[Foundation-l] Contact from Chile

[Chad]

Can a Spanish speaker just help him and we stop
bickering over the finer points of AGF? Arguing over
who was (or was failing to) assume good faith is
a waste of everyone's time.

-Chad

On Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 1:49 PM, Mark Williamson <node.ue at gmail.com> wrote:
> You are being a bit unreasonable - we don't only have two types of
>  contributors, those who have been here for 10 years and those who just
>  got here, we have people at every level in between. I'm sure Alejandro
>  could help start a local chapter, but I don't think someone so new
>  could be the driving force.
>
>  And AGF applies to everyone, not just Alejandro. Just because you and
>  I have been here longer doesn't mean we shouldn't assume that the
>  other is acting in good faith, and apply the doctrine only in our
>  attitudes towards newcomers.
>
>  Mark
>
>
>
>  On 18/03/2008, Robert Horning <robert_horning at netzero.net> wrote:
>  > Mark Williamson wrote:
>  >  > Perhaps you should assume good faith.
>  >  >
>  >  > My point was that Alejandro seems to know very little about our
>  >  > organization, thus he would probably not be the best person to start a
>  >  > Wikimedia chapter in Chile at this point. You are placing too much of
>  >  > your hope on his shoulders, it seems.
>  >  >
>  >  > Mark
>  >  >
>  >
>  >
>  > I strongly disagree with this sentiment.  I have seen some outstanding
>  >  new contributors come out of the woodwork that have additional
>  >  organizational and leadership skills, and a drive to see something get
>  >  accomplish.  I have also worked with volunteers with a great many other
>  >  organizations that depend upon volunteer labor, and whenever a cliquish
>  >  attitude prevails it tends to drive away any additional volunteers who
>  >  want to come forward with new ideas.
>  >
>  >  How do you suggest that Alejandro learn about Wikimedia and the projects
>  >  if you never give him a chance to learn about it in the first place, and
>  >  shoot down his ideas even if he doesn't quite know the terminology?  As
>  >  far as placing hope on his shoulders.... absolutely I am doing just
>  >  that.  I place enormous hope upon every new participant to any volunteer
>  >  organization, as that is ultimately the future of the organization...
>  >  including Wikimedia projects.  New contributors are the life blood of
>  >  the projects, and it is incumbent on the part of everybody participating
>  >  to make it easier, not harder, for these new contributors to add to
>  >  these projects in the future.  Squashing hopes and dreams is a good way
>  >  to make an organization like the Wikimedia Foundation become stagnant,
>  >  irrelevant, and spell the eventual death of the organization even if it
>  >  is a death by attrition.
>  >
>  >  How else do you think a chapter forms, unless there is a spark and a
>  >  germ of an idea?  Do you think Florance can spontaneously create a whole
>  >  new Wikimedia chapter out of nothing, and those who should participate
>  >  only come from those veteran Wikimedia users who have been editing on
>  >  the projects for more than 10 years?  I am suggesting that combining the
>  >  efforts of somebody like Alejandro with others who may have a similar
>  >  vision is precisely the kind of people we need if we are going to
>  >  promote chapter creation... unless there is an attitude that prevails
>  >  that we don't need any more chapters.  An organization is either growing
>  >  or dying.  Which is it for Wikimedia projects?
>  >
>  >  BWT, I am trying to assume good faith... on the part of this new
>  >  contributor.  He appears to have a strong desire to accomplish some
>  >  projects and tasks that can promote his country, and would like to be a
>  >  leader to bring people together for creating free content.  Isn't this
>  >  precisely what Wikimedia projects are about?
>  >
>  >
>  >  -- Robert Horning
>  >
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>
>
> --
>  Refije dirije lanmè yo paske nou posede pwòp bato.
>
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