I think with this and many other discussions, form should follow function. So as we begin to introduce and implement our new Strategic Plan it will inform this issue over time.
Regards, Garfield On Thu, Apr 16, 2015 at 5:46 AM, rupert THURNER <rupert.thur...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Garfield, many thanks for your answer! > On Apr 9, 2015 5:35 PM, "Garfield Byrd" <gb...@wikimedia.org> wrote: > > > > Hi Pine, > > > > I have answered your questions in your email. > > > > Regards, > > > > Garfield > > > > On Thu, Apr 9, 2015 at 12:38 AM, Pine W <wiki.p...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > Hi Garfield, > > > > > > Ok, follow up questions: > > > > > > * Does WMF have a plan to keep the Foundation and its essential > functions > > > operational if, say, the San Francisco main building all SF staff are > > > completely offline and unreachable by phone for a week after an > earthquake? > > > > > Yes, we have a plan in place in case the building in San Francisco is > > unavailable. All San Francisco staff will not be offline for a week > after > > an earthquake. Not all staff live in San Francisco, and Loma Prieta > showed > > that even a major earthquake does not take the entire San Francisco Bay > > Area offline. So essential functions will continue even after an > > earthquake. > > > > In addition, even though many of our staff are in San Francisco, we do > have > > staff in many other states and 18 countries. > > > > * Would there be worthwhile advantages to establishing a second main > office > > in someplace like the US east coast or Europe? > > > > We have tried to setup a center of activity in other states and it did > not > > prove to be worthwhile, as staff preferred to work from home or other > > locations. So it was an an additional cost with any additional benefit. > It > > is my understanding that having an office outside the United States > creates > > complications for Wikipedia and the other Wiki projects in the area of > > content protection. > > To create less headaches about this would it not be better to split up wmf > in two, one doing the software at any convenient location, while the other > one would own the domains, hosting and money? > > > > Thanks, and please reply when it's convenient for you. > > > > > > I'll follow up offline with HR about talent pool questions. > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > Pine > > > On Apr 8, 2015 5:16 PM, "Garfield Byrd" <gb...@wikimedia.org> wrote: > > > > > >> Hi Pine, > > >> > > >> If the Foundation decides to move, the cost of making the space usable > > >> for our staff is not a recoverable cost from the building owner. > > >> > > >> At this point, WMF is not planning on moving out of the San Francisco > > >> market area. We will be doing our best to manage cost when we renew > our > > >> lease or move. The advantages of having good access to talented people > and > > >> organizations WMF interacts with far outweigh any advantages to moving > to a > > >> lower cost location outside of the San Francisco market area. > > >> > > >> Regards, > > >> > > >> Garfield > > >> > > >> On Tue, Apr 7, 2015 at 9:58 PM, Pine W <wiki.p...@gmail.com> wrote: > > >> > > >>> Hi Garfield, > > >>> > > >>> I'm asking this on Wikimedia-l because a number of Wikimedians have > > >>> noted the expensiveness of the San Francisco area including its high > cost > > >>> of living for staff, employer competition for engineering talent, and > > >>> associated high salaries for WMF employees. > > >>> > > >>> I see on > > >>> > > http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/foundation/8/8a/RFP_for_Real_Estate_Services.pdf > > >>> that WMF is considering relocating its offices when its current main > office > > >>> lease expires. > > >>> > > >>> Questions: > > >>> > > >>> What happens to the remodel expenses that WMF is paying for at its > > >>> current location? If WMF vacates the premesis, will it be compensated > for > > >>> the remodel by the building owner? > > >>> > > >>> I hope that WMF is contemplating fully exiting the San Francisco > market > > >>> area in order to economize, get better value for our donors' funds, > have > > >>> less competition for talent, and lower costs of living for staff. Is > this > > >>> being considered? > > >>> > > >>> Thanks very much, > > >>> > > >>> Pine > > >>> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> -- > > >> Garfield Byrd > > >> Chief of Finance and Administration > > >> Wikimedia Foundation > > >> 415.839.6885 ext 6787 > > >> 415.882.0495 (fax) > > >> www.wikimediafoundation.org > > >> > > >> Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in > > >> the sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality! > > >> > > >> *https://donate.wikimedia.org <https://donate.wikimedia.org/>* > > >> > > > > > > > > > -- > > Garfield Byrd > > Chief of Finance and Administration > > Wikimedia Foundation > > 415.839.6885 ext 6787 > > 415.882.0495 (fax) > > www.wikimediafoundation.org > > > > Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in > > the sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality! > > > > *https://donate.wikimedia.org <https://donate.wikimedia.org/>* > > _______________________________________________ > > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines > Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, > <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe> > -- Garfield Byrd Chief of Finance and Administration Wikimedia Foundation 415.839.6885 ext 6787 415.882.0495 (fax) www.wikimediafoundation.org Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality! *https://donate.wikimedia.org <https://donate.wikimedia.org/>* _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-requ...@lists.wikimedia.org?subject=unsubscribe>
