[Foundation-l] Relocation announcement

[Anthony]

On 9/22/07, Florence Devouard <Anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anthony wrote:
> > On 9/22/07, Florence Devouard <Anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> Communication: we spent the entire past year trying to make it clear
> >> that the two organizations were unrelated. It is not to our benefit to
> >> be confused with Wikia.
> >>
> > Certainly not.  But I don't see how them donating office space would
> > cause any more of such confusion.
>
> I prefer that Sue chooses the office space she thinks is the best for
> our needs, and feel free to move to another as soon as she thinks it is
> necessary. No ties is much better.
>
OK, good point.  I guess you're right about that.

> >> Last, whether there are people both working at Wikia and at the arbcom
> >> is completely irrelevant to the Foundation itself.
> >>
> > The foundation doesn't care about the arbcom?  That seems...really wrong.
>
> Do not put words in my mouth that I did not say Anthony.
> If one staff member of Microsoft was also a volunteer on the arbcom,
> would it tie us to Microsoft somehow ?
>
Yes, I think it would, to some extent.  Of course, Microsoft has a lot
of employees compared to Wikia, so unless it's [[Ray Ozzie]] or
something it'd be to a smaller extent.

> >> As I said earlier, the days of Michael on the board are counted. He does
> >> not have time for this role any more, so this will no more be an issue.
> >> Jimbo... though at Wikia... is hardly in SF himself. Besides, I see no
> >> reason why he would go to the office on a regular basis. That's not his
> >> role any more. In short, there is no reason for an overlap.
> >> And I would not be in favor of ANY overlap for the reasons above
> >> mentionned.
> >>
> > What do you mean by that?  You'd prefer for Jimbo to resign from one
> > or the other organization?  If so, yeah, that'd be a good start.
>
> No overlap at the organization level. Jimbo is *very* careful to avoid
> any conflict of interest, and abstain from voting or even giving opinion
> each time there might be one.

First of all, you need to add the word "now" between "is" and "*very*"
if you want me to take you at all seriously, because from what I've
heard he certainly did not do during the early years of the board.

Secondly, conflicts of interest don't just happen at board meetings.

> It would be a very bad idea for Jimbo to quit any of the two organizations :-)
>
We disagree :-(

> > Combined with Michael's resignation and removal of Wikia from the
> > interwiki link table (or at least from the special nofollow
> > treatment), and then maybe a statement that there are no relationships
> > between Wikia and the WMF could be taken seriously (I don't know for
> > sure, but maybe).  But as of now, it's just not a serious statement.
>
> /me shakes head
>
<sarcasm>up and down in agreement?</sarcasm>

> >>> At least this "relationship" would be to the benefit of the WMF.
> >> I disagree with that statement.
> >>
> > It seems you were confused as to what I was suggesting, though.  If it
> > was just two offices next door to each other, would it be OK?  I think
> > it would be, but maybe you're right that it wouldn't.
>
> What you suggested was not two offices next to each other, but them
> donating office space to us.
>
True, which I guess they could do without the offices even being
remotely close to each other.  But what I had in mind was two offices
next to each other.  Anyway, I now agree with you that it's probably
not a good idea.