Looking at the current (private) chapters' list, for at least a year 90%+ of the traffic has been announcements that were cross-posted to Wikimedia-l. The other 10% is invitations and requests addressed to "chapters people" that might be boring to most people on wikimedia-l but could have been publically archived with no problem.
The last "private" thing to happen on that list was discussion of the 2014 Affiliate Selected Board Seats process - actually not so much the process itself but how to deal with an intemperate email from someone from the English Wikipedia Signpost who was threatening to write an article about the process being an undemocratic sham. Apart from that we are stretching back into 2013 and the death throes of the WCA before anyone said anything interesting on the list. On the subject of email lists, internal-l which is meant to be "chapters plus WMF staff" has had virtually no traffic for literally years. There was at one point a limit on the number of representatives of chapters that could be on internal-l (and IIRC on the chapters list) but that never really served any purpose (it certainly didn't improve the signal to noise ratio...) What does all of this mean? I think it's pretty clear that broad-based private-access lists aren't serving any purpose. My preferred option would be to either ditch the Chapters mailing list or make it announce-only, scrap Internal-l entirely, and have an "affiliates" list that is open. Chris On Mon, Oct 19, 2015 at 7:21 PM, Gregory Varnum <gregory.var...@gmail.com> wrote: > There has already been discussion amongst some affiliates about this issue > (including one on Meta-Wiki) - which is where this comes from. > > I suggest we leave it private for now and see what the affiliates on the > list would like to do. > > I disagree with your sentiment that none of the 10 points require privacy. > One of them is discussing affiliate-specific issues - which might include > financial or privacy issues facing an affiliates, an interaction with the > WMF, or advice on discussing an issue with the broader community. My > understanding is that there is a fear people may be more reserved in > discussing topics if their comments are up for public discussion. > > If private lists or wikis were a new concept, I think the expectation > might be something more fair to proceed with. However, there are several > private lists already in use, and as stated, this is in response to > requests from affiliates. That request included that the list be made > private, which seems reasonable. > > Ultimately, I do not feel comfortable making this decision for the > affiliates, and since they initially requested it be private, I would like > to respect that and allow them to discuss it more. > > I agree that having a discussion about how we achieve transparency is > worth doing. However, starting that discussion (or restarting it I suppose) > by imposing a new measure that was specifically not wanted by the target > audience of that resource is not the best way to move things forward. The > end result would likely be that they wind up not using the list as much, or > create a separate list to fulfill their initial request. I would like to > avoid that. > > -greg > > > > On Oct 19, 2015, at 1:56 PM, Sam Klein <sjkl...@hcs.harvard.edu> wrote: > > > > +1 for public archives to start. Private lists are almost never made > > public later, even where there's no need for privacy. > > > > A more transparent alternative is to make any list publicly-archived > > (archives world-readable, even if membership and ability to post to the > > list is restricted), while setting it up and discussing its purpose. If > > list members have specific uses that would require privacy, that purpose > > can drive a decision to make it private. Then at least those founding > > discussions and the reason for list privacy are visible to others. > > > > The converse doesn't happen. The only people whose voices count in a > > decision to make a list public are generally those already on the list. > > And they have access, so they have no pressing need to review whether its > > archives should be public. > > > > Gregory Varnum writes: > >> the whole point of creating it would be defeated. > > > > Well, Carlos mentioned 10 uses for the list, none of which need private > > discussion. It sounds like you're saying an 11th is "encouraging > affiliates > > who don't currently write about their work and experiences, to do so" and > > you think a significant number will only do so if their messages are not > > publicly visible or archived. > > > > The downside is that you defined the list very broadly, also encouraging > > people who currently write about their work publicly to start using this > > new list: so now those thoughts will be lost to the larger community > > forever. And the majority of outreach projects, event organizers, local > > communities, and groups (which aren't interested in going through a > formal > > recognition process) will be walled out. > > > > SJ > > > > On Mon, Oct 19, 2015 at 1:18 PM, Gregory Varnum < > gregory.var...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > >> Our current plan is to bring this up with the list once there is a good > >> number of people on it. > >> > >> Given that the list is for affiliates, our feeling is that it is best > for > >> them to decide how they would like to use the list. If a structure is > >> imposed on them, it is less likely they will use the list, and the whole > >> point of creating it would be defeated. Since there were requests for > the > >> list to be private, it seemed easier to start from that point and make > >> changes based on the consensus of those we hope will utilize the list > most. > >> > >> -greg (User:Varnent) > >> Vice Chair, Affiliations Committee > >> > >> > >>> On Oct 19, 2015, at 1:10 PM, Ed Erhart <the.e...@gmail.com> wrote: > >>> > >>> I too question the need for a private mailing list. We should require > >> more > >>> than a just a "consistent request" before we reduce transparency and > >> create > >>> yet another walled garden away from the community. > >>> > >>> --Ed > >>> On Oct 16, 2015 12:07 AM, "Pine W" <wiki.p...@gmail.com> wrote: > >>> > >>>> Got it. Thanks Varnent. > >>>> > >>>> Regarding the privacy question: I'm sort of thinking that if we really > >> want > >>>> to keep the new list private for legal or other reasons, it should be > >> run > >>>> outside of WMF servers like the chapters list is. On the other hand, > if > >> the > >>>> purpose of the new list is to facilitate discussion among affiliates > in > >> a > >>>> smaller and less public group while still being open to WMF employees > >> to a > >>>> limited degree, then the hosting proposed here makes sense. > Personally, > >> I > >>>> get the sense that the affiliate and WMF relationships have generally > >>>> (there are exceptions) warmed a bit over the past couple of years as > >>>> affiliate governance and leadership have evolved and as WMF's > evaluation > >>>> capacity has improved, so I'm fine with the new design. Thanks for > >> working > >>>> on this. > >>>> > >>>> Pine > >>>> On Oct 15, 2015 8:55 PM, "Gregory Varnum" <gregory.var...@gmail.com> > >>>> wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> Hey Pine, > >>>>> > >>>>> As you know, AffCom started looking into this list after some > >> discussions > >>>>> with affiliates in Berlin, Wikimania, and at that page you referred > to. > >>>> We > >>>>> did talk with that list’s moderators about potentially reusing that > >> list > >>>>> (largely why the creation of this list took awhile). However, > >> ultimately, > >>>>> we decided to proceed with the creation of this list. > >>>>> > >>>>> The old list is not on Wikimedia servers or officially connected to > >>>>> AffCom, so I cannot speak to its future. However, it has becoming > >>>>> increasingly inactive, is limited to chapters (so excludes a majority > >> of > >>>>> our affiliates), and not something we have promoted recently. My > >> personal > >>>>> hope is that this new broader list replaces that one over time, but > >> that > >>>> is > >>>>> not something we can “force” as it’s not a resource we officially > help > >>>>> manage. > >>>>> > >>>>> -greg (User:Varnent) > >>>>> Vice Chair, Affiliations Committee > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>> On Oct 15, 2015, at 5:19 PM, Pine W <wiki.p...@gmail.com> wrote: > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Hi Carlos, > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Can you clarify how this list relates to the existing chapters > mailing > >>>>>> list? (Also, please see the discussion at > >>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>> > >> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Affiliates_Network#Mailing_list_request_for_comment > >>>>>> ). > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Thanks, > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Pine > >>>>>> > >>>>>> On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 2:04 PM, Carlos M. Colina < > >>>>> ma...@wikimedia.org.ve> > >>>>>> wrote: > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> Dear all, > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> On behalf of the Affiliations Committe, I am pleased to introduce > the > >>>>>>> launch of the Wikimedia Affiliates mailing list, which is > basically a > >>>>> place > >>>>>>> for all the affiliates (chapters, thematic organizations, user > >> groups) > >>>>> to > >>>>>>> discuss issues related to affiliates, make announcements to other > >>>>>>> affiliates, and collaborate on activities and community-wide > events. > >>>> The > >>>>>>> idea is to help facilitate the dialogue affiliates across our > >>>> movement, > >>>>>>> plus collaborative discussions like community-wide activities, > joint > >>>>>>> edit-a-thons, regional conferences, blog/report posts, or other > >>>>>>> communications from affiliates. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Each Wikimedia movement affiliate is allocated three spots on the > >>>>> mailing > >>>>>>> list. All affiliates may contact the Affiliations Committee to > >> request > >>>>>>> additional spots if needed. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Please find a bit more information on Meta: > >>>>>>> > >>>>> > >>>> > >> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_movement_affiliates/Affiliates_mailing_list > >>>>>>> and do not hesitate contacting us if you have further questions. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> Regards, > >>>>>>> Carlos > >>>>>>> -- > >>>>>>> "*Jülüjain wane mmakat* ein kapülain tü alijunakalirua jee > >>>> wayuukanairua > >>>>>>> junain ekerolaa alümüin supüshuwayale etijaanaka. Ayatashi waya > >>>> junain." > >>>>>>> Carlos M. Colina > >>>>>>> Socio, A.C. Wikimedia Venezuela | RIF J-40129321-2 | > >>>>> www.wikimedia.org.ve > >>>>>>> <http://wikimedia.org.ve> > >>>>>>> Chair, Wikimedia Foundation Affiliations Committee > >>>>>>> Phone: +972-52-4869915 > >>>>>>> Twitter: @maor_x > >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>>>> 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> > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> _______________________________________________ > >>>>> 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> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> 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> > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > Samuel Klein @metasj w:user:sj +1 617 529 > 4266 > > _______________________________________________ > > 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> > _______________________________________________ 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>
