Wikimedia: Difference between revisions
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'''Wikimedia Foundation''' is a private tax-exempt corporation (IRS 501) in the US founded by Jim Wales aka Jimbo. | '''Wikimedia Foundation''' is a private tax-exempt corporation (IRS 501) in the US founded by Jim Wales aka Jimbo. It has an independent board that makes the decisions as required by law. | ||
It has | |||
Wikimedia spends most of it's money it receives as donations on providing hardware for [[MediaWiki]] sites such as [[Wikipedia]]s and [[Wiktionary|Wiktionaries]]. | Wikimedia spends most of it's money it receives as donations on providing hardware for [[MediaWiki]] sites such as [[Wikipedia]]s and [[Wiktionary|Wiktionaries]]. | ||
Many longstanding participants in the [[Wikipedia]] project have serious problems with the people and processes employed by the '''Foundation'''. As a volunteer organization, it probably has growing pains, and it's unclear if it will outgrow these. Most of the criticisms have to do with [[wiki management]] problems on which there is little well-understood practice. | Many longstanding participants in the [[Wikipedia]] project have serious problems with the people and processes employed by the '''Foundation'''. As a volunteer organization, it probably has growing pains, and it's unclear if it will outgrow these. Most of the criticisms have to do with [[wiki management]] problems on which there is little well-understood practice. | ||
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*Refusing to release [[Most Clicked Links]] information on any [[Wikipedia]], even the small ones, where tracking this information would be quite simple, and would assist authors in supporting real end user interests. | *Refusing to release [[Most Clicked Links]] information on any [[Wikipedia]], even the small ones, where tracking this information would be quite simple, and would assist authors in supporting real end user interests. | ||
::They are in no way obliged to reveal this information. If you have a problem with this go create a [[fork]] of [[Wikipedia]]. Some have tried it. | ::They are in no way obliged to reveal this information. If you have a problem with this go create a [[fork]] of [[Wikipedia]]. Some have tried it. | ||
*Releasing only very limited page visit information - maybe due to the performance cost it adds | *Releasing only very limited page visit information - maybe due to the performance cost it adds | ||
*Treating use of [[ISO]] language codes in [[mediawiki]]'s [[interwiki link standard|interwiki link conventions]] as if they are invocations of Wikipedia in that language, not simply references to "that page in that language". | *Treating use of [[ISO]] language codes in [[mediawiki]]'s [[interwiki link standard|interwiki link conventions]] as if they are invocations of Wikipedia in that language, not simply references to "that page in that language". | ||
::But the interwiki links point to the page in another language | ::But the interwiki links point to the page in another language | ||
*Banning, harassing, [[outing|attempting to "out"]] and permitting (if not deliberately attempting) [[framing]] users who point out any of the above. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extreme of [[echo chamber]] assertions being cited in Wikipedia articles as if they were true. | *Banning, harassing, [[outing|attempting to "out"]] and permitting (if not deliberately attempting) [[framing]] users who point out any of the above. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extreme of [[echo chamber]] assertions being cited in Wikipedia articles as if they were true. | ||
*Promoting its own [[community point of view]] as if it were actually a [[neutral point of view]], ignoring [[systemic bias]] questions, and letting [[sysop vigilantiism]] and [[sysop vandalism]] occur freely against outsiders. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extremes of assuming that the '''Wikipedia mailing list''' consensus on legal issues overrules the best legal advice of actual qualified legal experts | *Promoting its own [[community point of view]] as if it were actually a [[neutral point of view]], ignoring [[systemic bias]] questions, and letting [[sysop vigilantiism]] and [[sysop vandalism]] occur freely against outsiders. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extremes of assuming that the '''Wikipedia mailing list''' consensus on legal issues overrules the best legal advice of actual qualified legal experts | ||
It is a classic [[insider culture]]. It is not a good model for [[Consumerium Governance Organization]] or any other nonprofit entity that is actually trying to serve users and disadvantaged people and other living things. | It is a classic [[insider culture]]. It is not a good model for [[Consumerium Governance Organization]] or any other nonprofit entity that is actually trying to serve users and disadvantaged people and other living things. | ||
Revision as of 04:06, 28 April 2004
Wikimedia Foundation is a private tax-exempt corporation (IRS 501) in the US founded by Jim Wales aka Jimbo. It has an independent board that makes the decisions as required by law.
Wikimedia spends most of it's money it receives as donations on providing hardware for MediaWiki sites such as Wikipedias and Wiktionaries.
Many longstanding participants in the Wikipedia project have serious problems with the people and processes employed by the Foundation. As a volunteer organization, it probably has growing pains, and it's unclear if it will outgrow these. Most of the criticisms have to do with wiki management problems on which there is little well-understood practice.
Specific issues which have raised concerns amond some people:
- Refusing to release Most Clicked Links information on any Wikipedia, even the small ones, where tracking this information would be quite simple, and would assist authors in supporting real end user interests.
- Releasing only very limited page visit information - maybe due to the performance cost it adds
- Treating use of ISO language codes in mediawiki's interwiki link conventions as if they are invocations of Wikipedia in that language, not simply references to "that page in that language".
- But the interwiki links point to the page in another language
- Banning, harassing, attempting to "out" and permitting (if not deliberately attempting) framing users who point out any of the above. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extreme of echo chamber assertions being cited in Wikipedia articles as if they were true.
- Promoting its own community point of view as if it were actually a neutral point of view, ignoring systemic bias questions, and letting sysop vigilantiism and sysop vandalism occur freely against outsiders. This sometimes reaches the bizarre extremes of assuming that the Wikipedia mailing list consensus on legal issues overrules the best legal advice of actual qualified legal experts
It is a classic insider culture. It is not a good model for Consumerium Governance Organization or any other nonprofit entity that is actually trying to serve users and disadvantaged people and other living things.