Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Abd » Tue Jun 03, 2014 3:49 pm

Alcoholics Anonymous figured out, in the 1940s, how to run a huge volunteer organization without creating central control. Basically, the money only flows into the central organization, not the other way. AA never subsidizes local groups or individuals. (There were some very small exceptions in the very early days, before they figured out the Traditions.) The central organization does not seek donations from outsiders, there is no "endowment," and bequests are severely limited, so the central organization is constantly dependent on volunteer donations from local groups and local intergroups. That keeps them honest, for if the central organization, which is legally independent and has no control over local meetings, attempted to dominate, they would lose funding. The local groups do not need the central organization to function, instead, central needs the local. AA figured out a method for allowing the representation at the General Service Conference to be broad, the GSC is the primary tool for expressing organization-wide consensus. It's not perfect, but very good. With what we now know, it could be done even better.

When there is a central power, with operational control over communication, it will be corrupted. That's the Iron Law of Oligarchy (T-H-L). "Corrupted" means that original ideals are lost in favor of control by a group that sees itself as being the organization, or as being the "vanguard," or the "best" or "best qualified." It all happens with what seem to be the best of intentions, it happens because of the structure.

Since this group sees itself in this way (and it might even be right in some ways), criticism of the group is interpreted as hostile to the purposes of the organization. And critics are then suppressed, unless they happen to be well-connected, in which case they may be tolerated, partly to prove, "There is no cabal. See, we tolerate So-and-so, even though So-and-so is uncivilly critical." Gradually, though, as the old guard burns out (or simply retires, same effect), the protection of these expires. And they are banned for what used to be acceptable.

Reading Wikinomics (T-H-L) (2008) it's easy to see the hype, the assumption that content would only continue to improve, that collaboration would work indefinitely, with no hint of any suspicion that darker forces would take over. Those darker forces were there early on, if anyone knew what to look for. Hint: they were not confronted by the community or what passed for leadership. As would be routine, then, they got stronger.

There was a much better book, The Starfish and the Spider (T-H-L) (2006, Branfman and Beckstrom). They were still naive about Wikipedia, but got this right: Starfish organizations can be corrupted. To counter this, Bill Wilson created the Traditions (and "Twelve Concepts for World Service") which spelled out the result of his study of what had caused previous temperance organizations to fail. Wales understood some of this, but clearly not all. So, naively, the conditions for failure to fully realize the vision, for organizational corruption, were set up.

The WMF is a classical nonprofit corporation, doing what classical nonprofits do: raise a lot of money, hire staff (which then becomes personally interested in maintaining the status quo), and spend the money according to central decision-making.

Branfman and Beckstrong suggest hybrid organizations. That is, there is what I called a Free Association, the AA fellowship itself being an example. And there is a corporation, in AA it is AA World Services, Inc., which owns the copyright to the books. However, AA never did go for massive fundraising. The Big Book, the major property, is a self-supporting project, it is run to break even, it doesn't fund much beyond itself. The books are sold very cheaply, almost entirely to local groups, which often give them away. Local intergroups used to publish their own literature, some still do. It is not "Conference-Approved," typically. So what?

AA members can disagree with any of the published material. Nobody is excluded for that reason, and nobody is ever banned from AA as a whole. And they deal with some real doozies!

Individual meetings may exclude individuals, for whatever the local meeting decides. It is considered almost tantamount to a death sentence, for a real alcoholic, so they only *normally* do this for safety reasons. However, individuals can and do take over individual meetings. It works or it doesn't. Meetings don't accumulate property precisely to avoid the attraction of power. So a meeting is essentially a meeting place and time, and a coffee pot. When some alcoholic goes on a "dry drunk" and tries to control a meeting, members do not generally fight with him.

The saying is, "All it takes to start a meeting is a resentment and a coffee pot." For alcoholics, resentments are in plentiful supply! So if someone tries to control a meeting, dissatisfied members simply start a new meeting, creating more times and opportunities for people to go to a meeting. AA grew explosively, harnessing the power of resentment and radical decentralization.

Yet AA has a very high level of real consensus, a consensus that is not created by exclusion. People who don't accept what are sometimes considered "basic AA rules," are not excluded. Someone who says, "I can take a drink any time I want to, I just need to cut down, you guys are weak-willed," isn't told to go away. Classically, they are told, "Great! We all wish we could do that! Keep coming back, we want to know how it works for you!"

AA is a human organization, all the human stuff happens. However, they raised organizational decentralization to a fine art, so those very human actions don't dominate.

There is a good summary of The Starfish and the Spider at link..

Now, about that Iron Law. Michels missed something. Oligarchies will form, that is indeed inevitable. But if the oligarchy is continually dependent upon the base, it may not be inevitable for the oligarchy to actually dominate. Rather, it would assume its natural function, to lead and serve.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by eagle » Tue Jun 03, 2014 4:18 pm

Triptych wrote:Wikimania 2012 gave the moolah-babba-loolah
Triptych, I believe we are in general agreement, but just so that no reader missed the point of my wall of text: In theory a local organizing committee is in charge of putting on Wikimania or any other wiki-conference. From my personal experience, the DC Chapter that won the bid and its organizing committee had zero input into Scholarships at Wikimania 2012, because the "local" seat on the scholarship committee was held by Sage Ross (WMF) (T-C-L).

There is no inherent reason for the NYC and DC Chapters to fear or loathe Greg. My personal theory is this happened either because some WMF staff strongly suggested that they ban him, or that one or more Wikiconference USA organizers are eager to curry favor with WMF so as to obtain employment there. WMF does not have any mechanism for banning or blocking individuals from participating at bricks and mortar conferences or meetups.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Mancunium » Tue Jun 03, 2014 4:43 pm

Wikipedia Critic Kohs Banned from New York Meeting
O'Dwyer's, 3 June 2014 link
The banning of Wikipedia critic Gregory Kohs from the WP meeting in New York May 30-June 1, a decision “not subject to reconsideration or appeal,” echoes similar press barriers put up by PR Society of America and American Legislative Exchange Council. Kohs, who founded mywikibiz.com in 2006, the first and longest-running WP content creation and editing service, proposed a 75-minute presentation called "Confessions of a Paid Editor." He was going cover difficulties paid or non-paid contributors have in dealing with the complicated and strict guidelines set up by WP editors and administrators. WP is suspicious of anyone whose motives might be tainted by commercial advantage. Kohs, whose banning was covered by Wikipediocracy, was going to review instances of “marketers and PR people who botched their interaction with WP and paid the price.” He was to show “where they went wrong so that paid or unpaid writers can avoid the same mistakes.” He promised to overturn “some of the persistent myths about WP.”

[...]
ImageImage
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Kumioko » Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:39 pm

Thats one article, something tells me that won't be the only one though.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:43 pm

By the way, it looks like there was plenty of space available for one more person to have been seated in the audience (perhaps with armed guards surrounding him?) during the Friday afternoon sessions at the WikiConference USA...

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Photo credit: Sharlene Spingler
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Vigilant » Tue Jun 03, 2014 5:56 pm

thekohser wrote:By the way, it looks like there was plenty of space available for one more person to have been seated in the audience (perhaps with armed guards surrounding him?) during the Friday afternoon sessions at the WikiConference USA...

Image
Photo credit: Sharlene Spingler
Our four dudes:
#1 Guy in the left foreground is obviously making the international sign for "this is jerk off shit".
#2 Guy in the center foreground is looking at Guy #1 with disgust.
#3 Guy in right background is happy to have found wifi and a power outlet. He's not interested in the meeting that is going on in the room.
#4 Guy in right foreground is contemplating what a waste of time this is. He trimmed his bloatee this morning, he's wearing an alpha male/high value male's shirt, jacket and silver chain and there are absolutely no chicks to practice his new PUA techniques on at this fucking convention... *sigh*
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by The Adversary » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:07 pm

And Jehochman (T-C-L) closes the discussion on Newyorkbrad (T-C-L) talk-page, before Newyorkbrad even replies.
:blink:

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by neved » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:22 pm

The Adversary wrote:And Jehochman (T-C-L) closes the discussion on Newyorkbrad (T-C-L) talk-page, before Newyorkbrad even replies.
:blink:
He is not just closed the discussion, but he claimed he's caring about Greg's inability to respond
Moreover, it is not polite to talk about a banned editor in a forum where they are not supposed to respond. Thank you. Jehochman Talk 17:59, 3 June 2014 (UTC)
What a sick hypocrite! He has never cared that a person cannot respond to the false accusations during ban discussions lynchings, which he himself started.
Last edited by neved on Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:26 pm

The Adversary wrote:And Jehochman (T-C-L) closes the discussion on Newyorkbrad (T-C-L) talk-page, before Newyorkbrad even replies.
:blink:
Timbo's Rule 10. Anyone who says "Wikipedia is not censored" has never paid particularly close attention to the way talk pages are treated by third parties.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Midsize Jake » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:29 pm

More photos (by User:Sphilbrick) here. Looks like a few women did attend - more than 10 percent of the group who were photographed, in fact. (The "Group L" in the filename refers to the group of photos, not a designation for a subset of attendees, so this is probably a substantial portion of the whole - we can probably assume there at least 100 people there. And that looks like Sarah Stierch on the far right...?)

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by neved » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:36 pm

Greg, do you really missing being there?
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:48 pm

Midsize Jake wrote:More photos (by User:Sphilbrick) here. Looks like a few women did attend - more than 10 percent of the group who were photographed, in fact. (The "Group L" in the filename refers to the group of photos, not a designation for a subset of attendees, so this is probably a substantial portion of the whole - we can probably assume there at least 100 people there. And that looks like Sarah Stierch on the far right...?)
I count 37/89 = 41.6% female, making no inferences about transgenderism.

RfB

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Vigilant » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:50 pm

Those are hilariously bad pictures.

Kevin and Brad both have outdone themselves.
I feel as though I'm looking at a photographic recreation of a caricature artist's rendition of them.
Fucking creepy.

Did someone delete Jeff Hochmann's talk page?
Does he have nowhere else to post?
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Vigilant » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:51 pm

Randy from Boise wrote:
Midsize Jake wrote:More photos (by User:Sphilbrick) here. Looks like a few women did attend - more than 10 percent of the group who were photographed, in fact. (The "Group L" in the filename refers to the group of photos, not a designation for a subset of attendees, so this is probably a substantial portion of the whole - we can probably assume there at least 100 people there. And that looks like Sarah Stierch on the far right...?)
I count 37/89 = 41.6% female, making no inferences about transgenderism.

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Where are you getting these numbers?
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Tue Jun 03, 2014 7:33 pm

Randy from Boise wrote:making no inferences about transgenderism.
Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Well, if so, it is really not in good taste, and very uncool. We have a Friendly Space law here at Wikipediocracy, Tim.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 7:53 pm

Vigilant wrote:
Randy from Boise wrote:
Midsize Jake wrote:More photos (by User:Sphilbrick) here. Looks like a few women did attend - more than 10 percent of the group who were photographed, in fact. (The "Group L" in the filename refers to the group of photos, not a designation for a subset of attendees, so this is probably a substantial portion of the whole - we can probably assume there at least 100 people there. And that looks like Sarah Stierch on the far right...?)
I count 37/89 = 41.6% female, making no inferences about transgenderism.

RfB
Where are you getting these numbers?
By counting. I came up with 90 total a couple times, I might be off by one.

t

Addenda: Although I haven't spent half an hour on the project, I think the total headcount of conference participants was probably in the 110 to 125 range, judging by a couple of the published pictures of plenary gatherings.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 7:57 pm

thekohser wrote:
Randy from Boise wrote:making no inferences about transgenderism.
Is that supposed to be some kind of joke? Well, if so, it is really not in good taste, and very uncool. We have a Friendly Space law here at Wikipediocracy, Tim.
Actually, it was a straight comment.

Okay, now I'm making jokes without even trying...

Speaking of Big Brother's Friendly Space Law, isn't it slightly ironic that the same people with the paranoia about people taking photos of convention participants are themselves taking them and releasing them with a CC license on Commons?

Please, make up your minds. Either that or hand out silly mustaches at the door so that conference participants might cloak themselves...

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by EricBarbour » Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:27 pm

This thread was important, but now it's starting to suck.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:41 pm

EricBarbour wrote:This thread was important, but now it's starting to suck.
You're the moderator, I'm the schleb that bitches. Moderate.

r

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by EricBarbour » Tue Jun 03, 2014 8:58 pm

You got yourself a deal, sonny.

And by the way:
Vigilant wrote:Our four dudes:
#1 Guy in the left foreground is obviously making the international sign for "this is jerk off shit".
#2 Guy in the center foreground is looking at Guy #1 with disgust.
If I'm not mistaken, #1 Guy is Oliver Keyes and #2 Guy is William Boddy. Rule Britannia, bitches!

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Vigilant » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:02 pm

EricBarbour wrote:You got yourself a deal, sonny.

And by the way:
Vigilant wrote:Our four dudes:
#1 Guy in the left foreground is obviously making the international sign for "this is jerk off shit".
#2 Guy in the center foreground is looking at Guy #1 with disgust.
If I'm not mistaken, #1 Guy is Oliver Keyes and #2 Guy is William Boddy. Rule Britannia, bitches!
No way is Guy #1 Keyes.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by NativeForeigner » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:24 pm

Yeah, Keyes wasn't there.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by EricBarbour » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:30 pm

Well, he looks familiar, I've seen someone like him in other WMF photos. The list of insiders we're trying to keep track of is getting quite unwieldy.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:46 pm

EricBarbour wrote:Well, he looks familiar, I've seen someone like him in other WMF photos. The list of insiders we're trying to keep track of is getting quite unwieldy.
You might clarify for the lurkers who "we" is (and who "we" is not) and where the keeping of track is done.

I'd be interested in learning that myself.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Zoloft » Tue Jun 03, 2014 9:58 pm

Randy from Boise wrote:
EricBarbour wrote:Well, he looks familiar, I've seen someone like him in other WMF photos. The list of insiders we're trying to keep track of is getting quite unwieldy.
You might clarify for the lurkers who "we" is (and who "we" is not) and where the keeping of track is done.

I'd be interested in learning that myself.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Triptych » Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:17 pm

Vigilant wrote:Those are hilariously bad pictures.

Kevin and Brad both have outdone themselves.
I feel as though I'm looking at a photographic recreation of a caricature artist's rendition of them.
That fro Kevin has going on is hella styling and I also dig the fuzzy collar leather jacket. The light beard also works though I think he could stand to shave his neck more neatly. As well his right sideburn is bushy. He doesn't really appear to have a left sideburn.

Image

I guess Brad came by from work, so that is why he is suited up.

I think the guy on the right in that picture with Sarah Stierch on the left has leg-warmers on his arms. Yeah, that a bit inexplicable. Maybe he lost a bet and had to do it.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by eagle » Wed Jun 04, 2014 12:36 pm

If you put aside the photographic distraction of Wikipresence vs. reality, there are only three issues on this thread:
1) Is the idea of a USA based annual bricks-and-mortar gathering valuable?
a) Is it subject to unwritten banning rules when all current procedures really address one-project or SULs (e.g. signons and databases)?
b) It holds itself out as a "conference" (and even as an "unconference") so that folks like Sarah can pad resumes with a list of conferences where they presented or were panelists. Most academics or professionals would not find it up to par.
c) Was anything valuable communicated? If so, how is it being shared with a wider audience?
2) Is WikiConference USA being executed in a manner that furthers the objectives of the "inner circle" instead of the broader Movement?
a) Was there bias in selecting the program?
b) Was there bias in awarding scholarships?
c) Did it meet the expectations and standards of its sponsoring organizations?
3) Is this something that critics or skeptics should be attend or join or comment upon?
a) Is an audience of 100 people worth fighting over or making presentation proposals?
b) But for Wikipediocracy, is this the group of people you would want to visit for a weekend?
c) But for the banning of Greg, would the idea of a WikiConference USA die for failure to capture the Wikipublic's attention?
Last edited by eagle on Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Triptych » Wed Jun 04, 2014 1:08 pm

First, this person "Pharos" who actually blocked (no warning, natch) Kohser on the Winiconference USA wiki is an abusive jerk. Yes, of course he is also a Wikipedia administrator and his behavior is steeped in that cyberbully culture. All Kohser did was justifiably get irritated that his presentation was cancelled despite clear interest shown by three who planned to attend it (i.e. more than most of the presentations), and so he asked for proof of the organizers' claims that it was always going to be a panel discussion. So Pharos says asking that is "intimidation/harassment." These people have constructed a wiki-world so wrapped up in themselves and detached from reality. Do they recognize the offensiveness of being falsely called harasser and intimidator? They are politically correct, or should I say, "wiki-correct."

Next, Brad shows again he is a twerp. He posted at his talkpage yesterday "I'm afraid I can't add anything to the e-mail that has already been published" referring to his infamous email that "unregistered" Kohser from the conference with 18 hours or a day to go. In that email he gave no reason for the move, and said that he was only utilizing his vast lawyerly and "longest-serving arbitrator" skills to serve a messenger boy for a group decision. Meanwhile the dean of New York Law School, according to a comment on Wikipediocracy frontpage, disavowed any role of the school in the matter, saying "New York Law School is committed to the principle of free and open debate."

Last, conference organizer Dorothy Howard still owes Greg Kohs an answer, if not the $5.30 portion he couldn't recover after madly scrambling at the last minute to cancel his train ticket and accommodations. Ms. Howard said Friday that she and others were “discussing how to respond as a group.” Well?
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Cla68 » Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:00 pm

As NYC is located in the densest population area in the US (if I'm not mistaken), if the "Wikipedia Revolution" was really succeeding, then there should have been a lot more people at this conference. I'm talking 200-300. They got 125?

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by eagle » Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:06 pm

Cla68 wrote:As NYC is located in the densest population area in the US (if I'm not mistaken), if the "Wikipedia Revolution" was really succeeding, then there should have been a lot more people at this conference. I'm talking 200-300. They got 125?
But how many of them got travel and lodging reimbursement to come from outside the area? Half the conference organizers were from DC.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by dogbiscuit » Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:11 pm

Cla68 wrote:As NYC is located in the densest population area in the US (if I'm not mistaken), if the "Wikipedia Revolution" was really succeeding, then there should have been a lot more people at this conference. I'm talking 200-300. They got 125?
With millions of readers in the general population, it is the sign of the absolute failure to engage with its target population that the audience wasn't heading towards the thousands. We must have had 1000 at the Borland programming conferences in the 1990s though that was a specialist audience.

If it was a good conference, it not only would have targeted interesting Wiki-Thingies but also had interesting parallel streams, like a general history lecture, politics, geography, things that play to the aspirational educative side of Wikipedia; or a mini-Pokemon conference for the cynical, pragmatic view. Editing Wikipedia in itself is technical and uninteresting.

Out of the attendees, be interesting to see what they went to.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by eagle » Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:56 pm

dogbiscuit wrote:would have targeted interesting Wiki-Thingies but also had interesting parallel streams, like a general history lecture, politics, geography, things that play to the aspirational educative side of Wikipedia; or a mini-Pokemon conference for the cynical, pragmatic view. Editing Wikipedia in itself is technical and uninteresting.

Out of the attendees, be interesting to see what they went to.
That was the interesting thing about the conference. Like Wikimania, they saved the last day for an "unconference" where anyone (except Greg Kohs) could give a 5 minute presentation on any topic. The audience could set up impromptu 30 minute sessions on any interest.link

You would think that NYC would have some great keynote speakers to draw a crowd. But they went with: Sumana Harihareswara (a senior technical writer at WMF),link DC Vito(Exec Dir of The LAMP),link Phoebe Ayers (ex-WMF Board Member) and Christie Koehler (a Mozilla project leader based in Portland OR).

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by neved » Wed Jun 04, 2014 4:49 pm

I believe this case should be added to List of Wikipedia controversies (T-H-L) After all there's a RS.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Wed Jun 04, 2014 5:35 pm

neved wrote:I believe this case should be added to List of Wikipedia controversies (T-H-L) After all there's a RS.
That would seem to be sufficient for inclusion in a list.


tim

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Writegeist » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:47 am

Given the abysmal turnout and the dismally undistinguished keynote speakers, the New York Bladder's email was a godsend for saving GK from the indignity of attending. Not to mention the creepiness of breathing the same air as Gormless Gingerchops.

If GK were to record the presentation he'd prepared, post it on Youtube, and link it here, he'd reach tons more peeps.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by EricBarbour » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:55 am

Writegeist wrote:Given the abysmal turnout and the dismally undistinguished keynote speakers, the New York Bladder's email was a godsend for saving GK from the indignity of attending. Not to mention the creepiness of breathing the same air as Gormless Gingerchops.
"New York Bladder". I like that.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by EricBarbour » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:57 am

Triptych wrote:First, this person "Pharos" who actually blocked (no warning, natch) Kohser on the Winiconference USA wiki is an abusive jerk.
More evidence would be nice, please.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by tarantino » Thu Jun 05, 2014 1:48 am

EricBarbour wrote:
Triptych wrote:First, this person "Pharos" who actually blocked (no warning, natch) Kohser on the Winiconference USA wiki is an abusive jerk.
More evidence would be nice, please.
Image

According to his Linkedin profile, president of wikimedia NYC is the only job he's ever had.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:01 am

Writegeist wrote:If GK were to record the presentation he'd prepared, post it on Youtube, and link it here, he'd reach tons more peeps.
Believe me, producing a polished YouTube video is something I've been wanting to do for a long time. But in this case, I didn't create a presentation, when it had become fairly clear by early May that my session hadn't been selected.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:02 am

tarantino wrote:According to his Linkedin profile, president of wikimedia NYC is the only job he's ever had.
Come on, Tarantino -- you're not being very fair. He has also been Regional Ambassador for New York / Northeast Wikipedia United States Education Program, and Wikipedian in Residence at The Museum of Modern Art!
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by eagle » Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:07 am

thekohser wrote:
tarantino wrote:According to his Linkedin profile, president of wikimedia NYC is the only job he's ever had.
Come on, Tarantino -- you're not being very fair. He has also been Regional Ambassador for New York / Northeast Wikipedia United States Education Program, and Wikipedian in Residence at The Museum of Modern Art!
The job market has not been kind to either Pharos (T-C-L) or Harej (T-C-L). Perhaps that affects their resolve to stand up for freedom of inquiry and open access at WikiConference USA.

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:32 pm

eagle wrote:
thekohser wrote:
tarantino wrote:According to his Linkedin profile, president of wikimedia NYC is the only job he's ever had.
Come on, Tarantino -- you're not being very fair. He has also been Regional Ambassador for New York / Northeast Wikipedia United States Education Program, and Wikipedian in Residence at The Museum of Modern Art!
The job market has not been kind to ... Harej (T-C-L).
Come on, now... outside of various Wikimedia-related posts, for 13 months he was Treasurer of the DC Federation of College Democrats.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Triptych » Thu Jun 05, 2014 1:15 pm

tarantino wrote:
EricBarbour wrote:
Triptych wrote:First, this person "Pharos" who actually blocked (no warning, natch) Kohser on the Winiconference USA wiki is an abusive jerk.
More evidence would be nice, please.
Image

According to his Linkedin profile, president of wikimedia NYC is the only job he's ever had.
Eric, the evidence I'm going by is his actions at the Wikiconference USA wiki. He blocked Kohser (http://wikiconferenceusa.org/wiki/Special:Log/block) without warning which you can tell if you look at his contributions (http://wikiconferenceusa.org/wiki/Speci ... ons/Pharos). He called Kohser "intimidating behavior" and "harassment" without explanation. There is no indication of those in Kohser's contributions there (http://wikiconferenceusa.org/wiki/Speci ... /Thekohser). Ergo, Pharos (real name Richard Knipel) made a false allegation and is a disgusting little wimpy jerk.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by thekohser » Thu Jun 05, 2014 1:52 pm

Triptych wrote:...Pharos (real name Richard Knipel)...
Do you know if that's pronounced "nipple"?
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Poetlister » Thu Jun 05, 2014 2:06 pm

thekohser wrote:
Triptych wrote:...Pharos (real name Richard Knipel)...
Do you know if that's pronounced "nipple"?
It's pronounced KnI-pel, stress on the first syllable.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Randy from Boise » Thu Jun 05, 2014 4:29 pm

Poetlister wrote:
thekohser wrote:
Triptych wrote:...Pharos (real name Richard Knipel)...
Do you know if that's pronounced "nipple"?
It's pronounced KnI-pel, stress on the first syllable.
International phonetic alphabet only, please!

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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Vigilant » Thu Jun 05, 2014 5:07 pm

Randy from Boise wrote:
Poetlister wrote:
thekohser wrote:
Triptych wrote:...Pharos (real name Richard Knipel)...
Do you know if that's pronounced "nipple"?
It's pronounced KnI-pel, stress on the first syllable.
International phonetic alphabet only, please!

RfB
I'm sure his friends call him Dick Nipples.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Poetlister » Thu Jun 05, 2014 9:15 pm

Randy from Boise wrote:
Poetlister wrote:
thekohser wrote:
Triptych wrote:...Pharos (real name Richard Knipel)...
Do you know if that's pronounced "nipple"?
It's pronounced KnI-pel, stress on the first syllable.
International phonetic alphabet only, please!

RfB
Sorry.

'knaIpel
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by neved » Fri Jun 06, 2014 6:05 pm

With the edit summary "smart to ignore this thread." Jehochman admits he is not smart enoug to ignore the tread, and besides he's altering other people comments For example he adds a title "The whinging continues" above another user comment without even signing the post. That kind of behavior is called bullying, Jonathan Hochman from Hochman Consultants , and it should be stopped at the spot.
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Re: Wikiconference USA - May 30 to June 1, 2014

Unread post by Cla68 » Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:04 pm


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