Hi
A brief introduction from my side. I'm Ian Gilfillan, living in Observatory, Cape Town. I first came across the idea of a free resource of all the world's knowledge in a book by Ursula Le Guin, and when I first encountered Wikipedia fell in love with the vision. I've been involved in the English Wikipedia from very early on, and tinker in a number of the other Wikimedia projects as well.
I have a background in Free and Open Source software, wrote a book on MySQL, and currently am director of an online organic and ethical food co-operative, the Ethical Co-op.
I participated in the first African Wikipedia Academy a few years ago and co-ordinated the Cape Town bid to host Wikimania (it eventually went to Alexandria).
I keep fairly close track on the progress of the various Wikimedia projects in African languages, and write regularly on the topic on my blog - you can see the latest at http://www.greenman.co.za/blog/?p=715
I look forward to meeting a lot more of you in person soon :)
Hi everyone,
My name is Phola, and I work for Government...........how ubiquitous is that? Truth be told, I do work for the Department of Arts and Culture, and my work has been community development-driven, using the arts for social development.
I first came across the African Commons through Nhlanhla Mabaso, a great advocate of Open Source [and my husband, so the contact was unavoidable :-)]. One of my projects, on the beautification of public spaces, caught his attention and we thought how great it would be to create a digital mural which we could share for free, on-line, and use as a platform to interact with communities throughout the world who had done similar projects. Unfortunately, the project didn't take off. But, in the planning, I got to meet Kerryn, and was and continue to be drawn to the work that the African Commons do.
Am very green in this area, I look forward to learning, a lot, and sharing what knowledge I have that is relevant. I also just am really looking forward to working with people who create value, in the everyday, in small and big ways.
By the way, did I miss the email stating the venue for Saturday and Sunday?
Phola
Hi Phola
Thanks for the introduction :)
We haven't finalised the venue yet. It will definitely be held at Wits University but the room - and campus - still being finalised. Will let everyone know as soon as we have this locked down.
Regards
Kerryn
* * * * KERRYN MCKAY director, The African Commons Project
email me at: kerryn@africancommons.org phone me: +2711 486 0211, cell: +27 82 334 6165, skype me: kerrynmac
On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 2:40 PM, Phola Mabizela phola.mabizela@dac.gov.zawrote:
Hi everyone,
My name is Phola, and I work for Government...........how ubiquitous is that? Truth be told, I do work for the Department of Arts and Culture, and my work has been community development-driven, using the arts for social development.
I first came across the African Commons through Nhlanhla Mabaso, a great advocate of Open Source [and my husband, so the contact was unavoidable :-)]. One of my projects, on the beautification of public spaces, caught his attention and we thought how great it would be to create a digital mural which we could share for free, on-line, and use as a platform to interact with communities throughout the world who had done similar projects. Unfortunately, the project didn't take off. But, in the planning, I got to meet Kerryn, and was and continue to be drawn to the work that the African Commons do.
Am very green in this area, I look forward to learning, a lot, and sharing what knowledge I have that is relevant. I also just am really looking forward to working with people who create value, in the everyday, in small and big ways.
By the way, did I miss the email stating the venue for Saturday and Sunday?
Phola
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