On Sunday, February 28, 2016, Leigh Thelmadatter <[email protected]> wrote:
> I have to agree here. Yes. > > The WMF and its employees have forgotten that the mission is to support > the work done on the various wikis, not make work for fireworks for > themselves. No. > Nothing we are dealing with here is new. It is just the eruption of some > very long-standing problems with the WMF and the tone it sets for the rest > of the movement. Yes. > While some might be celebrating now, No, except as sense of relief in an immediate part of problem bent addressed. > Lila was not the problem. IMHO, the problem is a lot of hidden > hierarchies (denied of course). Add to that, that the lack of transparency > allows the growth of hidden agendas. Remember this blew when a community selected board member was tossed off > the board unceremoniously. We find out through this that the community (or > chapters) have no real voice on the board under the current set up. Yes. -- brion > > > > From: [email protected] <javascript:;> > > Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 17:52:30 +0100 > > To: [email protected] <javascript:;> > > Subject: [Wikimedia-l] What it means to be a *volunteer* organization > > > > I am starting a new thread because I disagree with the idea that the WMF > > should be a high-tech organization as the other thread by Brion seemed to > > suggest. Yes, technology is a tool that we use in our mission to gather > and > > process all forms of human knowledge, but in the end the driving force is > > volunteership. > > > > Without volunteers there wouldn't be any movement and there wouldn't be > any > > need for tools, or any donations whatsoever. It is the concept of working > > for free for the common good that allows us to exist and fulfill our > > mission. The WMF is instrumental in providing the tools for it to happen, > > but those tools are not only technological, they are also legal, > > educational, and social, however when talking through computer screens we > > seem to forget that. > > > > A hi-tech tool can work for a given task or not, but there are more > > important topics like trust, commitment, empowerment, motivation, and joy > > that cannot be assessed so easily, and that are at least as crucial as > any > > software. What is the point of having a perfect tool Z if I don't enjoy > > working with my fellows on a common mission? > > > > The role of nurturing volunteers is not exclusive of affiliate > > organizations, the WMF offer grants to volunteers and organizes several > > gatherings. Is that enough to strengthen the volunteer community? Then I > > look at organizations like WOOF or workaway that thrive with full-time > > volunteers and I wonder if more opportunities could be opened for our > > volunteers. > > Is there anything holding us back to try new things besides old patterns > of > > participation? > > > > It is a challenge to do more for the volunteer community without > resorting > > to grants or payment, but that is the key to succeed as a volunteer > > organization, to provide an ecosystem where personal growth is possible. > > > > I am interested in hearing what others have to say about it. Maybe it is > > possible to gather ideas or even a team of people who wants to research > > more information about the topic. > > > > Cheers, > > Micru > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > New messages to: [email protected] <javascript:;> > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:[email protected] <javascript:;> > ?subject=unsubscribe> > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > New messages to: [email protected] <javascript:;> > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:[email protected] <javascript:;> > ?subject=unsubscribe> _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe>
