[Foundation-l] Fundraising more important than the Truth?

[Huib Laurens]

Hello,

I don't like to send emails like this but I don't see a solution other than
this.

I understand that we need money to keep the Wikimedia Foundation running,
and yes I support the fundraiser and I donated money. But do we want money
because we told people other things than the truth I find it kind of strange
and very disturbing that there are things that currently being used to get
money from visitors while those things are simply wrong.

First we have the donating landing page and it say's

Together, we can keep it free of charge and free of advertising. We can keep
it open – you can use the information in Wikipedia any way you want. We can
keep it growing – spreading knowledge everywhere, and inviting participation
from everyone...

*free of charge*

The content on Wikipedia is written under a free license that means
everybody can use in all ways saying that Wikipedia will be a payed source
of information will just be wrong because all the content is on mirrors and
even if it goes bad it will always be free for everybody somewhere.


Secondly:

There is a banner saying Sue is the Director of Wikipedia and there is a
discussion about that where somebody of the fundraising team say's that they
are testing what gives more money... Telling people Sue the director of
Wikipedia or Sue the Director for the Wikimedia Foundation...


But the Fundraising team knows that they are wrong because the Sue's letter
says: *Wikipedia will always be free* (
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Template:2010/SueLetterA/en)


But let us ask the quistion: Do we want to make this our best fundraiser
knowing we didn't tell the truth about things or do we think we can be open
and clear about roles, functions and facts?  I hope we choose the last
option.

-- 
Regards,
Huib "Abigor" Laurens



Support Free Knowledge: http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Donate