[Wikimedia-l] Are chapters part of the community and board seats for affiliates?

[cyrano]

Le 19/02/2013 11:23, Christophe Henner a écrit :
>
>
> I would even add that chapters should, and perhaps are, be key part of our
> community. Online communities tend to "die" slowly over the time. The main
> reason is that "virtual" bonds are much easier to forget than "physical"
> ones. I mean it's easier stop sending email to someone than stopping to see
> someone.

I think Wikipedia gathered such a community because of an ideal, not of 
social bonds. Though parts of the community may form social, 
professional or political bonds, and thus perdure through these 
mechanisms, the cause "sharing the knowledge" should be the main raison 
d'être of the community. Thus, I disagree that Chapters should be 
considered the key part of the community: the cause should be the key 
part. In fact, if the cause ceases to be the highest priority, then the 
community will tend to die and only the institutions will tend to remain 
because of their own inertia and interests. I don't consider that a good 
thing per se since this tends to lead to sclerosis and a hollow 
structure with no other point than perpetuating itself, instead of 
pushing for the next needed accomplishments to collect and disseminate 
knowledge.

> Yes, chapter as such do not edit the projects directly. But does this mean
> they're not part of the community? I don't think so. They're a different
> part of the community, but still are a part of the community.
Being part of the community doesn't allow to act on the name of the 
entire community. The gap between the community and the Chapters is 
significant enough to distinguish both, in particular for political and 
communicational matters.


>
> So should the Chapters seats be considered asa "Community seats" ? I'd say
> that the term is wrong.
>
> We have the "editing community seats", the "meta" community seats and the
> appointed seats. Perhaps we should differentiate the two sides of the
> community.
Why not distinguish the community seats from the Chapters seats with the 
terms "community seats" and " Chapters seats"?
Using the word community in both cases may induce to believe that's it's 
the same community with two branches. But nothing guarantees that unity.

By the way, what would you say Chapters actually are? Is it correct to 
say that they're an administrative organization financed by the WMF 
through Fund Dissemination Commitees?