Re: [Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [Wikitech-l] Audio derivatives, turning on MP3/AAC & mobile app feature request.
On 2 February 2013 19:38, Michael Dale wrote: > On 2/2/13 2:31 PM, David Gerard wrote: >> So when and who authorised non-free formats? > It was not and has not yet been decided afaik. This is just another > recommendation that we do so. Last I heard on these lists, was legal was > looking into as a prerequisite to inform any decision. Someone from the > foundation can probably make a more official comment. It was the bit where you said you were about to commit it. Michael, we've been around this at least twice now. Do you remember what was said those times, or is this futile? - d. ___ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l
Re: [Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [Wikitech-l] Audio derivatives, turning on MP3/AAC & mobile app feature request.
It was not and has not yet been decided afaik. This is just another recommendation that we do so. Last I heard on these lists, was legal was looking into as a prerequisite to inform any decision. Someone from the foundation can probably make a more official comment. --michael On 2/2/13 2:31 PM, David Gerard wrote: So when and who authorised non-free formats? -- Forwarded message -- From: Michael Dale Date: 2 February 2013 16:25 Subject: Re: [Wikitech-l] Audio derivatives, turning on MP3/AAC & mobile app feature request. To: Wikimedia developers Cc: Jan Gerber +correct content-type this time ;) Note this has already been merged, but still worth mention for visibility. On 2/1/13 12:10 PM, Michael Dale wrote: We are about to merge in support for audio derivatives to Timed Media Handler (TMH). The big value here, I think is encoding to AAC or MP3 and adding a /listen to this article/ feature to the mobile app. https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/#/c/39363/ This can really help with improving accessibility of Wiktionary pronunciation media files as well. Also AAC / m4v ingestion, could make audio recordings a lot easier to import into the site, i.e a "record a reading of this article" mobile app feature #2 ;) There are already thousands of spoken articles, with some promotion their could probably be a lot be more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Spoken_articles The software patent situation for mp3 is sad, considering how long the mp3 format has been around: http://www.tunequest.org/a-big-list-of-mp3-patents/20070226/ I think AAC is a similar situation, encoder wise: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding#Licensing_and_patents But fundamentally Wikimedia is not "distributing" these encoders and there are no royalties for media distribution. Likewise we are not shipping decoders ( the decoders are in browser or the mobile OS ) I don't know why Wikimedia's commitment to being accessible in royalty free formats, somehow also precludes making content accessible for folks on platforms that ~don't~ decode royalty free formats. But hopefully we can change that over time. Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I hope we could come out of this thread with rough consensus to enable these formats to help increase the reach of audio works. peace, --michael ___ Wikitech-l mailing list wikitec...@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l ___ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l ___ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l
[Wikimedia-l] Fwd: [Wikitech-l] Audio derivatives, turning on MP3/AAC & mobile app feature request.
So when and who authorised non-free formats? -- Forwarded message -- From: Michael Dale Date: 2 February 2013 16:25 Subject: Re: [Wikitech-l] Audio derivatives, turning on MP3/AAC & mobile app feature request. To: Wikimedia developers Cc: Jan Gerber +correct content-type this time ;) Note this has already been merged, but still worth mention for visibility. On 2/1/13 12:10 PM, Michael Dale wrote: > > We are about to merge in support for audio derivatives to Timed Media Handler > (TMH). The big value here, I think is encoding to AAC or MP3 and adding a > /listen to this article/ feature to the mobile app. > https://gerrit.wikimedia.org/r/#/c/39363/ > > This can really help with improving accessibility of Wiktionary pronunciation > media files as well. > > Also AAC / m4v ingestion, could make audio recordings a lot easier to import > into the site, i.e a "record a reading of this article" mobile app feature #2 > ;) > > There are already thousands of spoken articles, with some promotion their > could probably be a lot be more: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Spoken_articles > > The software patent situation for mp3 is sad, considering how long the mp3 > format has been around: > http://www.tunequest.org/a-big-list-of-mp3-patents/20070226/ > > I think AAC is a similar situation, encoder wise: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding#Licensing_and_patents > > But fundamentally Wikimedia is not "distributing" these encoders and there > are no royalties for media distribution. Likewise we are not shipping > decoders ( the decoders are in browser or the mobile OS ) > > I don't know why Wikimedia's commitment to being accessible in royalty free > formats, somehow also precludes making content accessible for folks on > platforms that ~don't~ decode royalty free formats. But hopefully we can > change that over time. > > Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I hope we could come out of > this thread with rough consensus to enable these formats to help increase the > reach of audio works. > > peace, > --michael ___ Wikitech-l mailing list wikitec...@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l ___ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l
[Wikimedia-l] Call for OTRS volunteers
The Wikimedia OTRS team[1] is receiving an increasing number of emails, with almost 55,000 general information and permissions tickets responded to in 2012 alone.[2] We are greatly in need of more volunteers to catch up and help prevent continued backlog. OTRS volunteers have the benefit of choosing how much time they'd like to commit and share a wide variety of tools to help when responding to inquires. Your private information would not be exposed to the public; replies are issued from a shared Wikimedia email address. We are looking especially for people who are strong in any or all of the following areas: * Familiar with processes on any Wikimedia project and able to answer routine questions about them (some common responses include reference desk referrals; explanations of deletion processes or how to edit. The kind of thing you might run into at the Teahouse or Help desks); * Familiar with acceptable licenses for images and text and willing to handle correspondence related to permissions (many routine, but some issues include unclear statements of permission or permissions issued by people who can't be clearly connected to the source); * Familiar with policies regarding living people and organizations and able to assist article subjects with lightweight needs (updating logos, correcting small information) or serious concerns (allegations of gross inaccuracy; bias). For more information about volunteering, please see the recruiting page[3] on Meta. Being a member of the OTRS team is a great chance to be part of the public face of Wikimedia. We can't always help people, but we do our best to leave them impressed with our professionalism and responsiveness. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, we encourage you to consider applying[4]. While the English queues are the busiest, the info queues for all languages could use help, and we are always looking for new volunteers. Please translate this message and pass the word along to those in your local communities who may wish to apply. We look forward to seeing your applications on Meta-Wiki. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or any other administrator of the system.[5] For the OTRS admins, Casey Brown [1]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/OTRS [2]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/OTRS/Reports/2012 [3]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/OTRS/Recruiting [4]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/OTRS/Volunteering [5]https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/OTRS#OTRS_administrators -- Casey Brown (Cbrown1023) caseybrown.org ___ Wikimedia-l mailing list Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l
[Wikimedia-l] 2013 Ombudsmen Commission
*Hello, everyone. I'm writing with information about the Ombudsman Commission (OC), the small group of volunteers who investigate complaints about violations of the privacy policy, and in particular concerning the use of CheckUser tools, on any Wikimedia project for the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has delegated some of the decisions about the OC (including composition and size) to the Wikimedia Foundation staff. The application period for new commissioners for 2013 has recently closed. We are extremely grateful to the many dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers who offered to assist with this work. Before announcing the composition of the 2013 commission, however, I would like to let you all know about a trial change in the OC. Although the OC is kept intentionally small due to the high level of trust required of its members, this year we are expanding the commission (on a trial basis) from five members to seven. This expansion has two primary purposes. First, the commission bears a heavy responsibility of ensuring that users are granted the privacy that is their due under the Wikimedia Foundation's privacy policy. We hope that an expansion of the commission will help them remain swiftly responsive to issues sent to them even when some of the commissioners have pressing matters beyond their volunteer work. Second, commissioners have traditionally been asked to surrender their CheckUser functions on their home wikis during their term on the commission, a request that helps to reduce the potential for conflict of interest between the roles but which may also place an undue burden on smaller projects that have fewer CheckUsers to assist. With a larger commission, we expect that commissioners will be able to continue in this also critical function, only recusing if issues are raised relating to their direct colleagues. It's important that we carefully balance the need to keep this group small against the requirements that they remain flexible and available. At the end of the year, we will explore the impact of this expansion to ensure that the benefit is sufficient to the functioning of the OC to warrant the growth. In addition, the Wikimedia Foundation is committing to more closely work with the Commission this year, in an attempt to learn how we can more fully support their work. We will also be working with them to generate more regular reporting to the community in the form of at least an annual report on case load (of course, non-specific due to privacy considerations). With that in mind, we are pleased to announce the composition of the 2013 OC. Returning to the commission are three members who have served since 2011:* * *User:FloNight, who primarily edits Wikipedia en (where she is an administrator and a former member of the Arbitration Committee) but who has also contributed to Commons.She is newly editing Wikivoyage and involved with US GLAM. She is also one of the initial members of the Funds Dissemination Committee. *User:Sir48, who primarily edits Wikipedia da (where he has been a CheckUser), but is also active on Commons and Meta (particularly in translations) along with a number of other language Wikipedias. He took part in vandalfighting initiatives a few years back. *User:Thogo, who primarily Wikipedia de (where he is currently an administrator and is a former arbitrator). but who has also contributed substantially to Wiktionary de and Meta. He is formerly a steward as well as having served as an administrator on several other projects. We appreciate their willingness to remain, to bring their familiarity with processes and experiences to the new arrivals. Joining them are* * *User:Deskana, who primarily edits Wikipedia en. There, he is an administrator, CheckUser and bureaucrat. He is also a former arbitrator. *User:Erzbischof, who primarily edits Wikipedia de, where he is currently an administrator and formerly an arbitrator. *User:Huji, who primarily edits Wikipedia fa, where he is an administrator, CheckUser and bureaucrat. He has also contributed substantially to Simple Wikipedia, Wikipedia en and Meta, and is a Wikimedia developer. *User:Levg, who primarily edits Wikipedia ru, where he is an administrator, oversighter and bureaucrat and where he has twice served as an arbitrator. Please join me in thanking the following volunteers, who have given substantially of their time to serve on the commission the past years, and who are not returning:* * * User:Mwpnl * ** User:Dweller I'd also like to say a hearty thank you to those returning and those coming aboard for a first time, as well as to all those who applied. Again, it was an extremely knowledgeable group of volunteers, and while we believe that this mix of users may best serve the need for this year, I hope that those who applied will consider applying again for future commissions. Maggie * -- Maggie Dennis Community Liaison WikimediaFoundation.org ___ Wikimed
