[Foundation-l] Wikimedia main office

[Jimmy Wales]

Michael Davis wrote:
> I'm not aware of any plans that call for massive hiring in a central 
> office.  Most office hiring will be for routine administrative/clerical 
> functions which will be much cheaper outside of a major metropolitan 
> areas.  Flights from St. Petersburg to NYC or DC are $200 round trip and 
> are easy day trips.  International flights are more difficult but that 
> hasn't slowed down Jimbo.  Given that the Foundations pays $400 per 
> month for office space, it's a whole lot cheaper to fly back and forth a 
> few time a month than lease office space in Manhattan.
> 
> Our strength is that we are a virtual organization and that isn't going 
> to change.

Fully seconded.  One of our strengths is extremely low costs implying
strong independence and no fears about our financial future.  Adding a
lot of staff and the rent and salary costs associated with an office in
an expensive city does not appear to me very compelling, to say the least.

--Jimbo