[Foundation-l] Criticism of employees (was VPAT)

[FT2]

Not quite so.  I've just been working at the "community department" and
indeed, it does include quite a large proportion from the community.  When I
was there, Steve Walling was around, two people from Russian community were
working in the community department for a week, Seddon from enwiki and
Wikimedia UK was visiting in a few days.  Alison dropped by to that
department as did a couple of others. There were others but I didn't get all
the names. For the most part, they were trying to do the most with their
time so lists took a back seat.

Most people here - whether foundation staff, community, or other list
members - have a real life to get on with as well. When it gets busy,
routine mailing list chatter is not a priority; doing the job is. The office
staff work heavily, I didn't see people there with time to kick around on a
list like this except at the cost of ignoring other priorities.

One suggestion I made was that, since communication between office and
community is so critical, it might be worth the foundation employing one
person at the office purely for community/office liaison (via this list, on
Meta, etc). In other words their role is to be at the office and responsive
to the community on lists and wikis, ensure community questions and concerns
are addressed or not lost, where other staff may not be able to do so as
fully as some would wish. It'd cost, but it may well be worth it.
Worthwhile? Or wasteful?


FT2


On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 4:29 PM, whothis <whothith at gmail.com> wrote:

> Tell them to go ahead, this list has already been referred to troll-l and a
> dozen excuses have been offered why the staff ignores it for the most part
> after someone dared to question one of the beloved fellow. The volume of
> the
> criticism is only going to get louder if the staff continues to ignore the
> concerns, I'd like to believe that there is a pattern there. You can't
> drown
> out your criticism by ignoring a mailing list. I think it's a central
> problem with the foundation, it seems to be heading in the opposite
> direction than how they perceive it themselves. I think it only proves the
> concerns that have been raised before, the foundation might just stop
> communicating altogether and use this list for announcements, whether
> anyone
> likes them or not.
>
> (snip)
>
> On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 12:13 PM, Jon Davis <wiki at konsoletek.com> wrote:
> > (Snip)
>


> Then who do you expect to follow and reply on the list, if not that staff.
>  You know, the people being paid to run the projects, the majority of
> discussions are related to their work and operations. If they don't want to
> spend their paid time on doing something so unproductive as answering the
> community's concern then who should. Oh...you meant it's for all us
> non-employees, who have jobs and responsibilities outside of Wikipedia,
> only
> we are expected to read the list...silly me. I think I understand why it's
> seen as wasteful. It's for all the volunteers who give their time reading
> and thinking about Wikimedia related activities, we can't expect the paid
> employees to do the same.......or care. I think that's what it comes down,
> people complaining on this list care for the most part, and the staff might
> not, as much. it's just a job to them like any other, or that's what your
> justification led me to believe.
>
> Just a thought here, but maybe the "Community Department," should actually
> include some people from the community. I know it might be against
> some super-secret policy of avoiding community members but at least the
> "Community Department" could try including someone from the community.
>
>