On 27/06/07, Alison Wheeler wikimedia@alisonwheeler.com wrote:
On Wed, June 27, 2007 21:48, michael west wrote:
Whats to stop wiki-haters filling up the chapter with their supports to force constitutional changes etc. As a limited company, the board it protected from outside attack.
I'd start by pointing at [[WP:AGF]] but yes, we believe we have taken into account the best options and practice available to allow us to protect the interests of the chapter and its aims, both as regards the Wikimedia projects and also in respect of the other educational aims the organisation has. This is the primary reason why the chapter is organised as a Company limited by Guarantee - a non-profit by definition - which has clearly defined aims and legal strictures in place.
We have slightly split the working practice though to consider the 'Chapter' as a superset of the members in order that individuals (hopefully editors!) who are under 18 may be involved. It could be considered that one of the reasons the (US-based) Wikimedia Foundation doesn't have a wider membership is to protect it in the way you note, and we considered whether that was the right approach to take here. We didn't want to do that though, and eventually created what we believe will be a mechanism that will allow both an effective membership alongside an effective Chapter.
Alison Wheeler
Thats fair enough. You obviously ironed out all of the problems I conceived 18months ago. The chapter is a great idea. What purpose do you propose it has? Apart from being able to help form initiatives, would it be worth a lot of people to be involved? If the chapter is just going to be split into groups that help raise money through whatever sponsership they can get, won't they feel discouraged that some old gets a seat on the board, when they helped raise x£?
mike