[Foundation-l] open wikis for chapters....?

[Michael Peel]

My viewpoint is: why restrict editing? As Geoffrey and Peachey  
mentioned, there are some pages that do need protecting, but other  
than that? A central part of the Wikimedia zeitgeist for me is that  
anyone can edit.

If you restrict editing, then you're removing the ability for non- 
members to give their opinions and help out. They _might_ become  
members so that they can edit, but odds are that won't be the primary  
driver for them joining. Then there are people that can't join for  
whatever reason (in another country [if your bylaws restrict that],  
no money, ...).

The Wikimedia UK wiki (http://uk.wikimedia.org/) is open for everyone  
to edit - even anonymous editors (who can even create pages - so  
we're more open than Wikipedia. ;-) ). There are pages that are  
necessarily locked down, but the talk pages are always open. That's  
worked out well for us so far. There's a little bit of vandalism, but  
it's been kept in check by board members and some trusted members  
that are also admins.

BTW, I've never liked that the WMF's wiki is completely locked down.  
It feels a bit like a cabal. ;-)

Mike

On 12 Dec 2009, at 10:01, effe iets anders wrote:

> what will be the goal of the website? Answers should depend on that.
> The question whether "open editing" is a good thing or not, is not an
> absolute question, but depends on what you want to reach etc. First
> get consensus on that, then find the model best suited for that.
>
> -- eia
>
> 2009/12/12 private musings <thepmaccount at gmail.com>:
>> G'day all,
>> over on the wikimedia au mailing list, we've been having a  
>> discussion about
>> whether or not our 'official wiki' should be able to be edited by  
>> more than
>> just the current financial members (I think we've got around 30 -  
>> 50 members
>> at the mo) ( see
>> http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2009-December/ 
>> 002745.htmlfor
>> the thread, and it sort of gets just a little bit heated....)
>> I thought I'd flick this list a note because the tensions between the
>> foundation's aims and this more pragmatic decision have been  
>> discussed. What
>> I'd like to ask this list's members is whether or not you agree  
>> that open
>> editing is a good thing, and as many pages as possible on a  
>> chapter's wiki
>> should be open to as many folk as possible?
>> Obviously there are important factors to keep in mind in making these
>> decisions, but I feel it would be useful for others not quite so  
>> connected
>> to 'WMAU', but with a close connection to WMF in general, if they  
>> have a
>> moment, to review our thread, and offer feedback and ideas as to  
>> whether
>> we're doing it right, or (as I feel) we really should open up the  
>> wiki a bit
>> more :-)
>> best,
>> Peter,
>> PM.
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