On Sat, Oct 4, 2008 at 9:09 PM, Thomas Dalton <thomas.dalton(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Possibly. But
I would strongly advise, from a ChapCom point of view,
against a sentence, which was proposed here, if I recall correctly,
such as "The association shared the goals and vision of the Wikimedia
Foundation" (I quote from memory but it was in this direction).
I agree, I wouldn't have a sentence like that either since the fact
that what those goals are can change means isn't necessarily
charitable. I would go with something like "support the Wikimedia
projects". How and why we support them are up to us
Agreed. For reference and possibly inspiration, I'm providing the
Swiss version , though this includes direct financial support (which
we, contrary to you, can do and are doing). Consider especially point
4 for actual activities.
Michael
" 1. The purpose of the Association is to support the creation,
collection and distribution of Open Content in a not-for-profit way in
order to support education and the equal opportunity of access to
knowledge. In terms of the Association, Open Content refers to all
work that has been placed by its author under a license, which allows
everybody to modify and distribute these works. In addition, the
awareness of the related social and philosophical issues will be
enhanced.
2. For collection and distribution of Open Content, Wikis should be
used predominantly, yet not exclusively. Wikis are software systems
accessible via the Internet which let their users both access and
modify content, thus enabling the joint creation of such content. The
most prominent example of this principle is the free encyclopedia
"Wikipedia" initiated by Larry Sanger and Jimmy D. Wales which is
operated by the Wikimedia Foundation.
3. The Association shares the objectives of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organisation based in Florida, USA.
The Wikimedia Foundation coordinates activities along the lines of the
Association's purpose within the international sector, and manages the
name Wikimedia as well as the names of the various international
Wikimedia projects.
4. The Association's purpose is to be pursued by:
- the operation and the funding of operation of online
systems for creation, collection and distribution of Free Content.
- the distribution and the support of distribution of Free
Content by other means, eg. in digital or printed form, with focus on
the contents of the international Wikimedia projects.
- the acquisition, provision and distribution of information
and public relations work relating to Free Content, Wikis and the
various Wikimedia projects through events or printed media.
- resolving scientific, social, cultural and legal issues
relating to Free Content and Wikis, eg. through expert opinions,
surveys, studies, and the awarding of scholarships.
- the support of the interchange and cooperation of the
Wikimedia-projects in various languages, especially German, French,
Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic, as well as in Swiss dialects in the
Alemannic Wikimedia-projects.
5. The Association may collect funds for or transfer them to other
tax-exempt corporations or corporations under public law, if they are
used exclusively for the purposes mentioned above, and it may hold
shares or be a member of such corporations.
6. The Association does not pursue commercial aims and does not
seek to make profit.
7. Funds of the Association can only be used for purposes stated in
these statutes. Its members do not, as members, get any financial
benefits from the Association's funds. Members may not receive any
part of the assets of the Association when they cancel their
membership, or when the Association is dissolved or terminated. No
person may benefit through spendings which are not necessary for the
promotion of its aims or through disproportionally high payments. "