Re: [Wikimediaindia-l] Wikimedia India chapter/ ET article
Shiju, you're NOT the only one. None of us other language Wikipedians have recvd. contact. Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit are also in the dark. Even on the English wikipedia we are in the dark. On 6 February 2010 07:47, Shiju Alex wrote: > I really do not know who has asked all the below questions. Now a days many > "Wikipedians" who doesn't have much idea about Wikipedia or Wiki editing are > representing Wikipedia in many forums. Many technical inaccuracies are > creeping in the report that carry these discussions. > > Recently I read some news paper reports like, *WikiPedia hits sixer this > year*, *the only Wikipedia Editor from bangalore*.., and so on > > > >> The work and administration of the chapter will be *transparent, >> democratic and open*; it will function in exactly the way you decide it >> should. >> > > One thing I noticed about the process of "Wikimedia India chapter" setup > is, there is no transparency in the things happenings there. > > I know that a *secret/closed-door/confidential *meeting happened during > some time in *2009 June/July*, which is attended up by some bangalore > based IT professionals to discuss about Wikimedia India chapter. I do not > know how many of them are genuine active Wikipedians and on what basis the > selection is made. I haven't seen any invitation/notice/report/MOM/press > release regarding this in Wikipedia *or in this mailing list*. > > None of the Indian of the Indian Language Wikipedian Communities are > informed while initiating such a discussion. At least we (Malayalam > Wikipedians) we haven't received any communication regarding this. > > > Is this chapter is meant only for India based *English language > Wikipedians* and for some IT professionals? > > > > Shiju Alex > > > On Sat, Feb 6, 2010 at 6:21 AM, Achal Prabhala wrote: > >> There's been some discussion on this list of an Economic Times article >> that appeared a few days ago >> >> ( >> http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Wikipedia-may-soon-open-its-India-chapter/articleshow/5526084.cms >> ) >> >> and seeing as I am apparently quoted in the article, I thought I'd >> clarify a few things. >> >> On the ET article: >> >> 1) I did not in fact speak to the Economic Times - the quotes they've >> attributed to me are their own summaries of discussions that I've had >> with you and others on this mailing list and on the strategy project >> wiki (http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Task_force/India) as well as an >> interview with Bridgespan, the consultants who are working with the >> Wikimedia Foundation on this strategy exercise >> (http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Interviews/Achal_Prabhala). A pity >> that ET didn't think it necessary to make contact; I could have put them >> on to Wikipedians on this list, and if they had spoken to you, I think >> it would have made for a more complete article. >> >> On the India chapter: >> >> 2) As most of you know, there have been discussions around starting up >> an India chapter since about 2004. As you also know, the early >> initiatives stalled. In 2008, Jimmy Wales and Sue Gardner visited Kochi, >> Bangalore and Chennai - and during that visit, were able to stir up >> considerable enthusiasm among Wikipedians to get a chapter going. Since >> that time, I have helped a few interested Wikipedians to set up the >> infrastructure for a future Indian Wikimedia chapter - a few good people >> who were unwise enough to sign up for a long slog through the annals of >> bureaucracy, and who were furthermore willing to devote the better part >> of 2009 to understanding the minutiae of Indian tax law! (Not to mention >> extended - and extremely useful - discussions with the Wikimedia >> Chapters Committee). >> >> 3) The people who have been involved in the exercise thus far are: >> Gautam John (gkjohn at gmail dot com), Anirudh Singh Bhati >> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sir_Nicholas_de_Mimsy-Porpington), >> Anoop (anoop dot ind at gmail dot com), Arjuna Rao Chavala (arjunaraoc >> at googlemail dot com), Arun Ram (arunram25 at gmail dot com), Hari >> Prasad Nadig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:HPN), BalaSundaraRaman >> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sundar) and Kiruba Shankar (kiruba at >> kiruba dot com). The institution in India which has been helping them, >> along with me, is a Bangalore-based organisation that many of you might >> already be familiar with: the Centre for Internet and Society >> (www.cis-india.org). CIS is a non-profit that works to broaden the scope >> of the internet and related technologies in India; it has been providing >> weekly space for Wikipedia meet-ups, as well as some financial >> assistance with the actual drafting of registration documents. >> >> 4) As you have pointed out, the information on meta is not up to date. >> This, in part, is because the folks who have been working so hard on >> getting a chapter registered are yet to formulate an acceptable draft of >> the bye-laws to share with
Re: [Wikimediaindia-l] Wikimedia India chapter/ ET article
I really do not know who has asked all the below questions. Now a days many "Wikipedians" who doesn't have much idea about Wikipedia or Wiki editing are representing Wikipedia in many forums. Many technical inaccuracies are creeping in the report that carry these discussions. Recently I read some news paper reports like, *WikiPedia hits sixer this year*, *the only Wikipedia Editor from bangalore*.., and so on > The work and administration of the chapter will be *transparent, > democratic and open*; it will function in exactly the way you decide it > should. > One thing I noticed about the process of "Wikimedia India chapter" setup is, there is no transparency in the things happenings there. I know that a *secret/closed-door/confidential *meeting happened during some time in *2009 June/July*, which is attended up by some bangalore based IT professionals to discuss about Wikimedia India chapter. I do not know how many of them are genuine active Wikipedians and on what basis the selection is made. I haven't seen any invitation/notice/report/MOM/press release regarding this in Wikipedia *or in this mailing list*. None of the Indian of the Indian Language Wikipedian Communities are informed while initiating such a discussion. At least we (Malayalam Wikipedians) we haven't received any communication regarding this. Is this chapter is meant only for India based *English language Wikipedians*and for some IT professionals? Shiju Alex On Sat, Feb 6, 2010 at 6:21 AM, Achal Prabhala wrote: > There's been some discussion on this list of an Economic Times article > that appeared a few days ago > > ( > http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/infotech/internet/Wikipedia-may-soon-open-its-India-chapter/articleshow/5526084.cms > ) > > and seeing as I am apparently quoted in the article, I thought I'd > clarify a few things. > > On the ET article: > > 1) I did not in fact speak to the Economic Times - the quotes they've > attributed to me are their own summaries of discussions that I've had > with you and others on this mailing list and on the strategy project > wiki (http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Task_force/India) as well as an > interview with Bridgespan, the consultants who are working with the > Wikimedia Foundation on this strategy exercise > (http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Interviews/Achal_Prabhala). A pity > that ET didn't think it necessary to make contact; I could have put them > on to Wikipedians on this list, and if they had spoken to you, I think > it would have made for a more complete article. > > On the India chapter: > > 2) As most of you know, there have been discussions around starting up > an India chapter since about 2004. As you also know, the early > initiatives stalled. In 2008, Jimmy Wales and Sue Gardner visited Kochi, > Bangalore and Chennai - and during that visit, were able to stir up > considerable enthusiasm among Wikipedians to get a chapter going. Since > that time, I have helped a few interested Wikipedians to set up the > infrastructure for a future Indian Wikimedia chapter - a few good people > who were unwise enough to sign up for a long slog through the annals of > bureaucracy, and who were furthermore willing to devote the better part > of 2009 to understanding the minutiae of Indian tax law! (Not to mention > extended - and extremely useful - discussions with the Wikimedia > Chapters Committee). > > 3) The people who have been involved in the exercise thus far are: > Gautam John (gkjohn at gmail dot com), Anirudh Singh Bhati > (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sir_Nicholas_de_Mimsy-Porpington), > Anoop (anoop dot ind at gmail dot com), Arjuna Rao Chavala (arjunaraoc > at googlemail dot com), Arun Ram (arunram25 at gmail dot com), Hari > Prasad Nadig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:HPN), BalaSundaraRaman > (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sundar) and Kiruba Shankar (kiruba at > kiruba dot com). The institution in India which has been helping them, > along with me, is a Bangalore-based organisation that many of you might > already be familiar with: the Centre for Internet and Society > (www.cis-india.org). CIS is a non-profit that works to broaden the scope > of the internet and related technologies in India; it has been providing > weekly space for Wikipedia meet-ups, as well as some financial > assistance with the actual drafting of registration documents. > > 4) As you have pointed out, the information on meta is not up to date. > This, in part, is because the folks who have been working so hard on > getting a chapter registered are yet to formulate an acceptable draft of > the bye-laws to share with the broader Wikipedian community. However, > they will soon have that information ready, and welcome your feedback > and suggestions. Starting from the beginning of next week, the meta page > will reflect the current status of chapter development, and a draft of > bye-laws will be available for public comment by anyone interested in > contributing to the
