Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Jonathan Cardy]

A few years ago I worked for a multinational European company that decided to 
rebrand itself and get one company name that was equally inoffensive across 
Europe. After paying a brand naming company to look at the business and find a 
name that worked across all European languages we duly started the rebranding. 
Then one of the programmers went on this newfangled internet thingy and found 
that the domain had already been snaffled by a site that gave information about 
how to grow marijuana.

Moral of the story, getting a name that makes sense or at least isn't wildly 
inappropriate in multiple languages is a non trivial matter, and the more 
languages you have to worry about the more difficult it is. We have been 
focussed on English but Wikimania is a global event so any rebrand has to work 
on all languages.

Happy to change my mind if ISIS rebrands itself as WKImania or some country 
elects Ms Wickinamia as head of state.

Regards

WereSpielChequers


> On 3 Nov 2016, at 15:26, Lodewijk  wrote:
> 
> I think we haven't had this discussion for at least five years, so I guess 
> it's fine to have it again. I don't feel a particular need to change either, 
> but there's no other way to find out if many people do feel such need, than 
> to have this discussion. I'm fine with people putting arguments together in a 
> constructive fashion like this, and then after that, seeing whether there's a 
> widely shared sentiment to change, based on that. 
> 
> Lodewijk
> 
> 2016-11-03 16:13 GMT+01:00 Luca Martinelli :
>> Sorry for my bluntness, but... are we REALLY having this conversation? We're 
>> about to question our annual summit's name after 12 editions? Is it really a 
>> problem?
>> 
>> L.
>> 
>> 
>> Il 03 nov 2016 14:29, "Chris Keating"  ha 
>> scritto:
>>> Well, the idea of "-mania" meaning "collective outpouring of enthusiasm" 
>>> rather than "mental illness" dates to at least the 1960s with Beatlemania, 
>>> even if the original use of the formulation - 
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisztomania - was intended to have clinical 
>>> meaning. 
>>> 
>>> I am unaware of any actual objections to this usage from, for instance, 
>>> psychiatrists or mental health organisations.
>>> 
>>> Chris
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
 On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Stuart Prior 
  wrote:
 "Mania" is not a word where the meaning has completely changed, and is 
 still evidently used in current psychiatry. 
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania#References
 
 A prescriptivist view of the word would be deciding what it doesn't mean, 
 as much as what it does. 
 Gordo is rightly pointing out that nowadays it just has more meanings, and 
 has stigmatising qualities like the words "lame", "retard" etc. And we 
 should think about that as a movement that tries to be inclusive.
 
 Personally I've always thought that Wikimania needed a name change 
 (Wikimedia Conference needs a name change too). WikiGlobal? WikiSummit? 
 WikiFest?
 
 S
 
 
 
> On 3 November 2016 at 12:54, Stephan Schulz  wrote:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy
> 
> > On 03 Nov 2016, at 13:52, Pierre-Selim  wrote:
> >
> > I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail 
> > company called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who 
> > targeted video game player (I don't think the name of the company is 
> > confused by anyone as a medical condition or an insult).
> >
> > Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference: 
> > it should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the 
> > Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania
> >
> > 2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :
> >
> >
> > Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
> >
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
> >
> > Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
> >
> > Gordo
> >
> > ___
> > Wikimania-l mailing list
> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Pierre-Selim
> >
> >
> > ___
> > Wikimania-l mailing list
> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
> 
> --
> -- It can be done! 
> -
>   Please email me as sch...@eprover.org (Stephan Schulz)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Andrew Lih]

On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 11:13 AM, Luca Martinelli 
wrote:

> Sorry for my bluntness, but... are we REALLY having this conversation?
> We're about to question our annual summit's name after 12 editions? Is it
> really a problem?
>

1. This isn’t a high traffic list.
2. You won’t know until you ask.
3. It’s good to be self-aware.
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Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Lodewijk]

I think we haven't had this discussion for at least five years, so I guess
it's fine to have it again. I don't feel a particular need to change
either, but there's no other way to find out if many people do feel such
need, than to have this discussion. I'm fine with people putting arguments
together in a constructive fashion like this, and then after that, seeing
whether there's a widely shared sentiment to change, based on that.

Lodewijk

2016-11-03 16:13 GMT+01:00 Luca Martinelli :

> Sorry for my bluntness, but... are we REALLY having this conversation?
> We're about to question our annual summit's name after 12 editions? Is it
> really a problem?
>
> L.
>
> Il 03 nov 2016 14:29, "Chris Keating"  ha
> scritto:
>
>> Well, the idea of "-mania" meaning "collective outpouring of enthusiasm"
>> rather than "mental illness" dates to at least the 1960s with Beatlemania,
>> even if the original use of the formulation -
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisztomania - was intended to have
>> clinical meaning.
>>
>> I am unaware of any actual objections to this usage from, for instance,
>> psychiatrists or mental health organisations.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Stuart Prior <
>> stuart.pr...@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> "Mania" is not a word where the meaning has completely changed, and is
>>> still evidently used in current psychiatry. https://en.wikiped
>>> ia.org/wiki/Mania#References
>>>
>>> A prescriptivist view of the word would be deciding what it *doesn't*
>>> mean, as much as what it *does*.
>>> Gordo is rightly pointing out that nowadays it just has more meanings,
>>> and has stigmatising qualities like the words "lame", "retard" etc. And we
>>> should think about that as a movement that tries to be inclusive.
>>>
>>> Personally I've always thought that Wikimania needed a name change
>>> (Wikimedia Conference needs a name change too). WikiGlobal? WikiSummit?
>>> WikiFest?
>>>
>>> S
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 3 November 2016 at 12:54, Stephan Schulz  wrote:
>>>
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy

 > On 03 Nov 2016, at 13:52, Pierre-Selim 
 wrote:
 >
 > I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail
 company called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who targeted
 video game player (I don't think the name of the company is confused by
 anyone as a medical condition or an insult).
 >
 > Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference:
 it should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the
 Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania
 >
 > 2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :
 >
 >
 > Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
 >
 > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
 >
 > Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
 >
 > Gordo
 >
 > ___
 > Wikimania-l mailing list
 > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
 > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
 >
 >
 >
 > --
 > Pierre-Selim
 >
 >
 > ___
 > Wikimania-l mailing list
 > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
 > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l

 --
 -- It can be done!
 -
   Please email me as sch...@eprover.org (Stephan Schulz)
 
 









 ___
 Wikimania-l mailing list
 Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
 https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l


>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *Stuart Prior*
>>> *Project Coordinator*
>>> *Wikimedia UK*
>>> +44 20 7065 0990
>>>
>>> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and
>>> Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered
>>> Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT.
>>> United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia
>>> movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who
>>> operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
>>>
>>> *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control
>>> over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
>>>
>>> ___
>>> Wikimania-l mailing list
>>> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>>
>>>
>>
>> ___
>> Wikimania-l mailing list
>> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> 

Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Luca Martinelli]

Sorry for my bluntness, but... are we REALLY having this conversation?
We're about to question our annual summit's name after 12 editions? Is it
really a problem?

L.

Il 03 nov 2016 14:29, "Chris Keating"  ha
scritto:

> Well, the idea of "-mania" meaning "collective outpouring of enthusiasm"
> rather than "mental illness" dates to at least the 1960s with Beatlemania,
> even if the original use of the formulation - https://en.wikipedia.org/
> wiki/Lisztomania - was intended to have clinical meaning.
>
> I am unaware of any actual objections to this usage from, for instance,
> psychiatrists or mental health organisations.
>
> Chris
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Stuart Prior <
> stuart.pr...@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
>
>> "Mania" is not a word where the meaning has completely changed, and is
>> still evidently used in current psychiatry. https://en.wikiped
>> ia.org/wiki/Mania#References
>>
>> A prescriptivist view of the word would be deciding what it *doesn't*
>> mean, as much as what it *does*.
>> Gordo is rightly pointing out that nowadays it just has more meanings,
>> and has stigmatising qualities like the words "lame", "retard" etc. And we
>> should think about that as a movement that tries to be inclusive.
>>
>> Personally I've always thought that Wikimania needed a name change
>> (Wikimedia Conference needs a name change too). WikiGlobal? WikiSummit?
>> WikiFest?
>>
>> S
>>
>>
>>
>> On 3 November 2016 at 12:54, Stephan Schulz  wrote:
>>
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy
>>>
>>> > On 03 Nov 2016, at 13:52, Pierre-Selim 
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail
>>> company called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who targeted
>>> video game player (I don't think the name of the company is confused by
>>> anyone as a medical condition or an insult).
>>> >
>>> > Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference:
>>> it should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the
>>> Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania
>>> >
>>> > 2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
>>> >
>>> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
>>> >
>>> > Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
>>> >
>>> > Gordo
>>> >
>>> > ___
>>> > Wikimania-l mailing list
>>> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Pierre-Selim
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ___
>>> > Wikimania-l mailing list
>>> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>>
>>> --
>>> -- It can be done!
>>> -
>>>   Please email me as sch...@eprover.org (Stephan Schulz)
>>> 
>>> 
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ___
>>> Wikimania-l mailing list
>>> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *Stuart Prior*
>> *Project Coordinator*
>> *Wikimedia UK*
>> +44 20 7065 0990
>>
>> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and
>> Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered
>> Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT.
>> United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia
>> movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who
>> operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
>>
>> *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control
>> over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
>>
>> ___
>> Wikimania-l mailing list
>> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>
>>
>
> ___
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> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>
>
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Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Andrew Lih]

I don’t have a personal problem with Wikimania as a name, but there are
some liabilities:

1. It isn’t terribly descriptive of the event we hold, as it is a pretty
standard conference with session proposals, meetings and training.
Occasionally, it will go “mania” with some more innovative and offbeat
ideas.

2. On first glance, the name isn’t very professional sounding. So it may be
hard to convince one’s boss or academic head to fund travel or time off to
attend the premier conference for the Wikimedia community.

In the US, we’ve gone with “Wikiconference” as the name for the
national/regional gathering.
https://wikiconference.org

-Andrew


-Andrew Lih
Associate professor of journalism, American University
Email: and...@andrewlih.com
WEB: http://www.andrewlih.com
BOOK: The Wikipedia Revolution: http://www.wikipediarevolution.com
PROJECT: Wiki Makes Video
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Wiki_Makes_Video

On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 8:28 AM, Gordon Joly  wrote:

>
>
> Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
>
> Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
>
> Gordo
>
> ___
> Wikimania-l mailing list
> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>
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Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Chris Keating]

Well, the idea of "-mania" meaning "collective outpouring of enthusiasm"
rather than "mental illness" dates to at least the 1960s with Beatlemania,
even if the original use of the formulation -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisztomania - was intended to have clinical
meaning.

I am unaware of any actual objections to this usage from, for instance,
psychiatrists or mental health organisations.

Chris



On Thu, Nov 3, 2016 at 1:16 PM, Stuart Prior 
wrote:

> "Mania" is not a word where the meaning has completely changed, and is
> still evidently used in current psychiatry. https://en.
> wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania#References
>
> A prescriptivist view of the word would be deciding what it *doesn't*
> mean, as much as what it *does*.
> Gordo is rightly pointing out that nowadays it just has more meanings, and
> has stigmatising qualities like the words "lame", "retard" etc. And we
> should think about that as a movement that tries to be inclusive.
>
> Personally I've always thought that Wikimania needed a name change
> (Wikimedia Conference needs a name change too). WikiGlobal? WikiSummit?
> WikiFest?
>
> S
>
>
>
> On 3 November 2016 at 12:54, Stephan Schulz  wrote:
>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy
>>
>> > On 03 Nov 2016, at 13:52, Pierre-Selim  wrote:
>> >
>> > I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail
>> company called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who targeted
>> video game player (I don't think the name of the company is confused by
>> anyone as a medical condition or an insult).
>> >
>> > Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference:
>> it should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the
>> Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania
>> >
>> > 2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :
>> >
>> >
>> > Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
>> >
>> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
>> >
>> > Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
>> >
>> > Gordo
>> >
>> > ___
>> > Wikimania-l mailing list
>> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Pierre-Selim
>> >
>> >
>> > ___
>> > Wikimania-l mailing list
>> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>
>> --
>> -- It can be done!
>> -
>>   Please email me as sch...@eprover.org (Stephan Schulz)
>> 
>> 
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ___
>> Wikimania-l mailing list
>> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> *Stuart Prior*
> *Project Coordinator*
> *Wikimedia UK*
> +44 20 7065 0990
>
> Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and
> Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered
> Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT.
> United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia
> movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who
> operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).
>
> *Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control
> over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
>
> ___
> Wikimania-l mailing list
> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>
>
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Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Stuart Prior]

"Mania" is not a word where the meaning has completely changed, and is
still evidently used in current psychiatry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania#References

A prescriptivist view of the word would be deciding what it *doesn't* mean,
as much as what it *does*.
Gordo is rightly pointing out that nowadays it just has more meanings, and
has stigmatising qualities like the words "lame", "retard" etc. And we
should think about that as a movement that tries to be inclusive.

Personally I've always thought that Wikimania needed a name change
(Wikimedia Conference needs a name change too). WikiGlobal? WikiSummit?
WikiFest?

S



On 3 November 2016 at 12:54, Stephan Schulz  wrote:

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_fallacy
>
> > On 03 Nov 2016, at 13:52, Pierre-Selim  wrote:
> >
> > I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail company
> called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who targeted video
> game player (I don't think the name of the company is confused by anyone as
> a medical condition or an insult).
> >
> > Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference: it
> should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the
> Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania
> >
> > 2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :
> >
> >
> > Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
> >
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
> >
> > Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
> >
> > Gordo
> >
> > ___
> > Wikimania-l mailing list
> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Pierre-Selim
> >
> >
> > ___
> > Wikimania-l mailing list
> > Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>
> --
> -- It can be done!
> -
>   Please email me as sch...@eprover.org (Stephan Schulz)
> 
> 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___
> Wikimania-l mailing list
> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>
>


-- 
*Stuart Prior*
*Project Coordinator*
*Wikimedia UK*
+44 20 7065 0990

Wikimedia UK is a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and
Wales, Registered No. 6741827. Registered Charity No.1144513. Registered
Office 4th Floor, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4LT.
United Kingdom. Wikimedia UK is the UK chapter of a global Wikimedia
movement. The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who
operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects).

*Wikimedia UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control
over Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents.*
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Re: [Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Pierre-Selim]

I'm not specially shocked. In France we have a video game retail company
called Micromania (based on microcomputer and mania), who targeted video
game player (I don't think the name of the company is confused by anyone as
a medical condition or an insult).

Long time ago I heard a good joke about the naming of the conference: it
should be called the Wikimedia Conference and what is call now the
Wikimedia Conference should probably be called Wikimania

2016-11-03 13:28 GMT+01:00 Gordon Joly :

>
>
> Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
>
> Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?
>
> Gordo
>
> ___
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> Wikimania-l@lists.wikimedia.org
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l
>



-- 
Pierre-Selim
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[Wikimania-l] Wiki (not) Mania?

[Gordon Joly]

Is it proper and correct to use the term "mania"?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania

Would we say "WikiMad" or WikiCrazy"?

Gordo

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