Re: [Gendergap] Commons Searches

[Brandon Harris]

On 10/13/11 5:47 PM, Ryan Kaldari wrote:
> Unfortunately we currently have zero developers working on search (as
> far as I know). There are several more significant search bugs that are
> also not going to be fixed any time soon. Another issue is that our
> search engine is Java while the rest of MediaWiki is PHP. This makes
> sense for performance reasons, but makes the pool of potential
> developers who are able and willing to work on it much smaller. In other
> words, this might get fixed in a few years, but I wouldn't hold my
> breathe. In the meantime, it would be good to follow Sarah's lead and
> proactively curate the content we have so that there is less potential
> for astonishment in our search results.


Yeah; this is really a curation issue and not a search engine issue.

Sadly, I'm one of the few people at the Foundation who knows Java or 
could even work on this, but I expect that there would be much wailing 
and gnashing of teeth were I to spend much time on this.

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Re: [Gendergap] Commons Searches

[Brandon Harris]

Funnily, I just answered that question on Quora:

http://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-second-image-returned-on-Wikimedia-Commons-when-one-searches-for-electric-toothbrush-an-image-of-a-female-masturbating


On 10/12/11 7:48 AM, Andreas Kolbe wrote:
> Brandon,
>
> On a matter that originally arose in Meta and on the Foundation list,
> but may be of interest to this list as well, do you know the answer to the
> question posed here ...
>
> http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/commons-l/2011-October/006290.html
>
> ... or do you know someone who does?
>
> Andreas
>
> --------
> *From:* Brandon Harris 
> *To:* Increasing female participation in Wikimedia projects
> 
> *Sent:* Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 6:13
> *Subject:* Re: [Gendergap] Mind the Gap Award is here.
>
> (offlist)
>
> I think your efforts are perfect, and above and beyond. I don't need to
> step in here.
>
>
>
> On 10/11/11 10:10 PM, Jutta von Dincklage wrote:
>  > Brandon, I still think we need to remake the logo. This was just
> a quick, basic whiz.
>  > I would still love your graphic skills on this one if you can
> spare the time
>  >
>  > ... cause I am a woman and I truly appreciate amazing design
>  > ... and this award deserves it ;-)
>  >
>  >> Ah, too fast for me! I was about to remake the entire thing, but got
>  >> stuck trying to find an acceptable replacement font (the real
> one is for
>  >> sale at the princely sum of $299.00!).
>  >
>  >
>  >
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>
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Re: [Gendergap] Mind the Gap Award is here.

[Brandon Harris]

(offlist)

I think your efforts are perfect, and above and beyond. I don't need to 
step in here.



On 10/11/11 10:10 PM, Jutta von Dincklage wrote:
> Brandon, I still think we need to remake the logo. This was just a quick, 
> basic whiz.
> I would still love your graphic skills on this one if you can spare the time
>
> ... cause I am a woman and I truly appreciate amazing design
> ... and this award deserves it ;-)
>
>> Ah, too fast for me!  I was about to remake the entire thing, but got
>> stuck trying to find an acceptable replacement font (the real one is for
>> sale at the princely sum of $299.00!).
>
>
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Mind the Gap Award is here.

[Brandon Harris]

Ah, too fast for me!  I was about to remake the entire thing, but got 
stuck trying to find an acceptable replacement font (the real one is for 
sale at the princely sum of $299.00!).


On 10/11/11 8:10 PM, Jutta von Dincklage wrote:
> Sarah,
> You are awesome! I have quickly "vectorized" and"dropshadowed" the image and 
> included the updated image in the template 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Mind_the_Gap_Award.
> Could you check and ensurethat I included the correct metadata on commons?
>
> Lots of wikilove from Sydney!
>
> Jutta
>
>> From: Sarah Stierch
>> To: Increasing female participation in Wikimedia projects
>> 
>> Sent: Tuesday, 11 October 2011, 17:18
>> Subject: [Gendergap] Mind the Gap Award is here.
>>
>>
>> The London Feminists Group gave permission to use their logo, however, it's
>> only in low resolution (the person who designed it has since left the group).
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Mind_the_Gap_Award
>>
>> Again, I'm not a designer, so feel free to clean up the logo to the best of 
>> your
>> ability! Book mark that template page and award away!!!
>>
>> -Sarah
>>
>>
>>
>> That's great! I really like that logo.
>>
>> Andreas
>> -- next part --
>> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
>> URL:
>> http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/gendergap/attachments/20111011/91936
>> 3f9/attachment-0001.htm
>>
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Sue's new blog

[Brandon Harris]

FYI: "Mind the Gap" is an ancient(?) achievement in a couple video 
games about skateboarding.

On 9/29/11 11:33 PM, Philippe Beaudette wrote:
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 29, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Sarah Stierch  <mailto:sarah.stie...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> +1
>
> Do we have a "Mind the Gap" Gender Gap barnstar yet? :)
>
>
>
> This is a really cool barnstar idea!  Any graphic geniuses who can do this?
>
> pb
>
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Black skins

[Brandon Harris]

On 9/19/11 4:26 PM, Andreas Kolbe wrote:
> Here is an example of Caucasian bias: the en:WP article on [[hair
> straightening]].
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_straightening
>
> Despite the fact that this is a topic of great practical interest to
> black women, many of whom either have straightened their hair or have thought 
> about doing it, the
> article makes no mention of afro hair, and the only two images are of 
> Caucasian women.

Topical to this, there is a documentary:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Hair

That points out that hair straightening (Relaxer) is a billion dollar 
industry.  This is a clear bias; I'm actually flabbergasted by this.

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Re: [Gendergap] Wikifashion

[Brandon Harris]

On 9/14/11 8:41 AM, Sarah Stierch wrote:

>
> I really like the layout and such of the website  

I am on record in a number of places expressing my love for their skin 
design.  I don't necessarily like the color scheme but the skin layout 
is top-notch.

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Re: [Gendergap] Resolution:Images of identifiable people

[Brandon Harris]

On 9/12/11 5:27 PM, Fred Bauder wrote:

>
> I agree, but it can be a punishing process. The "right" place is the talk
> pages of policy pages.

Patience and experience will defeat aggression and youthful vigor every 
time.

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Re: [Gendergap] Resolution:Images of identifiable people

[Brandon Harris]

On 9/12/11 3:58 PM, Sarah Stierch wrote:
>
>
> I'm not sure if we're ready to move it to meta yet, I do wish we had a
> more private place to develop this. It's a rather sensitive topic for
> folks.  Perhaps a google doc or...?

To be honest, I think that working as publicly as possible is only 
good, in the long run, for what needs to happen. Transparency is super 
important.

We've actually been having some interesting arguments about the use of 
Google docs within the office.

One camp favors multiple edits at a time usability.
The other camp believes that the use of a non-transparent medium is 
antithetical to the nature of the projects.

(I fall in the second camp, personally).


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Re: [Gendergap] Just a few days into have the IRC channel

[Brandon Harris]

On 8/24/11 12:04 PM, carolmoor...@verizon.net wrote:
> It sounds good for socializing, announcing and and brainstorming, but
> without archiving seems problematic for ongoing organizing. (I.e. task
> oriented people like me might not like it as much as social networking
> oriented people)

It is possible to have channels archived by bots.  Several channels 
already are (like #mediawiki).

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Re: [Gendergap] Just a few days into have the IRC channel

[Brandon Harris]

I think this is a mis-characterization of the medium and its usage. 
I've been using IRC since, oh, 1991 or so, however, so it's a natural 
thing for me.

One of the issues - especially with software support channels - is that 
they are actually *slow moving*.  And you're supposed to idle and wait 
for answers.  IRC is a *background* process; you throw the window at the 
bottom of the stack and wait for it to notify you that someone has said 
something to you.

I can help you get online if you like.  I'll need to know what kind of 
computer you use.


On 8/24/11 10:01 AM, Arnaud HERVE wrote:
> On 22/08/2011 04:58, carolmoor...@verizon.net wrote:
>> I confess, I'm not sure what IRC is and not enough info in the #address
>> for me to get there easily. ;-(
>
> IRC is a chat system, except it is a bit more difficult to install and
> register in than say your average msn or skype. But basically you type
> messages with your keyboard, and they disappear as several other people
> answer.
>
> It was used first by professional geeks, and it has recently spread to
> clever teenagers.
>
> Since you are new to it I might as well give you my own experience,
> warning you though that it is entirely negative.
>
> The first time i used irc was about a software that I used, because the
> programmers on that website said "if you have questions please pay us a
> visit on irc". I found it extremely inconvenient, because :
>
> - You did not find the right person to answer your question if that
> person appeared to be offline.
>
> - The other way round, interesting answers given on irc quickly
> disappeared and were not published for all the other interested people
> to read.
>
> In other words, irc was for me insanely unproductive, especially
> compared to the forum that the website already had, with messages that
> could wait online for the right reply, or stayed online for readers with
> same questions.
>
> Also, the discussions were not categorized on irc, or had no title like
> here, so that with your question you were forced to meddle in other
> conversations going on about other topics.
>
> I then thought that irc was a media for computer-illiterate people. You
> may ask then why was it used by programmers ? Well it was a social need
> for programmers to gather in a specific space not for noobs.
>
> The second time I used irc was in my leisure time, in connection with a
> team for the translation of Japanese anime.
>
> There was a lot of pleasant chat, banter, even quizz games, but it was
> very difficult to maintain a conversation about the translation of
> Japanese anime amidst all that noise.
>
> Also, since I was already typing around 3k words a day, it proved
> impossible for me to stay on the keyboard in the evening. I had to go
> out, walk, watch movies... well in general turn away from the computer.
> Or get a life is another way of putting it.
>
> Another element that disturbed me is the
> conversation-between-close-friends atmosphere that irc creates. Those
> people were more like hobby acquaintances, not the kind of friends who
> will visit you if you are sick, who will help you moving furniture
> between appartments, etc. Not even people you will eat with. The
> atmosphere was too friendly for people you hardly know. I was too
> old-school for that I guess.
>
> The common point between geek users and teenager users is that irc is
> for people who :
>
> - do not use computers intensively in their work, or do not mind using
> them intensivey again in their free time
>
> - don't mind spending their evenings typing alone in their rooms, making
> friends with unknown people
>
> - don't mind if their messages disappear, don't mind if some relevant
> readers will never read them
>
> - don't mind if they miss relevant messages if they happen to be away
>
> - don't mind sympathizing closely with people that they will never see
> or are ready to forget immediately
>
> As a conclusion, irc is from my point of view totally incompatible with
> political discussions, which would require taking time to write to write
> articulate messages, taking time to read them, separating the topics to
> make them reasonably readable, and a social atmosphere suited for
> distant sympathizers for a cause.
>
> My two cents, anyway who am I to criticize, since I won't use it. I have
> documents to read instead. I don't chat, I read and write.
>
> If you don't know how to register, have someone show you, you will make
> your own opinion.
>
> Arnaud
>
>
>
>
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Gender Gap IRC?

[Brandon Harris]

We already have #wikimedia-office for this type of stuff; we could just 
use that.

I think that Ryan has the right of it here.  We can have topical 
meetings for a while, and if there is clear and sufficient interest, a 
channel could be created.


On 8/19/11 1:36 PM, Ryan Kaldari wrote:
> Rather than just set up a channel and hope that people show up, why
> don't we try a weekly IRC meeting at a specific day and time. I guess
> #wikimedia-gendergap would be the logical channel name (unless someone
> has another idea). Any suggestion for a day and time? Should we log the
> discussion to post elsewhere or keep it "off-the-record"?
>
> Ryan Kaldari
>
> On 8/19/11 12:10 PM, Sarah Stierch wrote:
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 19, 2011 at 3:03 PM, Fred Bauder > > wrote:
>>
>> Well, it is an excellent opportunity to talk without thinking and get
>> into trouble, but as I seldom bother with IRC, I would generally be a
>> no-show. I would go ahead, but unless a regular crew of women
>> shows up it
>> will be a bust.
>>
>>
>> Again, the point is to encourage dialogue and partnership with all
>> genders. I'm quite impressed with how diverse IRC actually is. And if
>> you're not participating, then you need not worry ;) It's also another
>> tool for female editors to utilize, and once you show people how to
>> use IRC (I hadn't used it in over 10 years, until yesterday, and all I
>> needed was a little guidance), it's just another place for people to
>> have community.
>>
>> I just think it'd be cool to have a place called home for those of us
>> interested. Just like we have this mailing list (which seems rather
>> male dominated, too!). :)
>>
>> Sarah
>>
>> --
>> GLAMWIKI Partnership Ambassador for the Wikimedia Foundation
>> 
>> Wikipedian-in-Residence, Archives of American Art
>> 
>> and
>> Sarah Stierch Consulting
>> /Historical, cultural & artistic research & advising./
>> --
>> http://www.sarahstierch.com/
>>
>>
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Re: [Gendergap] Proposal: Forking gendergap: Main list for women and transgender, sublist for male supporters

[Brandon Harris]

On 3/16/11 1:48 PM, Laura Hale wrote:


> If you and Erik want to belong, that's great.  It should be purely in
> support roles: Women say they are doing this project and need help.  WMF
> officials step in and say we can help this way.  If this was the general
> mode of male participation on the list, of specific support offered in
> response to specific requests, male involvement would be less problematic.

I'm not sure that relegating the anyone to "support roles" based on 
gender is the wisest course of action.  Isn't that mindset one aspect of 
the problem at hand?

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Re: [Gendergap] Proposal: Forking gendergap: Main list for women and transgender, sublist for male supporters

[Brandon Harris]

On 3/16/11 1:18 PM, Laura Hale wrote:
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 6:30 AM, Erik Moeller  > wrote:
>
> IMO this list was started as an inclusive forum for discussion of
> gender gap among equal participants. Discrimination by gender doesn't
> make sense to me.
>
>
> Erik,
>
> Can I ask you a personal question?  What gender are you? If you aren't
> female, why are you participating in this conversation?

Erik is the Deputy Director of the Wikimedia Foundation.  As to why he 
is on this list and participating in the conversation, it is because the 
overall health of Wikimedia projects is his primary concern.

My reasons are similar: I am the User Interface Designer employed by 
the Foundation.  I believe my paramount mission is increase overall 
participation and collaboration.  The male/female gendergap falls into 
the purview of that mission.

If anything I have said has made you uncomfortable, I apologize; 
however, I do not necessarily believe that I should stop my (admittedly 
limited) participation in this conversation because of my gender.

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Re: [Gendergap] Meta: Don't be a dick

[Brandon Harris]

Hey man.  Leave my name out of this fight; I just suggested an 
alternative term.

Anyone who has met me knows that I speak like a drunken sailor on leave 
and have no problems with language.


On 3/14/11 4:22 PM, Denis Barthel wrote:
>   >  Are we seriously suggesting that women, as a class, are not editing
>   >  >  Wikipedia because sometimes editors use naughty words?
>
> It's just Brandon, Pete, Joseph, Daniel, Fred (and now me) ruling the
> discussion on women's needs.
>
> Denis
>
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Re: [Gendergap] Meta: Don't be a dick

[Brandon Harris]

No; merely providing an alternate word.

On 3/13/11 10:45 AM, Nepenthe wrote:
> Are we seriously suggesting that women, as a class, are not editing
> Wikipedia because sometimes editors use naughty words?
>
> On Sun, Mar 13, 2011 at 12:43 PM, Brandon Harris  <mailto:bhar...@wikimedia.org>> wrote:
>
>
> "Jerk" would serve the exact sentiment.
>

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Re: [Gendergap] Meta: Don't be a dick

[Brandon Harris]

"Jerk" would serve the exact sentiment.


On 3/13/11 10:21 AM, Fred Bauder wrote:

> Feel free to suggest a new title and revise the article accordingly.
> We've used that expression for a long time, but I don't think there is
> any good reason to not change it. However, the title needs to be both
> descriptive and memorable

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