I am glad that 1,5 weeks before the conference, there is finally some activity showing up on the lists and the meta pages. I must admit that I would have really loved to see more engagement on topics like conference goals and themes, support for the programme team regarding programme decisions, schedule and outcomes rather than having the same discussions on rules and logistics like every year before.
There is still time (2 days) to give input to the schedule or volunteer as a speaker for some of the sessions. And most importantly, to start discussing and taking position towards the conference topics on-wiki and internally in our home organisations.
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2014/Programme
Everyone interested is very welcome to provide thoughts and ideas. We have three days full of exciting sessions, highly political discussions and fun ahead of us, let's make the best of it together!
I am looking forward to seeing so many of you next week in Berlin!
Best, Nicole
On 1 April 2014 10:47, Gerard Meijssen gerard.meijssen@gmail.com wrote:
Hoi, Money entrusted to a chapter is for that chapter to spend as they see fit. The notion that it is money from the "public" is not a license for everyone to meddle. There are people and places where such scrutiny is best expressed. When questions are asked, let them be questions and not implicit condemnations.
Fae can do whatever he likes. However, he should understand that as a former chair it is best for the new team to move in its own direction and not in the old direction. There is plenty that can be done that is not controversial.
When formalities are used as arguments, you loose sight what the formalities are there for. It is best to "ignore all rules" when that gets the job done in an effective way. The notion that because somewhere else in "the movement" things have gone "wrong" does not justify the current criticism. A legitimate question could be "you are sending a large delegation, why is that". It is not legitimate to say "you waste money by sending people to a conference, why is that".
Thanks,
GerardMOp 31 mrt. 2014 16:44 schreef "Russavia" russavia.wikipedia@gmail.com:
Gerard, et al
On Mon, Mar 31, 2014 at 9:59 PM, Gerard Meijssen gerard.meijssen@gmail.comwrote:
My point is very much that it is for the chapter to decide if they spend their money wisely. It is for members of a chapter to question this at an appropriate time and at an appropriate place.
Might I make a point here.
It is not "their money", but rather the money of donors -- i.e. the general public -- who are every year told that Wikipedia needs your help to survive.
The "movement", as you all like to refer to it, has a tendency to waste money on frivolous things such as travel and accommodation, as demonstrated last year by http://twkozlowski.net/how-40k-dollars-turned-to-petty-cash/and http://twkozlowski.net/saving-by-spending-according-to-affcom/
The appropriate time to question such spending is BEFORE the funds is committed and spent. The place is unimportant, but here is as good as any.
As a member of "the movement", Fae has every right to ask such questions, and I believe he also has the right to be able to ask such questions without snide remarks such as "Really Fae, as you are no longer the chair, why rule "from the grave"?" being thrown at him . Unfortunately, there is a tendency in "the movement" when legitimate questions are raised, for a committed movementarian to deflect from that questioning with snide attacks.
Now, Fae has asked some legit questions of UK chapter, and it is only fair that they answer them.
Cheers,
Russavia _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe
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