[Foundation-l] Agenda for October board meeting

[John at Darkstar]

> A couple of days ago, John wrote an email regarding technical strategy 
> and made reference to two statements I made several months ago.
> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Update_of_Foundation_organization_(March_07)
> and
> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/10_wishes_for_2008
> 
> I think your concern will not improve. After I sent my "10 wishes for 
> 2008", where I tried to outline what was important to me, what I 
> intended to truely put my own energy on, I was told that individual 
> board members should not express such public personal opinions. That 
> such documents should only be the result of a carefully brainstormed 
> time between all board board members and management. That board members 
> should thrive to always appear in agreement, and in particular always 
> supportive of any acts of the management. In short, learn to disagree in 
>   silence or quit.
> 

I'm not very well-known for my delicate handling of political hot
issues, so I have no problem with pointing out that this is a huge
unsolved issue. I guess its not that fun for people to see such
questions about issues they themselves should have solved, but anyhow it
has to be done. The thing is, I think there are a lot of very clever
developers out there that needs guidance to what they should do, and
Tim, Brion & co should be able to give such guidance. But that can only
be done if there exist some kind of strategy document. I was mainly
concerned about technical issues, but I think the overall strategy of
Wikimedia Foundation is at least as important as the technical issues.

Now, one last comment, which I don't think will bring much honour to me,
I believe that the management of Wikimedia Foundation should thrive to
listen to the board and other members of the community if the have _any_
opinion. Many of the members will have less interesting opinions, but
they do speak for _some_ people in the community. Anyhow, in such a
large community there will always be some that claims they aren't heard
but when someone like Florence says it is difficult to be heard, and
then criticized for giving her own opinion, then something should be done.

John, which wonders if he ever had a quiet week since he started editing
on Wikipedia...