2014-05-03 11:56 GMT-03:00 Leigh Thelmadatter <osamadre(a)hotmail.com>:
> I would settle for an open process, rather than a secretive AffComm.
>
In Brazil, even trying to push an open process for years, even before
AffComm existed, that didn't work. The problem is deeper. I am aware some
simply gave up and jumped into other more
pragmatic/do-ocratic<http://www.communitywiki.org/cw/DoOcracy>groups
to open up knowledge. :)
--
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Everton Zanella Alvarenga (also Tom)
Open Knowledge Brasil - Rede pelo Conhecimento Livre
http://br.okfn.org
We told them so since a long time. Now we have this mess. He he ho ho.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: rupert THURNER <rupert.thurner(a)gmail.com>
Date: 2014-05-03 4:02 GMT-03:00
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] simple and effective creation process for chapters
To: Wikimedia Mailing List <wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org>
hi,
out of the experiences of creating 50 chapters, and the recent
frustrated feedback from persons involved in the creation of new
chapters, e.g. belgium and ghana, could we please find a simple and
effective way to organize the chapters creation process? existing
chapters not meeting the requirements have 3 years to adjust their
bylaws.
target and purpose of chapters:
chapters match a country as defined by the league of nations defined
in 1939 and reaffirmed by the united nations in 1945 [1], to follow
local jurisdiction. they are membership organizations.
requirements to be a chapter in the bylaws:
* support the mission of the wmf
* be a membership organization, i.e. the highest body is
the assembly of members
* be a member must be possible for everybody who
contributes (i.e. edits, writes software used by wmf projects)
at zero cost (or low cost, e.g. price of one meal?)
* meet the tax exemption criteria. justification needed
if not possible, reviewed regularly.
* an audit committee, consisting of members, who are also
allowed to seek professional help
this means chapters can created within days, not years. the rules are
clear right from the beginning. measures are already in place if
something goes wrong.
problems addressed:
* creating a chapter is possible immediately one
finds the legal minimum number of contributors in a
country, most of the time 2 or 3.
* the bylaw requirements guarantee contributors can
easily join any time and no lockout can happen.
negative example: german football federation,
allowing a red bull club (rb leipzig) with 7 members, exorbitant
membership fee, existing rb leipzig board decides who can
become member.
* proper names may be used immediately, current negative
example: "planning wikimedia ghana" registers facebook, and
other social accounts with a temporary name to gather
people. the risk is that it is "planning" forever. later change
of such accounts is nearly impossible without breaking history.
* bank accounts with limited liability are used immediately,
allowing to properly pursue misuse in local jurisdiction. negative
example: kenya, where money disappeared from a
personal account.
* the bylaw requirements allow the inclusion or lockout of people
not contributing at the chapters discretion. example: germany,
switzerland allowing persons and even legal entities to become
member.
* it allows to organize itself in some federal way within a country,
at the discretion of a chapter.
* it guarantees to have the highest level of local jurisdiction control
by meeting tax exemption criteria. examples: germany, uk.
there critieria are in place which can be fulfilled, austria. criteria
exist what cannot be matched, but discussions are ongoing to
change the law.
* initial signing of policies and contracts with the wmf is not required.
using trademarks without approval is easily controlled by established
procedures (legal, fdc, etc). the movement is used to deal with
people and organizations trying to do that every day, in many
countries.
* "contributing" is easily and globally defined by commits, and edits,
as currently used for elections [2]
* no block is there by enforcing auditing costs, as well preventing a
chapters board to "appoint a best friend auditing firm". negative
examples: enron, which was audited by arthur anderson, and
anyway exploded. positive examples: wmf, using volunteers and
kpmg, most chapters.
* there is no different treatment of newborn chapters, chapters with
experienced boards, and chapters who just changed the whole board.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country
[2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation_elections_2013
kind regards,
rupert.
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--
Everton Zanella Alvarenga (also Tom)
Open Knowledge Brasil - Rede pelo Conhecimento Livre
http://br.okfn.org
Procura-se voluntários da comunidade para o "conselho fiscal" da Wikimedia.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stuart West <stu(a)wikimedia.org>
Date: 2014-05-02 23:23 GMT-03:00
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Call for Volunteers: Audit Committee
To: wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
The Wikimedia Foundation's Audit Committee is looking for community
volunteers for 2014-2015. More info in blog post at:
http://wp.me/p2ojoi-qK
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Ela chegou bem cuidadosa com as palavras... Eu achei.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lila Tretikov <lila(a)wikimedia.org>
Date: 2014-05-01 21:39 GMT-03:00
Subject: [Wikimedia-l] Thank you!
To: wikimedia-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org
Hi everyone,
I want to thank you all for the best wishes you've expressed since the
announcement. I am very excited to be joining you as the new Executive
Director of the Wikimedia Foundation.
Let me tell you why I'm joining.
Like everyone, I've been a Wikipedia reader for years. I use it to get
background on events in the news, to look up quick facts and satisfy my
curiosity, and to better understand the world around me, every day. My
nine year old son, like many children around him, has grown up with
Wikipedia as his native resource for knowledge. It is incredible.
But I also realize that as an educated person living in a rich part of the
world, I have access to a wide range of information resources. That's not
true for everyone. For people who are less economically fortunate, or who
live in parts of the world where access to information is heavily
constrained, Wikipedia is even more critical. It is an utterly unique
resource that opens possibilities for more equitable and open world.
That's why I want to work for the Wikimedia Foundation: to help grow the
availability of free, unbiased information for everyone around the world,
in their own language, unimpeded by censorship or other forms of
interference. It's a colossal mission and I am glad and humbled to be
playing a leadership role in helping to achieve it.
I’m excited to bring my passion for building products that people love and
growing innovative, high-performing organizations to the Foundation. In
getting oriented I’ve done lots and lots of reading, and had some wonderful
conversations with Board members, Sue, and the C-level team. I met a lot of
staff today at the Metrics Meeting, and I'm hoping to meet them all before
the end of this month. I've been warned that joining the Wikimedia movement
is a bit like drinking from a firehose, and so I'd consider myself, right
now, to be excited, curious, optimistic, and just a tiny little bit daunted.
Thank you again for personally welcoming me to your incredible world. I
have been lucky to have had great opportunities to join with amazing people
on big quests. This is the largest quest and I am thrilled to be on it with
all of you. I want to extend my gratitude to Sue for the incredible work
she has done and all the time she has committed to help bring me on-board.
To all of you for your warm welcome. And my deepest thanks to the Wikimedia
Foundation Board of Trustees for giving me this extraordinary opportunity.
Truly yours,
Lila
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