Still I wonder: what would be the kind of topics you'd like to schedule there that you would /not/ want non-North Americans to participate in?
Lodewijk 2016-07-06 19:28 GMT+02:00 Sydney Poore <[email protected]>: > As Pharos says, my understanding also from discussions was that North > Americans were planning to have a pre-conference or post conference at > Wikimanina 2017. > > Sydney > > Sydney Poore > User:FloNight > Wiki Project Med Foundation > WikiWomen's User Group > Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sydney.e.poore > > > On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 1:15 PM, Pharos <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Yes, we were thinking more along the lines of an expanded preconference >> with greater regional opportunities, rather than a separate track during >> the actual Wikimania. >> >> Thanks, >> Pharos >> >> On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 1:11 PM, phoebe ayers <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> Or -- my favorite solution -- leaving LOTS of time in the schedule for >>> meetups and discussion tracks, so that all kinds of groups -- including >>> those interested specifically in North America-related issues (like >>> building a coalition of NA usergroups, planning future conferences, doing >>> NA-specific outreach or lobbying) can meet to discuss such things. >>> >>> We've had discussion time historically at most Wikimanias but I think we >>> can always leave more time in the schedule for this kind of meetup. >>> Additionally a preconference day could work too, when multiple thematic >>> tracks could be scheduled (lots of people have historically asked for >>> preconferences, not just the hackers -- everyone from researchers to >>> librarians to glam outreach coordinators to affiliates have considered it >>> in the past). >>> >>> (Of course, if I was in charge of the schedule I would probably get rid >>> of individual presentations altogether during Wikimania, and just have >>> panels/lightning talks/discussions. Best not to put me in charge of the >>> schedule! :) >>> >>> -- Phoebe >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 1:00 PM, Leila Zia <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Pine, >>>> >>>> Co-located events in conferences work well if the event that is >>>> co-located with the main conference attracts a new audience that the main >>>> conference doesn't usually get by default. In the case of Wikimania and >>>> WikiConference North America, I can see a lot of overlap based on the last >>>> couple of years' schedules. This will result in what Lodewijk is concerned >>>> about: splitting the potential audience in smaller groups while they can >>>> benefit from getting in one room. Also, an already hard task of scheduling >>>> events will become even harder: For example, we need to worry about not >>>> scheduling two GLAM events at the same time, one focusing on North America >>>> and the other a general/global event. >>>> >>>> This being said, I understand that you want to be mindful of the cost >>>> and time spent for these conferences. My suggestion would be for you to >>>> consider a 1-2 day event pre/post Wikimania focused on North America. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> Leila >>>> >>>> Leila Zia >>>> Research Scientist >>>> Wikimedia Foundation >>>> >>>> On Wed, Jul 6, 2016 at 1:43 AM, Lodewijk <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Pine, >>>>> >>>>> Thanks for sharing your thought process. I can see why you identify a >>>>> topical overlap between Wikimania in North America and the North American >>>>> WikiConference. I also see why those topics should be part of the >>>>> programme >>>>> at Wikimania - I don't expect much disagreement in that field. And >>>>> whatever >>>>> you do, it will be. >>>>> >>>>> The question is, why would you want to organise it in a special >>>>> 'track' beyond a grouping of similar topics - which seems overly formal >>>>> and >>>>> separatist. There's an overlap between all topics that you mention, and I >>>>> wouldn't see either why there should be a 'legal track', 'glam track' etc. >>>>> Every 'regional topic' will likely also fall under Nature, Glam, >>>>> Technology, Law, Education or one of the other topical groupings. >>>>> >>>>> Having a 'track' in a formal way, is much more heavy than grouping >>>>> topics that are related, together. To me it would suggest that 1) North >>>>> Americans can't learn from projects from elsewhere (I think the opposite >>>>> is >>>>> true) and 2) Non-North Americans should not attend those presentations >>>>> (which I also think would be quite untrue). >>>>> >>>>> The question is what you're trying to accomplish. I would be a fan of >>>>> rather mingling geographies, rather than separating them out, unless you >>>>> have a strong reason to do otherwise. It makes more sense to me to have >>>>> three presentations about education grouped together where they come from >>>>> different regions, with different approaches than to have three >>>>> presentations about North America on a variety of topics grouped together. >>>>> I would find it even more odd to have a whole track dedicated to a region >>>>> - >>>>> and it would be without precedent (I think). >>>>> >>>>> Best, >>>>> Lodewijk >>>>> >>>>> 2016-07-06 9:06 GMT+02:00 Pine W <[email protected]>: >>>>> >>>>>> I'm fine with multiple language tracks (most likely including French >>>>>> and Spanish). >>>>>> >>>>>> The reason for a geographic track (in this case, North America) is >>>>>> that otherwise we'd be having a separate conference that served this >>>>>> purpose. I'm sure that many of us in North America will want to attend >>>>>> tracks on subjects other than geographic interest (technology, research, >>>>>> GLAM, STEM, law, education, outreach, community health, and governance >>>>>> come >>>>>> to mind), so there will be substantial benefit in effectively co-locating >>>>>> the conferences. My guess is that this can be done in a way that is a net >>>>>> positive for all. For example, the scholarship budget that would >>>>>> otherwise >>>>>> be requested for a separate WikiConference North America 2017 could >>>>>> instead >>>>>> be used to facilitate increased attendance by North Americans in >>>>>> Montreal, >>>>>> which I think would have the benefit of increasing attendance at >>>>>> Wikimania, >>>>>> and at the same time we would eliminate the need to find a time and venue >>>>>> for a separate conference with separate expenses. >>>>>> >>>>>> Pine >>>>>> On Jul 5, 2016 23:36, "Lodewijk" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hey pine, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> As most people will be able to confirm, having a bigger presence of >>>>>>> regional topics is likely to happen anyway in any Wikimania. When >>>>>>> Wikimania >>>>>>> is in Asia, you'll see more Asian speakers, and when it's in Europe, >>>>>>> more >>>>>>> Europeans. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Separate and successful tracks have been organised before, to the >>>>>>> best of my knowledge, in three ways: 1) language tracks - which were >>>>>>> separate for very practical reasons (translations). 2) type-of-session >>>>>>> tracks - which again are very practical (different needs for a >>>>>>> discussion >>>>>>> than for a presentation) and 3) A thematic track - but that was often >>>>>>> organised like a type of side conference (with the US govt in 2012, with >>>>>>> WikiSym and the hackathon). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> To be honest, I don't see right away why 'North American regional >>>>>>> and local subjects' would require such track and even more why it would >>>>>>> require a special committee. It will find its way in the programme, and >>>>>>> it's not like non-Americans won't enjoy those topics per se. Why try to >>>>>>> separate it from the rest of the programme? In general I'm no big fan of >>>>>>> splitting up the programme into smaller pieces too much - it leaves too >>>>>>> much opportunity for good proposals to fall between the cracks and get >>>>>>> lost. And it gets confusing easily to the participants. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Now I *do* see an added value for a French language track... but I >>>>>>> guess that'll be of little use to you. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Best, >>>>>>> Lodewijk >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 2016-07-06 7:44 GMT+02:00 Pine W <[email protected]>: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi Wikimania folks (Ellie and the Montreal organizers in >>>>>>>> particular), >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Those of us in the US have expressed a hope that WikiConference >>>>>>>> North America 2017 can be united with Wikimania 2017 in Montreal. This >>>>>>>> would likely lead to economies of scale and reduced total cost, in >>>>>>>> terms of >>>>>>>> both time and money, for what would otherwise be separate conferences. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> I would like to ask if WMF and the Montreal organizers would be >>>>>>>> willing and able to have some tracks at that conference dedicated to >>>>>>>> North >>>>>>>> American regional and local subjects, perhaps coordinated by a >>>>>>>> dedicated >>>>>>>> North America program committee. I foresee a modest increase in >>>>>>>> attendance >>>>>>>> at Wikimania 2017, and decreases in personal and WMF costs, if we can >>>>>>>> make >>>>>>>> what would otherwise be separate conferences happen harmoniously. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Thanks, and I hope to see you in Montreal next year. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Pine >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>> >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l > >
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