[Foundation-l] RfC: Mission & Vision Statements of the Wikimedia Foundation

[Gerard Meijssen]

Erik Moeller wrote:
> On 11/16/06, Brianna Laugher <brianna.laugher at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> The suggestion that teaching everyone English and offering them
>> English works is equivalent to offering them works in their own
>> language is... really appalling. We may as well shut down all the
>> other languages and just offer Wikibooks "learn English" in x trillion
>> languages, right? I don't think so...
>>     
>
> The idea that humanity can unite under a single language is not
> appalling at all to me, rather the opposite. Some people believe this
> "world language" to be Esperanto, others might think it can be Chinese
> or English, or a new artificial language. But I don't think Wikimedia
> should adopt a position that implies humanity should continue to
> actively use hundreds or thousands of languages indefinitely. To me,
> supporting multilinguality is first and foremost about breaking down
> barriers to knowledge, but it's not the only strategy to achieve that.
>
>   
Hoi,
With all respect, this is the pov of an engineer. The idea of the world 
to unite under one language does horrify me. The image that I get is 
shopping centres all over the world that have exactly the same shops, 
the same products. Television that has the same programs, the same 
adverts. Going to Italy and only to be told how it used to be with 
nothing going on that I cannot find in Almere (FYI Almere as a city is 
only some 30 years old). Supporting multi linguality you do in order to 
appreciate that there is more than what you to take for granted. Not 
knowing at least two languages and cultures ensures you that you do not 
appreciate what is around you. Being able to appreciate things from a 
different perspective is what provides depth to the world as you 
perceive it.
>> Wouldn't this be a good time to expand on specific visions for each of
>> the projects? If not here, then where?
>>     
>
> Project charters -- TBD. Let's get the general statement sorted out first.
>
>   
>> Seems like MediaWiki software development would be worth mentioning as
>> well, considering how important it is to the projects...
>>     
>
> Possibly, though I see WMF as an organization that is not focused on
> technology and lacks the dedication to become one.
>
>   
>> Also seems to be some mention of project communities vitally missing
>> here.
>>     
>
> Yes, some additional emphasis on community (and its values) in both
> M&V might make sense.
>   
It is even dangerous to think that we are ONE community, we are one 
community in that we share commons values. But many other values are 
starkly different. This is easy to observe, just watch the interaction 
between the ro and mo communities. It is so bad that the ro go as far as 
denying the existence of mo.
>   
>> Anyway my main complaint is that I don't see how either of these
>> statements would prevent "wikistalk" being successfully proposed, or
>> how they explain why video game guides are inappropriate for
>> Wikibooks. Or why people shouldn't upload ten photos of their friends
>> and dog at Commons. Or why they shouldn't write about their school
>> teacher.
>> Needs some adjective somewhere like EDUCATIONAL.
>>     
>
> Perhaps - though even "knowledge" was a bit controversial, and that
> word is quite flexible in its interpretation. (Are 10 marginally
> different ways to show the same thing a useful addition of knowledge?
> Is unverifiable information knowledge?)
>   
If you ask a teacher if it is useful to show the same information in 10 
marginally different ways, he will tell you no two of his kids are the 
same and that by being able to say the same things slightly different 
the message will come across where it did not at first. Certainly when 
the background of people is different, information that is well written, 
NPOV may not inform because the assumptions no not coincide with the 
assumption of the reader. It is exactly to overcome these issues that 
makes it so important to tell the same information in "ten" marginally 
different ways.

Honestly and truly, let us cherish our differences by being aware of how 
we differ. But let the differences not be what drives us apart while we 
have so much in common.

Thanks,
    GerardM