[Foundation-l] Taipei chosen to host Wikimania 2007

[Birgitte SB]

--- David Gerard <dgerard at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 30/09/06, effe iets anders
> <effeietsanders at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Please... Why are we having these fights?
> 
> 
> Because this is the sort of thing that can come from
> setting it up as
> a competitive process.
> 
> 
> > Taipei has been chosen now,
> > and we can i think do two things: Accept that or
> not. If we do the
> > second, we will be fighting over this for weeks,
> months and maybe
> > longer.
> 
> 
> I suspect at least some of those not chosen question
> the transparency
> of the selection criteria and process. Saying "stop
> talking about
> this" doesn't stop them thinking about it.
> 
> 
> > Please stop fighting over who copied something
> from someone else. It
> > is NO use! In wiki it is *good* to copy the good
> things right? As long
> > as it is the idea of improoving your bid, it is OK
> imho. The bid it is
> > copied from won't be less good by that.
> 
> 
> I do like the idea of the wiki process being applied
> to bids. It means
> at least some effort is preserved for use by others.
> 
> 
> > The idea is not to *win* with
> > your bid,
> 
> 
> If that is the case, it is at odds with the word
> "win" being used all
> the way through the process, and with it being a
> competitive process.
> 
> 
> >  Please let's all
> > hope it will be a great conference, and don't make
> it harder for them
> > with all these fights.
> 
> 
> The competitive process by definition has a winner
> and several losers.
> The losers will be upset if the selection process
> and criteria appear
> not to have been transparent. Telling people to stop
> talking about it
> won't stop them thinking about it, especially if
> they feel their
> concerns are being dismissed rather than addressed.
> (I have no idea if
> their concerns are valid, but they certainly think
> they are.) And
> volunteers who feel ill-treated leave the project,
> which is damage to
> the project caused by using a competitive process.
> 
> As I said, a competitive process will be inherently
> damaging. If
> there's really no other way than a competitive
> process, then fine, but
> don't be surprised when it has the side effects it's
> *obviously* going
> to have.
> 
> 
> - d.

I intially disagreed with you, david, but now I am
coming around to your way of thinking.   Everyone is a
volunteer doing there best in this.  I do not doubt
that this is true.  But I am beginning to think a
competitive process requires a higher level of
professionalism than can be provided by volunteers
doing their best.

Not that I think people should continue fighting over
the Wikimania 2007 selection.  But we should not stop
talking about this process.  We should start talking
about how future Wikimania's should be selected. 
Perhaps the first task is to really define the
relationship between Wikimania and Wikimedia.  Is it
dealt with through a commitee?  Are there any Board
Resolutions that pertain to Wikimania?  What exactly
is the connection?


Birgitte SB

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