[Foundation-l] Loriot: Please read carefully what I wrote

[Nathan]

On Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 2:53 PM, George Herbert
<george.herbert at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 10:39 AM, Klaus Graf <klausgraf at googlemail.com> wrote:
>> This case has to be discussed IN THE PUBLIC. As
>>
>> https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Philippe_%28WMF%29#File:DPAG_2011_55_Herren_im_Bad.jpg
>>
>> gives not sufficient reasons for the decisions and no sufficient
>> background there is NO need that I privately contact WMF's counsel.
>> It's not my duty to contact him but his duty to explain a case with
>> EMINENT implications for the German community.
>>
>> Klaus Graf
>
> With all due respect -
>
> OFFICE is used for actions that for some reason are private or
> particularly sensitive.  It's not used blindly, without explanation,
> to cover stuff up.
>
> Please make the effort to contact the WMF and see if they can talk to
> you about it, and if so, what they have to say.
>
>

More broadly, an Office action (the term is, in Internet time, an
ancient holdover) is one taken by the Foundation in its official
capacity as owner of the websites and host of the projects. Office
actions are understood to be infrequent, and taken only when the
Foundation has non-public information or when it believes an action is
required that the local community has chosen not to perform. It
doesn't violate "authors privileges" (whatever that is intended to
mean), nor does any project have sole discretion for local
decision-making. Perhaps the de.wp is unused to any assertiveness on
the part of the WMF, but the infrequency of Office actions there
should not be taken to mean that the WMF has relinquished its formal
responsibilities with respect to that project.

Nathan