[Foundation-l] Wikipedia Invites Users to Take Part in Open, Collaborativ...

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi,
If you refer to a blog, you might as well provide a URL..  As to volunteer
time, if a volunteer sees value in this collaboration, it is their time that
they can spend as they see fit. For the WMF to put the value on volunteer
time on their balance sheet is similar to putting the value of Wikipedia,
Wiktionary et al on the balance sheet. Doing this implies ownership, it
seems to me that this is in marked contrast with the notion that the WMF
serves as an ISP.

What nobody has reflected on is that there are THREE parties to this
collaboration. It is on Wikieducator where this experiment is happening.
This indicates that the technology is targeted for the use in an educational
context. What nobody has reflected on is that because of some of the
observations on this list, Kaltura has already made changes. It has been
observed that they are shifting in the "right" direction. Yay indicates that
the goal is to make the software free and open according to our criteria.
Yay acknowledges that more work is needed to accomplish this. Some good
faith may be in order ?

Gregory indicates that other technology may be more opportune. He may be
right. In the mean time this is a nice shot in the arm to get things moving
from being stagnant. The WMF has too much technical work to finish before
they can be involved.. I am sure that other people will collaborate with
Katlura or will collaborate on a competing product or will do something else
entirely. Isn't Open Source great ?

When a VC funds the development of Open Source, I would say see the software
developed, make sure that it fits our need, collaborate and just be happy
with all this effort that is not for us to do. When you values it like this,
it is a clear benefit to us all.
Thanks,
    GerardM

On Jan 19, 2008 12:06 AM, <daniwo59 at aol.com> wrote:

> As was pointed out on Kelly's blog, a staff member asks for WMF volunteers
> to help a start-up. That is a cost. In fact, in the elusive audit the WMF
> will
> be expected to give a number to the value of volunteer contributions, so
> it
> is a  real cost. Volunteer time is diverted from WMF to Kaltura. That is a
> cost. The  WMF has lent its name to a start-up, which can then use that
> name to
> obtain VC  funding. That is an unrealized cost.
>
> So what is the benefit?
>
> Danny
>
>
>
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