Just to add my thoughts on this. I think the whole discussion is quite a novel situation in WMF-Community relations, as we have never dealt with an issue quite like this before.
Firstly the good (and even though this section is shorter, it's just as significant): 1) The WMF is consulting and discussing, not simply doing. This is a good thing (and hopefully it's possible to agree that it is a good thing, even if you disagree with the handling of the consultation, or indeed the conclusion reached). If you don't think it's a good thing, please compare it with say (for instance) the Haifa letter. 2) We do now have a clear statement of what benefits Wikimania brings the movement, which we didn't have before. Again, this is good. :-) However there are a few areas where I still have some concerns about the direction this is going: 3) I am still really unsure who is owning this process, either within the WMF or in general. Generally, I think clear responsibility and accountability *eases* difficult conversations and so far as I can tell they are lacking in the conversation about "what should happen with Wikimania". Is it the WMF's view that Wikimania in its current form is broken and change is needed - if so who represents that view to the community? (Or if not, what *is* the WMF's view?) Equally, I am not really clear what the Wikimania Committee sees its sees its role as these days. In general I am all for ad-hoc groups going and doing things but I think we are some way past the limit of that model with Wikimania. 4) I don't see a 55-47 vote on a menu of 3 options as being a particularly strong indication of community consensus. Indeed, it's pretty clear there isn't a consensus, and it would be a shame if people proceeded on the basis that "There was a consultation and the answer was X - so we're doing X". That said, I would be really happy to hear voices from the WMF or the Wikimania Committee saying "The important factors we see are X, Y and Z. From the consultation showed lots of other people were thinking X and Y (though less Z) and P and Q were also important which we hadn't thought about. As a result, we are intending to do: This. Thanks, Chris On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 4:57 PM, Nathan <nawr...@gmail.com> wrote: > On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 10:54 AM, Risker <risker...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hello Gerard, I believe the topic of capping costs is a reasonable one > > because, simply put, there are not unlimited resources within the > movement. > > Some of us have the financial wherewithal to attend "on our own dime", > but > > many of our colleagues from around the world are not in that position. > > > Let's stipulate that there isn't a lot of empirical evidence proving the > value of Wikimania to the movement. I think the same could be said for tens > of millions of dollars in WMF spending. Considering the comparatively tiny > cost of Wikimania, it makes much more sense to me for the WMF to put its > own operations through a cost/benefit crucible. This is just one more > example of the WMF being much more demanding on money spent outside the > organization than it is on internal spending. > > It doesn't appear that the options presented were really fair or that the > conclusions drawn from them can be considered supported; option 1 was the > "give WMF complete control" option, option 2 was "get rid of Wikimania" and > option 3 was "Have Wikimania every other year." I have to suspect that if > there was a "have Wikimania every year, don't give WMF control" option many > would have selected it. > > If a different organization decides to host its own Wikimania (and I don't > know that the WMF "owns" the name Wikimania) in 2018, I would happily > support that effort. > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
