WikimediaZA May 2012

wikimediaza@lists.wikimedia.org

15 participants
12 discussions

Membership of Wikimedia South Africa
by David Richfield 13 Aug '12

13 Aug '12

Hi all, Now that we're incorporated, we need to grow our membership so as to achieve critical mass. According to the consititution, "Any person who makes a written application to become a member of the company and whose application is accepted by the directors shall be and become a member of the company." Dumisani has expressed interest and been welcomed on the email lists, but I'd like to get confirmation that he has been formally accepted as a member. I support his membership. Maarten has asked how he can become a member, which I take to be a written request, and I also support his membership. I am sure that if we ask Douglas whether he wants to be a member, he'll join, and I'd like to ask pre-emptively whether anyone has an objection to his membership. I'd also like us to agree on a membership process. One reasonable way to approach this would be to require a prospective member to contact a board member or post directly to the WMZA list. A director can then approve his or her membership tenatively with a posting to the board list - with no objections within two weeks, or with all directors' agreement, that director should then be allowed to approve the membership request formally. Please give me your feedback on this proposal. In terms of getting new members, we urgently need to get more Wikimedia project people into the organisation. We can do this by advertising on the wikis. Wikiproject South Africa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_South_Africa The Wikiproject South Africa is quite active, and I think we should all join it, and announce any meetups on the project page. We should try to get banners on South African language Wikis ASAP: The only really active one is Afrikaans: http://af.wikipedia.org . We have none of the more active af-wiki editors in our membership, which is a shame. I'm sure we can fix this soon by simply approaching them and letting them know who we are and what we're doing. Registered but less active: http://nso.wikipedia.org - Sepedi Wikipedia has 568 pages, but not very many active editors. I see Mohau has been editing a bit there. http://zu.wikipedia.org - isiZulu Wikipedia has 543 pages, and a relatively similar state to Sepedi. http://tn.wikipedia.org - Setswana Wikipedia has 491 pages, but not very much seems to be going on there since the Google challenge finished. http://ss.wikipedia.org - siSwati Wikipedia has 361 pages, slightly less active than Sepedi and isiZulu http://ts.wikipedia.org - Xitsonga Wikipedia only has 193 pages, but seems to have more activity recently, and has a nicer-looking front page than many similar-sized minor language Wikipedias. I see Dumisani (Thuvack) has been active there, maybe he can help connect with the community. http://ve.wikipedia.org - tshiVenda Wikipedia has 190 pages, but doesn't seem active at all at the moment. http://st.wikipedia.org - Sesotho Wikipedia has 145 pages, but doesn't seem very active. http://xh.wikipedia.org - isiXhosa Wikipedia has 136 pages, but is not active lately. If we can manage to connect to active users in these Wikipedias, we might be able to get them to write a note on the front page asking users to connect with us, to build community connections. http://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/nr/Main_Page - Southern Ndebele has one article, about the National Language Service, so I doubt there's a community to work with. I think we should also ask for a geolocated banner ad: this way anyone who uses Wikipedia in South Africa can be alerted to our existence, and hopefully we'll get some traction. Kind regards, David -- David Richfield [[:en:User:Slashme]] +27718539985

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Next steps WLM ZA
by maarten deneckere 22 Jun '12

22 Jun '12

Hey, as we are a little bit behind schedule, I went trough the checklist start advertising the project in your local Wikimedia community -> to be done. I can do Afrikaans (but need help on this), who will do English and Sotho/Xhosa/... -> pre-announcement at the local Village Dump start a discussion on defining communication channels -> I propose to use email (we can use the existing mailinglist WikimediaZA(a)lists.wikimedia.org), Twitter (who makes a new Twitter account? eg. WikiMonumentsZA ) lists of monuments ->tomorrow with SAHRA, important meeting! structure the lists, allow for people to report errors ->to be done create a local helpdesk ->to be done, I propose to use a subpagina of the commons page website -> fill with content (see examples of the other countries, easy) -> finish the content for that website IRL meeting -> would be good. Mid June in Joburg? Start looking for sponsorships ->tbd Think on promotion material ->I will arrange with Andrew Start working on local events programme ->Who wants to help with this? (I now have to run of to the meeting with the journalist :-)) Groete, Maarten

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Re: [Wikimedia ZA] WikimediaZA Digest, Vol 22, Issue 16
by Isla Haddow-Flood 30 May '12

30 May '12

Hi everyone I have set up the WikiLovesMonuments ZA page: https://www.facebook.com/WikiLovesMonumentsZa Please like and then I can add you as admin. Thanks! Isla : : Isla Haddow-Flood Marketing and Communications Manager Project Manager : WikiAfrica a. 5th Floor, 28 St George¹s Mall, Cape Town w. www.africacentre.net t. +27 87 150 5446 f. +27 21 418 5385 skype. islahaddow The Africa Centre is a non-profit social innovator that provides a platform for exploring contemporary Pan-African cultural practice as a catalyst for social change. > From: <wikimediaza-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Reply-To: <wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Date: Wed, 30 May 2012 12:00:51 +0000 > To: <wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Subject: WikimediaZA Digest, Vol 22, Issue 16 > > Send WikimediaZA mailing list submissions to > wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > wikimediaza-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > wikimediaza-owner(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of WikimediaZA digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Next steps WLM ZA (maarten deneckere) > 2. Re: Next steps WLM ZA (Ian Gilfillan) > 3. Re: Next steps WLM ZA (Douglas Scott) > 4. Re: Next steps WLM ZA (Ian Gilfillan) > 5. Re: Next steps WLM ZA (maarten deneckere) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 29 May 2012 14:30:31 +0200 > From: maarten deneckere <maartendeneckere(a)gmail.com> > To: wikimediaza <WikimediaZA(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Cc: dumisanin(a)iburst.co.za, Isla Haddow-Flood > <islahf(a)africacentre.net>, dndubane(a)mtn.blackberry.com > Subject: [Wikimedia ZA] Next steps WLM ZA > Message-ID: > <CAHjjE2hqGxJMSm+4hf7scLQBKrMRUBOXL=jxoL7xhK6zxgRZiA(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hey, > > as we are a little bit behind schedule, I went trough the checklist > > start advertising the project in your local Wikimedia community > -> to be done. I can do Afrikaans (but need help on this), who will do > English and Sotho/Xhosa/... > > -> pre-announcement at the local Village Dump > > start a discussion on defining communication channels > -> I propose to use email (we can use the existing mailinglist > WikimediaZA(a)lists.wikimedia.org), Twitter (who makes a new Twitter account? > eg. WikiMonumentsZA ) > > lists of monuments > ->tomorrow with SAHRA, important meeting! > > structure the lists, allow for people to report errors > ->to be done > > create a local helpdesk > ->to be done, I propose to use a subpagina of the commons page > > website > -> fill with content (see examples of the other countries, easy) > -> finish the content for that website > > IRL meeting > -> would be good. Mid June in Joburg? > > Start looking for sponsorships > ->tbd > > Think on promotion material > ->I will arrange with Andrew > > Start working on local events programme > ->Who wants to help with this? > > > (I now have to run of to the meeting with the journalist :-)) > > Groete, > Maarten >

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Free Wikipedia access from mobile phones
by Ian Gilfillan 29 May '12

29 May '12

I came across a headline today mentioning that accessing Wikipedia in Asia from a mobile phone is now free. A misleading headline, but it pointed to a project to partner with mobile carriers to allow free access to Wikipedia. Here are some links about the project: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikipedia_Zero (general description) http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/Orange_and_WMF_partner_o… (Press release of Orange mobile partnership) http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Mobile_Partnerships_Q_and_A (general questions and answers) It would be wonderful to implement with the carriers here. Does anyone have contacts that could be approached with the idea? -- Ian Gilfillan www.greenman.co.za

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Free Wikipedia access from mobile phones
by Sailas Nyareza 28 May '12

28 May '12

Hello Ian and Barry, Free Wikipedia access from mobile phones will be really great for South Africa, and I hope this access will also include other handheld devices like tablets. Sailas Nyareza Regional Coordinator, Learning Resources HIV/AIDS Twinning Center American International Health Alliance 1250 Pretorius Street, Hatfield Pretoria 0028, South Africa T: +27.12.342.4484 M: +27.82.768.5566 snyareza(a)aiha.co.za skype: sailas.nyareza www.TwinningAgainstAIDS.org <https://twitter.com/#!/snyareza> Twitter | <http://www.linkedin.com/in/sailasnyareza> LinkedIn |

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ACTION REQUIRED Membership approvals and request for membership secretary appointment
by David Richfield 25 May '12

25 May '12

Hi all, We have now had membership requests from David Lewis and Douglas Scott. I propose that we approve them as members with immediate effect as per our articles of incorporation. I also propose that we select one of the directors to act as a membership secretary, with the job of maintaining a list on the Wiki with the names of our members and directors, and with the power to approve new members without consulting the rest of the board. I'm happy to do this, but if any of you want the job, you're welcome. Kind regards, David

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Re: [Wikimedia ZA] WikimediaZA Digest, Vol 22, Issue 10
by Isla Haddow-Flood 24 May '12

24 May '12

Hi Not sure how to go about it, but I wouldn't mind putting myself forward as a member. Please let me know the procedures. Warmest Isla : : Isla Haddow-Flood Marketing and Communications Manager Project Manager : WikiAfrica a. 5th Floor, 28 St George¹s Mall, Cape Town w. www.africacentre.net t. +27 87 150 5446 f. +27 21 418 5385 skype. islahaddow The Africa Centre is a non-profit social innovator that provides a platform for exploring contemporary Pan-African cultural practice as a catalyst for social change. > From: <wikimediaza-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Reply-To: <wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:39 +0000 > To: <wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Subject: WikimediaZA Digest, Vol 22, Issue 10 > > Send WikimediaZA mailing list submissions to > wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > wikimediaza-request(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > wikimediaza-owner(a)lists.wikimedia.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of WikimediaZA digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. ACTION REQUIRED Membership approvals and request for > membership secretary appointment (David Richfield) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 24 May 2012 11:11:08 +0200 > From: David Richfield <davidrichfield(a)gmail.com> > To: Wikimedia ZA board list <wikimedia-za-board(a)lists.wikimedia.org>, > wikimediaza <wikimediaza(a)lists.wikimedia.org> > Subject: [Wikimedia ZA] ACTION REQUIRED Membership approvals and > request for membership secretary appointment > Message-ID: > <CAE_D4n5mkB7JH8rsKvj+kQ+MT8nGpp5sT1A+VePKjmd1YaAzSw(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Hi all, > > We have now had membership requests from David Lewis and Douglas Scott. > > I propose that we approve them as members with immediate effect as per > our articles of incorporation. > > I also propose that we select one of the directors to act as a > membership secretary, with the job of maintaining a list on the Wiki > with the names of our members and directors, and with the power to > approve new members without consulting the rest of the board.? I'm > happy to do this, but if any of you want the job, you're welcome. > > Kind regards, > > David > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > WikimediaZA mailing list > WikimediaZA(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaza > > > End of WikimediaZA Digest, Vol 22, Issue 10 > *******************************************

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Resignation from the board
by Ian Gilfillan 20 May '12

20 May '12

Hi Just to inform everyone, I have resigned from the board of Wikimedia ZA. Regards, Ian Gilfillan

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Idiotic Wikipedia Copyright Assertions and Deletions
by ubuntupunk＠gmail.com 17 May '12

17 May '12

Some idiot on Wikipedia is trying to delete the cover of Kagenna Magazine because there is no evidence on the Internet from 1989 that the image was published under a Copyleft license. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ File:Edit09.jpg Does this person have any idea what a world without the Internet looks like? I am totally frustrated, since I am the editor who published said image under the aforementioned copyleft license and do not have any way of providing proof in the format required before the damn deadline on 22 May. Could Wikimedia ZA please assist me since I am snowed under with work and do not have time to sort this out. I am able to supply an SAPS letter, Affidavit, and photograph of the license. David Robert Lewis -- *David Robert Lewis* *PO BOX 4398* *Cape Town* *8000* *South Africa* * * *Mobile 082 425 1454* *Home 021 448 0021* *Office 021 447 7899 * *Fax **0862396815* *Skype david.robert.lewis* * *

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Wiki Loves Monuments proposal
by Lourie Pieterse 15 May '12

15 May '12

Hello everyone Unfortunately it took us much longer to get back to you than expected. We (or at least me) didn't know that Isla was on holiday, so there was some sort of confusion along the away. Maarten and me wrote a little report on our meeting with the government heritage officials last week, which can be found here: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_South_Africa/WLMMeeting1. We essentially just want to know if the WMZA board approve of this idea and whether we can go forward with discussions regarding it with government. We would appreciate any comments as soon as possible, because we need to arrange the next meetings and so forth. As mentioned in the report; we have their full support and they committed to a formal partnership with Wikimedia ZA should this proposal get approved by the board. If there is any further questions, feel free to ask. Anyone else is also more than welcome to comment regarding this idea of ours. Thanks. Kind regards Lourie

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WikimediaZA May 2012