Michael Snow wrote:
Currently, Wikimedia (the umbrella for the
Wikipedia and other projects)
is organized based on consensus, if you ignore the largely unused
dictatorial powers. Consensus is not the same thing as democracy.
Well, to be perfectly clear, the foundation itself is not organized
based on consensus. It's organized based on me spending tons of money
for several years to make this all happen, and my effort to carefully
set this up as a public charity, and dictating how that's to be done
by selecting board members and a process for member representation.
The projects of the foundation *are* based on consensus, of course,
and I see no reason for us to contemplate any change to that.
--Jimbo
Correction accepted, and the clarity is appreciated. I would still
suggest that consensus is a goal worth striving for in the foundation
itself. Dictation certainly helps to get things started sometimes. But
because of the way humans are, I doubt any dictator can succeed here
unless the dictation is ultimately accepted by a consensus. So I
appreciate your efforts to take other opinions into account and provide
mechanisms for a consensus to develop.
I do agree with Uli that ideally someday "no single person with
superpowers is needed". Unless perhaps you plan to live forever.
--Michael Snow