[Foundation-l] Priorities

[GerardM]

Hoi,
I agree with your sentiments. However, this is the Foundation list and it is
largely an English language Wikipedia phenomena. I do not feel that it is an
issue that I should deal with because I am not really connected to what
happens on the English language Wikipedia. Even though it is "not good"TM it
is not something that feels like "us" to me. It is you lot of the English
language Wikipedia that have to deal with it.

As it is so often said, the English language Wikipedia often prides itself
for being the yardstick that other can measure themselves against. This
implies a responsibility.. It does not feel right though.

Thanks,
     GerardM

On 10/22/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >>> 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
>
>
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