallery of NSW pulled out of WLA, after briefly being listed as a
participant, after a face-to-face meeting with gallery representatives. This
was due to a requirement of the Gallery's that photos of their collection
have non-commercial licenses. This would contravene "General Qualification
Note 1. of the event: "Shots submitted must be licensed with the correct
creative commons license required by Wikipedia."[
http://www.flickr.com/groups/wikipedia_loves_art/]
Nevertheless, a positive outcome of the meeting was a discussion for
potentially mounting a photography exhibition based on the work selected in
Wikimedia Commons: Picture of the Year. When the 2009 PotY event is
completed a more official exhibition "pitch" will be made to the Gallery.
==Discussions deferred==
1. Policy and Practice of contacting the members list
1.1. Changes to the membership form?
1.2. Policy on what contact/frequency of contact is acceptable.
==Meeting adjourned==
'''Finishing time:''' 20:10 AEDT
In case anyone is interested.
Jessica Coates
Project Manager
Creative Commons Clinic
Queensland University of Technology
ph: 07 3138 8301
fax: 07 3138 9395
email: j2.coates(a)qut.edu.au
--------------------------------------------------
Please circulate this notice far and wide.
*Open Video Conference: call for proposals*
*** Submission deadline: March 19 ***
We are now accepting proposals for panels, workshop sessions, demo sessions,
and other programming for the inaugural Open Video Conference in New York.
Join us and over 400 participants during our groundbreaking two-day
conference and make your imprint on the online video space.
Visit http://openvideoalliance.org/proposals/ to make a submission.
Open Video Conference
June 19-20, 2009
New York City
40 Washington Square South (NYU Law School)
*The Open Video Conference*
The conference is a co-production of the Yale Law School Information Society
Project, the Participatory Culture Foundation, Kaltura, and iCommons. The
conference will feature talks from internet luminaries, panels and
discussions, screenings of video art, and demonstrations of the newest
internet video technology. We expect more than 400 participants. Here are
some goals for the gathering:
*1.* Bring together stakeholders in the online video space (video makers,
coders, lawyers, academics, entrepreneurs, etc.) for cross-pollination and
development of the Open Video movement.
*2.* Raise public interest and awareness around the Principles for an Open
Video Ecosystem, a community effort to define best practices in online
video.
*3.* Raise the public profile of video creators and artists working in the
online space.
*What Types of Proposals are You Seeking?*
We are requesting proposals and ideas for panels, presentations, workshops,
and other sessions that will address how we can shape online video and the
public debates around the medium. Proposals may be intended for the main
conference track, or for more focused unconference-style sessions. Proposal
topics may be legal, technical, or cultural in focus, though we encourage
proposals in all relevant areas. The more complete and fleshed out a
proposal, the more likely it will be accepted?but we welcome the submission
of all good ideas.
We are also seeking submissions of video art to showcase the creative
potential of artists in the open video space.
To submit a proposal or idea for Open Video, please visit
http://openvideoalliance.org/proposals/. The deadline for submissions is
March 19, 2009. If you have any questions about the Alliance, the
conference, or the submission process, please contact Ben Moskowitz at
conference(a)openvideoalliance.org .
*Why is Open Video Important?*
YouTube and other online video applications are rightly celebrated for
empowering end-users; however, online video lacks some of the essential
qualities that make text and images on the web such powerful tools for free
speech and technical innovation. Email, blogs, and other staples of the open
web rely on ubiquitous and interoperable technologies that have low barriers
to entry; they are massively decentralized and resistant to censorship or
regulation. Video, meanwhile, relies on centralized distribution and
proprietary technologies which can threaten cultural discourse and
innovation.
Open Video is the growing movement for transparency, interoperability, and
participation in online video. These qualities provide more fertile ground
for bottom-up innovation and greater protection for free speech online. Many
organizations are already taking steps to change the nature of video on the
web: Mozilla is moving to support open video formats in Firefox, the
Participatory Culture Foundation promotes open source and standards in video
publishing and distribution, and Wikipedia has increased its focus on the
open Theora codec.
*About the Open Video Alliance*
The Open Video Alliance is a coalition of leading organizations dedicated to
fostering the growth of open infrastructure, tools, and standards for the
online video medium. Yale Law School's Information Society Project hosted a
stakeholder meeting on October 31st, 2008; representatives from nearly 30
organizations convened to discuss common goals for technologists, maker
communities, and legal experts.
For more information, see http://openvideoalliance.org.
_______________________________________________
OVA-Announce mailing list
OVA-Announce(a)lists.openvideoalliance.org
http://lists.openvideoalliance.org/listinfo.cgi/ova-announce-openvideoallia…
For anyone who will be in Canberra on the last weekend of March, the
National Library of Australia will be hosting their "Innovative Ideas Forum"
on the topic of "the Value of Social Networking for Cultural Institutions"
on Friday the 28th.
There will be several speakers of renown and some really cool projects
discussed (such as the Australian Newspaper digitisation project). However,
this is already fully booked. You can add your name to the waiting list if
you want. They do not advertise this widely and it is by word of mouth that
people find out about it.
I don't know how many from the waiting list will get a spot, but you can
always give it a go.
http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/meetings/innovative-ideas-forum/2009/
All the best,
-Liam [[user:witty lama]]
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amal Hanna <Amal.Hanna(a)unisa.edu.au>
Date: 2009/2/18
Subject: [Textbook-l] Australian Wikibookian?
To: "Textbook-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org" <Textbook-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
Are you Australian and is your native language English?
Dear Wikibooks.org Subscriber,
You are invited to participate in a research study that aims to
explore what motivates Wikibookians to write to Wiki textbook
projects.
Your responses will help us identify shared motivations among contributors.
You will be required to use the following username and password in
order to access further details about the project and the consent form
should you agree to participant in this research study.
Username: motivations
Password: wikiproject
Interested enough to take this * 15 min. online Survey?
( http://easstudents.cw.unisa.edu.au/com/survey/wikisurveyen_interface/Result…)
I appreciated your time in helping me to do this research
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me:
Amal Maher
PhD Student
School of Communication
University of South Australia
Email: Amal.Maher(a)students.unisa.edu.au<mailto:Amal.Maher@students.unisa.edu.au>
_______________________________________________
Textbook-l mailing list
Textbook-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/textbook-l
--
They've just been waiting in a mountain for the right moment:
http://modernthings.org/