[Foundation-l] Re: International Wikimedia structure

[Anthere]

Yann Forget <yann at forget-me.net> wrote:
> Ant : I very strongly agree. Which is why I would be deeply unhappy that we
> call our local chapter "francophone". This is an attempt of fairness that
> is uncalled for. I know that some people support this, because they want to
> make it clear that the french chapter will not help France only. I think
> this is perfectly obvious that we should try to be more global in our
> participation.

I see a contradiction here. It's especially *because* this chapter is not for 
France only that it should be called "francophone", and not Wikimedia France. 
There are already people from Belgium and Switzerland who want to work within 
this chapter. And they rightfully object that this chapter is called 
Wikimedia France. Which doesn't mean that, at a later date, people from 
Switzerland or Belgium, could not create a local chapter in those places. 
Then these local chapters will have to decide how they want to be assigned to 
the foundation.

> However, calling us francophone is bad. The next chapter in a french
> speaking country will likely be called by the country name, and I sure hope
> that it will not be submitted to the french chapter. We all wish here for
> equality, and I really see not why France will be once again, declared the
> official center of Francophonie. Wikimedia France has the merit of being
> descriptive.
>
> It seems to me that any other name is bringing confusion.

I think we have the same objectives. But Wikimedia France is not an adequate 
name, because, for the forseable future, this chapter will not be acting only 
in France.

Best wishes,
Yann

-------------------------

Sorry, but to my opinion, the contradiction is precisely on your side.
I know that I am a minority on this issue, but I would like to say that I think this name is probably one of the reason why we are *right now* confused on the role of the association.

When I say it should be called Wikimédia France, I use a fact. I give a descriptive name. The description of its legal localisation, and there is no objection to say that it will be legally created in France. It is a fact, it is a *certainty*. It is not pov :-) It is a reality.
Hence, the name does not hold contradiction with the description of the association itself. It will be *an association created under the french law*.

On the other hand, you object that we should call it Wikimedia Francophone, because *in the foreseable future, it will not be acting in France only*.

I agree. Well, I hope it is so. I am not sure it will happen. This is not a fact, this is a wish. Perhaps it will come true, perhaps not. It is the future, and it is just a wish, nothing else. But I hope it will happen. I do not know exactly why, but I think that canadians will be disappointed though. Just a feeling :-)

Second, if I perfectly agree it should not be acting in France only, this name you are trying to impose also implies it will *primarily* act to promote the project in french-speaking countries only. It is not a name based on fact, it is a name that holds a very strong connotation. It openly says it "the goal of this association is to help french speaking projects".
And you actually say it yourself, it is to help promoting french language and set a miror or working server in France.
In short, it is openly dissociating itself from the global project. It is openly supporting only part of the project. Not the project globally. 

This is why Wikimedia francophone is not an adequate name to my opinion. And this is precisely why we are currently all realising we *do not* have the same perception of what should be the association and which roles it should have.

And I want to insist that I really do not want to exclude non french people here. Some of my favorite french-speaking are not french :-) And they will be very precious in the french association :-)
I think the french association is just part of the global scheme, and it is obvious nearby countries will be served till they have an association on their own and people from all nationalities are welcome to help.
I am sorry Yann, but I just think you are trying to make it appear more political than it should be. And I won't support that with happiness. Just my opinion.


		
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/attachments/20040621/c5b5bc72/attachment-0001.htm