[Foundation-l] Priorities

[Marc Riddell]

> 
>>> Florence Devouard wrote:
>>> 
>>>> ... I felt I could not say publicly that
>> Wikipedia was one
>>>> of the tools to bring peace on Earth because I
>> also know working on our
>>>> projects (not only Wikipedia) is somehow becoming
>> increasingly 
>>>> difficult. We are more numerous, more protective
>> to our 
>>>> featured-content, less welcoming to our newbies
>> (for technical or social
>>>> reasons).
>>>> How many experts have been driven away by the
>> agressivity of some of our
>>>> members ? How many new editors just were
>> discouraged by the difficulty
>>>> of editing a table or a template ? How many
>> newbies were blocked because
>>>> they just did not understood quickly enough how
>> to use a talk page ?
>>>> Also, during the year, several cases of online or
>> offline harassment of
>>>> contributors were reported. Harassement which
>> came as a result of their
>>>> contributions to our projects.
>>> 
Brian McNeil wrote:

>>> In trying to do my bit for fundraising I emailed
>> Howard Tayler, a webcomic
>>> artist asking could he help with my nonexistent
>> drawing skills and make up
>>> an ad for his site that I'd pay for during part of
>> the WMF fundraiser.
>>> 
>>> As an indication that there is indisputably a
>> problem that needs addressed,
>>> here is the response I got.
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> I use Wikipedia from time to time, and appreciate
>> its value to the growing
>>> internet community, and to the world at large.
>>> 
>>> I will not, however, help them raise money. I am
>> strongly opposed to the
>>> "anti-webcomics" agenda that has been espoused by
>> a number of prominent
>>> editors. If the foundation really cared about what
>> these editors write, and
>>> how they treat other people, it would take steps
>> to curb their behavior.
>>> 
>>> This, unfortunately, is a very non-negotiable
>> position on my part, and I'd
>>> prefer to not argue about it. We'd just be wasting
>> each others' time.
>>> 
>>> I appreciate your attempt to raise money for a
>> cause you believe in, and am
>>> flattered that you'd think of me in connection to
>> it.
>>> 
>>> --Howard
>>> 
>> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> 
>>> This issue isn't just costing us contributors;
>> we're losing goodwill and
>>> fundraising opportunities.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Brian.
>> 
>> Right....
>> 
>> What is that anti-webcomics" agenda he is talking
>> about ?
>> 
>> Ant
>> 
on 10/22/07 1:50 PM, Birgitte SB at birgitte_sb at yahoo.com wrote:
> 
> This is an en.WP issue (again). Articles on web-comics
> have been deleted as not notable on en.WP. [1]  It
> might be useful to share with Howard what the actual
> mission of Wiki*media* is and how it works, just for
> the sake of clarity.  But I can't imagine anyone would
> really support WMF writing and enforcing new deletion
> guidelines for en.WP or anything else that would truly
> appease him. 
> 
Brigitte,

This is the key to his message:

"If the foundation really cared about what these editors write, and how they
treat other people, it would take steps to curb their behavior."

The web-comics issue must, of course, be presented to. But, to focus only on
the web-comics issue is like extinguishing a single tree in the middle of a
forest fire.

The issue with Wikipedia is the deteriorating culture, and the equally
deteriorating language of that culture! And anyone who stands by and allows
it to happen - and to continue - is equally culpable. Cultural change
happens only when the people who are a part of that culture change. And a
culture is a reflection of everyone who is a part of it.

Marc Riddell