On 14 March 2014 13:43, Chris McKenna cmckenna@sucs.org wrote:
I have no in-principle objections to this (on-wiki reporting of long-term loans of equipment) as long as: (a) "Long-term" is defined.
I suggest that "long-term" does not mean taking kit to coordinate events such as WMUK trainers helping at editathons or giving presentations.
It means loans of more than a week to help content creation, potentially for months or years to support a project. A volunteer borrowing a camera for a six weeks while they travel abroad, so they can take better photos for Commons, or an established regular Wikipedia editor who is saving to buy a new laptop as their old one was broken, and would like a loaner for 3 months, or an established volunteer who had their house flooded and could benefit from borrowing a wifi-box until their broadband is restored, are all reasonable examples and in every case the outcome in terms of volunteer contributions during or after the loan can be measured and reported (to help with future justifications for loan equipment to be purchased by the charity).
In many of these cases (the forecast-able ones) it would be preferable to see a proposal on-wiki that can be discussed in advance by volunteers rather than the decision for significant long term loans only being made by employees during unrecorded discussions.
(b) There is no requirement to breach anonymity (+ c & d)
What matters for Wikimedia projects is the account name doing the editing. I would prefer the account doing the content creation to be the one named on any long term loan and associated project(s). Records needed to ensure equipment is insured by the charity is a private matter and I don't see that compromising anonymity, in fact I don't think Wikimedia UK ever had a problem with that distinction even before we had offices and employees.
In regard to security or safety, pragmatic common sense can prevail on recording where the kit might be. I cannot imagine these concerns would be a justification for the complete secrecy that exists at the moment over existing long term loans.
Fae