[Foundation-l] "Chinese Wikimania 2006 to be held in Hong Kong"

[SJ]

On 3/16/06, THD <theodoranian at gmail.com> wrote:
> Why hold Chinese meetup just 3 weeks after the 2006 Wikimania?
Because
> we assume that there will be someone attending 2006 wikimania, and we
> want that one to share what he heard and saw in Boston with local
> wikipedians in OUR OWN LANGUAGE. If considerate enough, you shall know
> that it's not easy for people from PRC to go to the United States.

Hello again,

This makes perfect sense.  I am not concerned that this will detract
from Wikimania in any way; I think it will strengthen it.  Having
these conferences around the same time, paying attention to one
another, will be a Good Thing.


Delphine writes:
> 1) I find it a bit sad having two conferences (or three, as is) so
close together. The idea of having a "worldwide conference" should not
be impeeded by other conferences around the world, because it:
> a) spreads the attendance
> b) spreads the sponsors
> c) spreads the speakers
> d) somehow defeats the whole point of having a world-wide conference
(why would I go to Boston or Frankfurt if there is a conference nearer
to me three weeks afterwards?)

I actually think this will work out fine.  We expect to have to limit
Wikimania attendance; and the sponsors and speakers for the different
events seem unlikely to overlap (aside from which, Wikimania proper is
a much larger event than the others).

As effeitsanders notes, a national event is very different from a
worldwide event; and those who are planning on travelling far to make
it to the international Wikimedia Conference will likely still come
and also gladly attend a local event close to home.  The idea of
holding these satellite events after the international one, so that
great ideas and initiatives can be reprised or passed on, sounds cool
and workable to me.

Cheers and all success,
   SJ