On 30/08/2007, Claudio Mastroianni gattonero@gmail.com wrote:

Il giorno 30/ago/07, alle ore 19:15, Sean Whitton ha scritto:

...

Fwiw I have created and am registering #wikimania-london - if Atlanta have a channel, so can we!

I think we are starting to see an attitude worse than last year. What's this bad competition?

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It isn't a bad attitude, it's creating an IRC channel. The whole thing *is* a competition. What's there that's bad about it?

Hello,

My comment was most definately tongue-in-cheek. I set up the IRC channel because it occured to me it might be useful at some point, and not everyone can do it as quickly as I can (I have setup quite a few). I am not really involved in the bid because, like Majorly, I am not sure I can do a lot. So I tried to do something helpful.

Thanks,

Sean

On 30/08/2007, Claudio Mastroianni gattonero@gmail.com wrote:

Il giorno 30/ago/07, alle ore 20:16, Majorly ha scritto:

...

It isn't a bad attitude, it's creating an IRC channel. The whole thing *is* a competition. What's there that's bad about it?

You're arguing about a _channel_. Better; an _IRC channel_. Do you think a channel will make a difference? Work on your bid, instead. Make a perfect bid. And prey that your city will be in the right continent for this year.

Don't waste your time and energie on something so silly like "they have an IRC channel, we have to have it too".

Who's going to use this channel? Only the people involved in that precise bid. The other one will not be interested. Nor impressed, I hope.

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On 30/08/2007, Claudio Mastroianni gattonero@gmail.com wrote:

Just for precision: I can't be sure this channel is going to be used like the atlanta's one is. I'm just worried about all these "regional-wikimania-channel" popping out here and there. This is the second to be created, is it going to be "spammed" like the Atlanta is? Or is it going to be used for organizational purpose only, and known only by the londoners bidder?

These are just some open questions and worries I have. But forget it, maybe I'm babbling.

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One of the reasons why the Atlanta bid is so great is because they organise things on their channel. Sean's comment was tongue-in-cheek, and you've taken it way too seriously.

All very well, but has anybody actually done anything? This is not a dig because that serves no purpose, but - I did bring up the idea of an unofficial bid in October last year - can people actually start cross-checking the 2007 bid with the 2008 bid. I have been told by UCL it's likely technical facilities, rooms etc will be available same as last year. If we can decide on things like dates, UCL can start putting things in place. Regards, Gary

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

On 30/08/2007, Claudio Mastroianni gattonero@gmail.com wrote:

...

Just for precision: I can't be sure this channel is going to be used like the atlanta's one is. I'm just worried about all these "regional-wikimania-channel" popping out here and there. This is the second to be created, is it going to be "spammed" like the Atlanta is? Or is it going to be used for organizational purpose only, and known only by the londoners bidder?

These are just some open questions and worries I have. But forget it, maybe I'm babbling.

---

Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_UK http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l

One of the reasons why the Atlanta bid is so great is because they organise things on their channel. Sean's comment was tongue-in-cheek, and you've taken it way too seriously.

-- Alex (Majorly)

Well, none of us were born knowing how to organise a Wikimania bid. If you were, let me know and get to it ;) Take a look at the official requirements linked from m:Wikimania 2008 and using that and the 2007 bid page as guides, start writing (and/or blatantly copying and pasting :P) on the 2008 bid page.

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

On 30/08/2007, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

...

All very well, but has anybody actually done anything? This is not a dig because that serves no purpose, but - I did bring up the idea of an unofficial bid in October last year - can people actually start cross-checking the 2007 bid with the 2008 bid. I have been told by UCL it's likely technical facilities, rooms etc will be available same as last year. If we can decide on things like dates, UCL can start putting things in place. Regards, Gary

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

...

On 30/08/2007, Claudio Mastroianni gattonero@gmail.com wrote:

...

Just for precision: I can't be sure this channel is going to be used like the atlanta's one is. I'm just worried about all these "regional-wikimania-channel" popping out here and there. This is the second to be created, is it going to be "spammed" like the Atlanta is? Or is it going to be used for organizational purpose only, and known only by the londoners bidder?

These are just some open questions and worries I have. But forget it, maybe I'm babbling.

---

Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_UK http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l

One of the reasons why the Atlanta bid is so great is because they

organise

...

things on their channel. Sean's comment was tongue-in-cheek, and you've taken it way too seriously.

-- Alex (Majorly)

-- Gary Kirk

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I *want* to help... but I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing :S

-- Alex (Majorly)

I had a look about funding and perhaps people could take a look at lotteryfunding.org.uk and awardsforall.org.uk

On 8/31/07, Cormac Lawler cormaggio@gmail.com wrote:

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

...

On 30/08/2007, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

...

All very well, but has anybody actually done anything? This is not a dig because that serves no purpose, but - I did bring up the idea of an unofficial bid in October last year - can people actually start cross-checking the 2007 bid with the 2008 bid. I have been told by UCL it's likely technical facilities, rooms etc will be available same as last year. If we can decide on things like dates, UCL can start putting things in place. Regards, Gary

I *want* to help... but I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing :S

:-)

I've been involved in a London bid before (two years ago), which wasn't as good as others at the time - largely due to the perceived expense of London, and an unresolved question about technical facilities. If facilities are in place (and they seem to have been fine from last year), the main cloud over any London bid will be cost. Money. Sponsorship. If there is not an indication that there will be significant sponsorship, and if accommodation/travel/food will be a significant expense to visitors (who, bear in mind, and assuming it doesn't change so much in the coming year, would be dealing with the strength of the British pound), then I don't hold out much prospect for a London bid. That would be my main advice for this bid - identify full costs (both to Wikimedia, and to individual participants), and show how/where they can be cut, offset, or minimised.

On dates, I would keep to the same schedule as previous years, ie first week of August. The first few days of August 2008 are the weekend - maybe have the hacking days over these days and start the conference proper on the Monday, 4th. So, hacking days: 2-3; conference 4-6 (inclusive).

To return to my main point - money - I think there would be *plenty* of interest in Wikimania within the media, educational sector, and business. Sponsorship would be forthcoming - and plenty of people not yet committed to this bid will have links that can be milked. So, consider that whatever funding opportunities could be explored in the next month would not be the last word in funding - but still I stress that we would need some indication of interest at this stage. However, potential funders have to be made aware of the fact that this is still only a *bid*, and that there is no guarantee that it will be happening. We are simply wondering about the possibility of their interest in the event of Wikimania coming to London. :-)

That's my tuppence worth for the moment,

Cormac

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Who's who in the department - http://www.schools.gov.uk/aboutus/whoswho/ministerinfo.shtml

On 8/31/07, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

Maybe the Department for Culture, Media and Sport could be contacted. I believe the DfES was split after Gordon Brown took over as PM and we now have a 'schools minister' instead of an education secretary - Jim Knight - someone could please look into that and maybe establish contact? The previous education secretary, Alan Johnson, said Wikipedia was 'a force for good' - point that out. Regards

On 8/31/07, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

...

I had a look about funding and perhaps people could take a look at lotteryfunding.org.uk and awardsforall.org.uk

On 8/31/07, Cormac Lawler cormaggio@gmail.com wrote:

...

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

...

On 30/08/2007, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

...

All very well, but has anybody actually done anything? This is not a dig because that serves no purpose, but - I did bring up the idea of an unofficial bid in October last year - can people actually start cross-checking the 2007 bid with the 2008 bid. I have been told by

UCL

...

...

...

...

it's likely technical facilities, rooms etc will be available same

as

...

...

...

...

last year. If we can decide on things like dates, UCL can start putting things in place. Regards, Gary

I *want* to help... but I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing :S

:-)

I've been involved in a London bid before (two years ago), which wasn't as good as others at the time - largely due to the perceived expense of London, and an unresolved question about technical facilities. If facilities are in place (and they seem to have been fine from last year), the main cloud over any London bid will be cost. Money. Sponsorship. If there is not an indication that there will be significant sponsorship, and if accommodation/travel/food will be a significant expense to visitors (who, bear in mind, and assuming it doesn't change so much in the coming year, would be dealing with the strength of the British pound), then I don't hold out much prospect for a London bid. That would be my main advice for this bid - identify full costs (both to Wikimedia, and to individual participants), and show how/where they can be cut, offset, or minimised.

On dates, I would keep to the same schedule as previous years, ie first week of August. The first few days of August 2008 are the weekend - maybe have the hacking days over these days and start the conference proper on the Monday, 4th. So, hacking days: 2-3; conference 4-6 (inclusive).

To return to my main point - money - I think there would be *plenty* of interest in Wikimania within the media, educational sector, and business. Sponsorship would be forthcoming - and plenty of people not yet committed to this bid will have links that can be milked. So, consider that whatever funding opportunities could be explored in the next month would not be the last word in funding - but still I stress that we would need some indication of interest at this stage. However, potential funders have to be made aware of the fact that this is still only a *bid*, and that there is no guarantee that it will be happening. We are simply wondering about the possibility of their interest in the event of Wikimania coming to London. :-)

That's my tuppence worth for the moment,

Cormac

---

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-- Gary Kirk

-- Gary Kirk

On 31/08/2007, James Hardy wikimediauk@weeb.biz wrote:

That link didn't work for me, but the home page did link me to http://www.dfes.gov.uk/aboutus/whoswho/ministers.shtml (I guess their servers are in a state of flux at the moment)

State of flux? The UK government? Never!

It might also be worth looking to local government i.e. The mayor/assembly (www.london.gov.uk) and the LDA (www.lda.gov.uk) they seem to fund things in London that are considered worthy (eg London Film Festival, London Mela etc)

"Considered worthy" being the operative phrase here. Then again, hosting Wikimania 2008 would significantly raise London's profile for a while, and it'd help reinforce that image of a nice, happy, friendly, cultured city they're so desperate to cultivate...

Rob Church

At 12:10 +0100 31/8/07, Cormac Lawler wrote:

On 8/30/07, Majorly axel9891@googlemail.com wrote:

...

On 30/08/2007, Gary Kirk gary.kirk@gmail.com wrote:

...

All very well, but has anybody actually done anything? This is not a dig because that serves no purpose, but - I did bring up the idea of an unofficial bid in October last year - can people actually start cross-checking the 2007 bid with the 2008 bid. I have been told by UCL it's likely technical facilities, rooms etc will be available same as last year. If we can decide on things like dates, UCL can start putting things in place. Regards, Gary

I *want* to help... but I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing :S

:-)

I've been involved in a London bid before (two years ago), which wasn't as good as others at the time - largely due to the perceived expense of London, and an unresolved question about technical facilities. If facilities are in place (and they seem to have been fine from last year), the main cloud over any London bid will be cost. Money. Sponsorship. If there is not an indication that there will be significant sponsorship, and if accommodation/travel/food will be a significant expense to visitors (who, bear in mind, and assuming it doesn't change so much in the coming year, would be dealing with the strength of the British pound), then I don't hold out much prospect for a London bid. That would be my main advice for this bid - identify full costs (both to Wikimedia, and to individual participants), and show how/where they can be cut, offset, or minimised.

On dates, I would keep to the same schedule as previous years, ie first week of August. The first few days of August 2008 are the weekend - maybe have the hacking days over these days and start the conference proper on the Monday, 4th. So, hacking days: 2-3; conference 4-6 (inclusive).

An excellent choice. And makes so much sense.

Does UCL have these dates free?

To return to my main point - money - I think there would be *plenty* of interest in Wikimania within the media, educational sector, and business. Sponsorship would be forthcoming - and plenty of people not yet committed to this bid will have links that can be milked. So, consider that whatever funding opportunities could be explored in the next month would not be the last word in funding - but still I stress that we would need some indication of interest at this stage. However, potential funders have to be made aware of the fact that this is still only a *bid*, and that there is no guarantee that it will be happening. We are simply wondering about the possibility of their interest in the event of Wikimania coming to London. :-)

That's my tuppence worth for the moment,

Cormac

Or Manchester?

:-)

Gordo

Rob Church wrote:

I don't see why you don't expect to see a "bad" attitude, given the fact that those involved in judging the entries like to hype things up to fever pitch. Quite honestly, during the Wikimania bidding period, a good chunk of the Wikimedia community adopt a nasty, regionalist attitude, which is completely counter to the spirit of the conference.

Not sure who is hyping things to a fever pitch, but basically, yeah, this kind of regionalism and competitive anger is just a little unjoyful for me.

As for me personally, I am happy to work with all the different bids to try to reach out to my contacts to help get us stuff.

I recommend that someone in charge of the UK bid (who would that be?) get in touch with me privately (and to expedite things I will send an email randomly to people I have noticed in this thread) about a possible venue in London.

--Jimbo