Hi Ad, I agree that WMF support for training can be beneficial (although, given the choice, I would prefer non-WMF funding sources in order to minimize conflicts of interest between community/affiliate goals and WMF). However, the more firmly that WMF tries to elevate itself as the manager of the wikiverse and to tell community members what to do, the more strongly I object. Community autonomy should be respected, and WMF's purpose in the wikiverse is to offer support rather than to assert centralized management.
I have been thinking about these issues for a few days. I think that WMF providing technical support and training, such as a document regarding "How to create a citation", is much safer than non-technical training, such as "How to apply notability guidelines" which may refer to policies and practices that are almost exclusively established by community consensus instead of WMF edict. Regarding WMF involvement in community health, I think that there are ways that WMF can be supportive without placing itself in control or asserting leadership. For example, WMF can usefully and safely improve technical tools for sockpuppet detection, and WMF can research the prevalance of incivility on wikis over time, and WMF can research the effectiveness of interventions that the community decides to implement. Pine ( https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Pine ) -------- Original message --------From: Ad Huikeshoven <[email protected]> Date: 7/15/18 12:19 PM (GMT-08:00) To: Wikimedia Mailing List <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Concerns about WMF's "Manager of Community Development" job posting Dear friends, Pine wrote "The idea of WMF placing itself in the position of managing community development is problematic." I disagree with Pine. It has been recognized in the past that community is the key asset in the movement. I do belief that it is a fiduciary duty to manage your key asset wisely and responsively. Editing / contributing to Wikimedia projects has a radically decentralized nature. Your concern regards paying due respect to that radically decentralized nature. Community health has been or is an issue for example. I am very glad there is going to be a person leading a team of professionals to provide guidance to volunteer leaders. And the person will have a challenge to gain trust of the community, and to build trust within the communities. Have a nice weekend, Ad _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe> _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l New messages to: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:[email protected]?subject=unsubscribe>
