[Foundation-l] Re: Swedish, Spanish, French Wikinews set up

[notafish]

> Much of your discussion with Angela centers around what qualification is
> sufficient in order to be counted as a likely participant in the
> project. Now, a lot can be said about this subject, but please remember
> that we haven't had this discussion yet -- this is the first time these
> actual, formal criteria are being discussed. The only thing that is
> stated on the Wikinews page is
> 
>     "Before a Wikinews language version is officially recognized as a
>     Wikimedia project, and before the first sysop can be appointed,
>     there must at least be 5 participants. "
> 
> The requirement stated on the proposed "Policy for New Languages" page is:
> 
>     "There needs to be at least 5 users pledged to start up the wiki."
> 
> That page also states that there needs to be a "reporter", but this
> seems to be particularly controversial, so I have omitted it from the
> Wikinews requirements.

The least you could have done, Erik, is go fish for those five
"supporters" and ask them if they were ready to take care of the
project and all it implies. The "supporters" for the French Wikinews
voted more than two months ago... Wikinews fr could have waited
another week, since it had already waited 2 months. You "could" also
have put a note on the French Village pump, saying that according to
the "policy", you were about to set up a French Wikinews, to raise
awareness, give people time to get acquainted with the policies being
developped on en and de, give the French association time to write a
press release etc. I feel your decision is, yes, going "by the rules"
but completely unilateral. Wikinews is your project, you want to push
it, I understand this, but this is might harm it more than it might
help it.  Not very "wiki". My two cents.

Just to push my point, the announcement was made on the French Village
pump about 24 hours ago, to this moment, there are 15 registered users
on fr.wikinews, out of which 5 at least are non French speakers, 2 at
least (I am counting Anthere and myself) are there only to see "how it
goes", which leaves 8 people, out of which only two have substantially
contributed. You may argue that I don't give it time, sure, but
knowing the number of people who go through the French Village Pump, I
would hardly call this a success. And to emphasize this "feeling" let
me point here :
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikip%C3%A9dia:Le_Bistro#fr:wikinews so
that you can see that the only substantial reactions to the
announcement (apart from that of Greudin who is all for it - and that
makes me happy, for he is indeed, a great contributor) and three have
started a wild vote for the suppression of the project. Again, my two
cents.

I personally feel you have just slapped the French wiki community in
the face by imposing on us something that we are not sure we want
"yet" and here I emphasize the "yet" as I am very aware that the
project could and *would* work regardless of what my opinion about it
is.

This said, Wikinews fr exists and there are no administrators (or none
that I can see) who could prevent/fight vandalism if that comes to
pass. What's the "policy" for this ? I'd like to know.

Regards,

Delphine