To all, I think anyone can see there is no chance we are going to win this. We are in no position to host a tea party let alone an international conference. I have tried to co-ordinate a bid as best I can with only sparse access to a local library computers and email access on a mobile phone. I have spent many minutes on the phone to people. Do not be fooled: this is not a moan; I enjoyed it. I thought it was what people wanted and they were prepared to help. Actions speak louder than words. Yes, it's nice some of you put your names on that co-ordination page; it's less nice that you then did nothing. I know you have jobs, lives, and families. So do I. But a bit here, a phone call there, a bit of research there. It's what I did.
I've made some contacts, and sure I can help out next year if anyone feels like making a bid, but there is no way I am taking the lead on it like I seem to have this time. Nobody forced me, this is true; I enjoyed it - but not when the realisation I was the only one doing anything sank in.
On 17/09/2007, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:
To all, I think anyone can see there is no chance we are going to win this. We are in no position to host a tea party let alone an international conference. I have tried to co-ordinate a bid as best I can with only sparse access to a local library computers and email access on a mobile phone. I have spent many minutes on the phone to people. Do not be fooled: this is not a moan; I enjoyed it. I thought it was what people wanted and they were prepared to help. Actions speak louder than words. Yes, it's nice some of you put your names on that co-ordination page; it's less nice that you then did nothing. I know you have jobs, lives, and families. So do I. But a bit here, a phone call there, a bit of research there. It's what I did.
I've made some contacts, and sure I can help out next year if anyone feels like making a bid, but there is no way I am taking the lead on it like I seem to have this time. Nobody forced me, this is true; I enjoyed it - but not when the realisation I was the only one doing anything sank in. -- Gary Kirk
Realistically I don't think anyone will beat Atlanta and with Karlsruhe withdrawn we don't have to worry about continental rotation causing us problems for 2009.
So I'd argue withdraw from 2008 to focus on 2009.
Hi Gary, and thanks for all your work. I understand your frustration - and I'm sorry I didn't get involved in this bid, as I just didn't have the time this year. I am highly motivated to bring Wikimania to the UK - and London is the best contender we have had so far - but I'll be honest and say I just didn't see it happening this year. I'd be much more hopeful to host it the year after, so I'd say we should keep making contacts, looking around for venues, and keeping an eye out for sponsorships and other pots of gold. I wouldn't see any work in any of the unsuccessful bids so far as work wasted - I see it all as part of the process, and it will build our bank of knowledge for when the time comes that we are the ones charged with - OMG - actually doing it. ;-)
Cheers,
Cormac
On 9/17/07, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:
To all, I think anyone can see there is no chance we are going to win this. We are in no position to host a tea party let alone an international conference. I have tried to co-ordinate a bid as best I can with only sparse access to a local library computers and email access on a mobile phone. I have spent many minutes on the phone to people. Do not be fooled: this is not a moan; I enjoyed it. I thought it was what people wanted and they were prepared to help. Actions speak louder than words. Yes, it's nice some of you put your names on that co-ordination page; it's less nice that you then did nothing. I know you have jobs, lives, and families. So do I. But a bit here, a phone call there, a bit of research there. It's what I did.
I've made some contacts, and sure I can help out next year if anyone feels like making a bid, but there is no way I am taking the lead on it like I seem to have this time. Nobody forced me, this is true; I enjoyed it - but not when the realisation I was the only one doing anything sank in. -- Gary Kirk _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_UK http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l
wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org