[Foundation-l] Charity Navigator rates WMF

[Gregory Kohs]

Samuel says:

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In my experience, high-school teachers were 90/10 anti Wikipedia 3
years ago, and are slightly in favor of it today.  This sort of thing
would be a fascinating survey to run year after year.

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I agree.  Market research, even longitudinal tracking research, has
fascinated me since 1991, and despite the skepticism of one delegate
"happy-melon", I would probably be qualified to design and execute such a
study, with the proper funding from the Foundation or another source, of
course.  I sincerely doubt they could find another market research
professional willing and able to design the questionnaire, sample 300
teachers in as representative a fashion as possible, and analyze and report
on the collected data, all for $4,000.  But, they're more than welcome to
try!

Credentials and cheers are here:
http://www.mywikibiz.com/Directory:Gregory_J._Kohs#Credentials

You may also read the jeers, if you wish.  There's a fresh one in there.

Lots of very good and valid points have been made on this thread, and
several of you have changed my opinion somewhat on different matters,
especially about the Wikia office space rental's urgency.  (Still, I wish a
space NOT operated by a Board member had been chosen.)  Yet, I'm of the
casual opinion that "usability" was not a critical issue for Wikipedia,
given that many millions of wiki pages had been successfully created and
polished with the old "difficult to use" interface.  I'd have much rather
seen the Stanton Fund put that money toward an "accountability initiative"
or an "accuracy initiative", but it's their money, isn't it?

I have especially enjoyed those who took to taunting and mocking me.  This
helps to demonstrate that some within our community are afraid to answer
questions and tackle issues head-on.  The pseudonymous attack was really
special, proving a point that I've tried to make for years -- that anonymity
generally lowers the standards of discourse.

Greg