+1 for Hisham and Srikeit.
On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 10:38 AM, Srikeit <srik...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I guess I'm one of the apprehensive/apathetic quiet ones Hisham's mail
> refers to, so here goes:
>
> +1
>
> I have maintained my silence so far in the numerous discussions as I
> intended to express my views cohesively at the opportunity given to me at
> the WikiConference. However, I feel obliged to speak up when the
> discussions have moved past criticism to borderline attacks on people who
> have worked hard and worked honestly.
>
> I have been involved in the Pune pilot as a fellow, at first, and
> informally later. I too, therefore, shoulder the responsibility of the
> results of the program being a contributor to it. I will also be presenting
> a review (my opinions and experiences) from at the WikiConference. Having
> been the only 'Wikipedian' in the program, let me first stand up and say,
> if we do brand the Pune Pilot as a failure (which it definitely is not), it
> must classify as an effort which has achieved more than most successful
> Wiki-initiatives. I would also point out the untiring dedication and hard
> work put in by the CAs, the superhuman efforts of PJ Tabit in setting up
> the program and the superlative leadership efforts of Hisham and Nitika.
>
> That having been said, the program isn't where it set out to be. But that
> is what a pilot programme is. A dipstick test. A method, field tested to
> understand real-world reactions to it. I remember one statement made by
> Hisham, right at the beginning of the program while we were approaching
> colleges to sign up for the program who were urging us to alter the nature
> of the program to suit them:
>
> *"It is important that we decide one way of doing the program and stick
> with the core principles of it. This would be better than trying several
> approaches, failing and not knowing where you went wrong"* [not verbatim,
> my interpretation of something similar]
>
> I considered this to be a obfuscated yet quintessential objective of a
> Pilot program. To try, to stumble and then evaluate. And the evaluation
> will happen. Discussions about the campus program are a significant chunk
> of the program schedule at the WikiConference. And informal discussions
> will undoubtedly extend the allotted time. The reviews have already begun
> in the discussions on this list where significant headway has been made in
> the evaluation. But it is unfortunate when criticisms overflow into
> personal jabs and aspersions on competence.
>
> Srikanth earlier in the discussion had stated that he wondered if we're
> succumbing to the Indian mentality of highlighting only success and hiding
> failures. I believe that we must also move away from the stereotyped Indian
> mentality of punishing failures to evaluating good-faith ventures and
> collaboratively developing improvements towards a common goal.
>
> No grudges held, no bad faith assumed.
>
> On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 9:52 AM, Hisham <hmun...@wikimedia.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Folks
>>
>> I'm deliberately opening a new mail chain on this. This is at the risk
>> of me being told off for doing so - but I believe that email protocol is
>> one thing - but communication philosophy is (arguably) even more critical.
>>
>> I (and personally upsetting to me, others at India Programs - namely
>> Nitika & the Campus Ambassadors) have taken some beating over the past few
>> days. Some has been personal and not been circumspect or constructive;
>> not pretty. I have been touched by the offlist messages of comfort and
>> support that I and the others have got.
>>
>> I am exceedingly worried about the impact it has had on team morale. To
>> all those who have criticised the India Education Program, spare a thought
>> for the volunteers who have helped out on this. I want to tell the Campus
>> Ambassadors to be strong and keep your chins up. You guys have been
>> incredible. Hand on heart, you have given your hearts and souls and have
>> conducted probably the single biggest Wikipedia outreach program in the
>> world. (btw, I really don't care if someone wants to tag this as {citation
>> required.}) You have taken time out of your working lives and college
>> days. I know how tough it's been - conducting more than 100 in-class
>> sessions, working with so many students and faculty, reaching out on email
>> and talk pages and SMS and mobile calls and social networks and in
>> canteens, poring over student entries, learning Wikipedia policies,
>> figuring out new tools to help your work, building relationships with
>> other editors across the globe, doing the back-breaking documentation
>> that's been required on project & course pages, and I can go on and on and
>> on. I know that sustaining this level of motivation and energy over months
>> has been hard on you. I also know some of you faltered. I know some of
>> you wanted to scream and kick someone some times, maybe even many people
>> many times! Keep the faith, guys.
>>
>> I am sorry for the personal attack on Nitika. To her, I want to publicly
>> apologise. I know her to be hard-working, diligent, honest, competent and
>> an all-round professional. She's new and she's learning and has and will
>> make mistakes - like all of us do. It is fantastic to have her on the
>> team. Period.
>>
>> The program is a pilot - and we made a ton of mistakes. Sorry, let me
>> rephrase that. I led the initiative so all responsibility should be mine.
>> I made a ton of mistakes. I promise the following. We will have a
>> thorough, honest and fact based evaluation. We will be open to make all
>> the changes that are required. We will not let the events of the past few
>> days force us into a bunker mentality. We will be open and we will be
>> intellectually rigorous. We will learn and we will improve. The India
>> opportunity is massive - and our ambitions are huge. It is also fraught
>> with challenges. Unless we try and do things - new and tough and complex
>> things - we will never be able to realise our true potential.
>>
>> I know that some who have participated in these exchanges are driven by
>> an awe-inspiring love and passion for Wikipedia. I urge you to continue to
>> come forward and work with others and us. Come forward early though - and
>> stay engaged through the journey. It will have ups and downs.
>>
>> On communication, I urge everyone to maintain WP:CIVILITY and WP:NPOV in
>> all our interactions. On this - and to be fair - quite a few other
>> interactions recently on totally unrelated topics (and involving a whole
>> host of others), I daresay we have drifted from core Wikipedia principles.
>> These should apply to us to all our community's interactions as
>> religiously as we apply them to our projects.
>>
>> I would urge folks who agree with me to write back. Even a +1 will do.
>> Let's hear the voices of the quieter folks. Let's hear from the folks who
>> don't always get involved in mailing list exchanges out of either
>> apprehension or apathy. Let's move forward.
>>
>> Warm Regards,
>>
>> hisham
>>
>>
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>>
>
> Regards
> --
> Srikeit Tadepalli
>
>
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