My sooper-sekret informers are all atwitter about a big change about to happen at the Foundation. Wouldn't it be great if Jimbo were announcing his resignation? But I have my doubts that'll be it. I can't imagine they'd be hiring someone; with the fundraiser basically run dry and way short of the expected goals there just isn't money to pay any more staff. I mean, they've budgeted five million and only raised a fraction of that; where do they think the rest of the money is going to come from? Angel investors?
The details should be out in the next day or so, or so I'm told. Stay tuned.
The details should be out in the next day or so, or so I'm told. Stay tuned.
What do you think is the reason for the waning monetary support? The recent scandals? Do average wikipedia supporters know about these to affect dough?
ReplyDeleteMaybe they'll cancel their vainglorious move to San Francisco, one of the most expensive places to possibly locate an office, and stay in the low-rent district?
ReplyDeletePossibles:
ReplyDelete1. Jimbo is fired. 1a: The WMF is severing ties from Jimbo to depower him.
2. Mike Godwin has had enough already.
3. The San Fransisco move is canceled, because there was no legitimate reason for the WMF itself to move to the Bay Area (beyond that Wikia is there, and didn't Jimbo move there as well? Jimbo have a COI? Unpossible!).
4. The WMF is in dire financial straights unrelated to the financial audit.
5. The finished the financial audit, and oh boy is it going to an entertaining read!
6. Google bought Wikipedia.
7. Jeffrey Vernon Merkey bought Wikipedia.
8. Gregory Kohs bought Wikipedia.
9. Someone has filed a legitimate Section 230 lawsuit against the WMF at long last.
10. More photos of David Gerard impersonating Lucious Malfoy have surfaced.
The WMF has finally hired competent, accountable, and honorable people? It's a Christmas miracle!
ReplyDelete...or not. :(
In response to Joe:
ReplyDelete1. Jimbo is fired. 1a: The WMF is severing ties from Jimbo to depower him.
--Possible, but not likely. Although, interesting to note that in the past several days Florence has mentioned the fact that the board can vote out a board member.
2. Mike Godwin has had enough already.
Nah. See Godwin v. Dalton, on foundation-l.
3. The San Fransisco move is canceled, because there was no legitimate reason for the WMF itself to move to the Bay Area (beyond that Wikia is there, and didn't Jimbo move there as well? Jimbo have a COI? Unpossible!).
Unlikely. I know quite a few of the staff members have sold some of their materials and/or leased properties in SF and/or terminated leases in SP.
4. The WMF is in dire financial straights unrelated to the financial audit.
I don't know about THAT, but it may be that they announce the fundraiser was far less than expected
5. The finished the financial audit, and oh boy is it going to an entertaining read!
Given so much talk about the audit lately, this may be a possibility.
6. Google bought Wikipedia.
Unlikely, given their investment in knols.
7. Jeffrey Vernon Merkey bought Wikipedia.
Lol.
8. Gregory Kohs bought Wikipedia.
Double lol.
9. Someone has filed a legitimate Section 230 lawsuit against the WMF at long last.
The foundation would not announce it until the trial court decision was rendered, at the least, and I haven't heard of any pending litigation that fits that bill.
10. More photos of David Gerard impersonating Lucious Malfoy have surfaced.
Uh, awesome? Where are the first photos?
wikilaw.blogspot.com
I didn't appreciate the "double" lol, SWATjester. A single lol would have been sufficient.
ReplyDeleteMr. Kohs, I presume that all you need for you to collect your single lol is to get listed before Mr. Merkey, or anyone else for that matter, the next time the list of absurd buyers of the Foundation is compiled.
ReplyDeleteIs the Foundation, which is a nonprofit, actually capable of being sold anyway?
ReplyDeleteThing is, I was hoping they'd announce that they'd finally managed to clone Hitler, so that Mike Godwin could get a guaranteed "win" in every possible argument.
ReplyDeletePOTENTIAL DONOR: I'm a little concerned about some of the things the Foundation has been doing lately... the liability issues...
GODWIN: Meh. Don't worry! Everything is under control!
POTENTIAL DONOR: But every time I read about Wikipedia in the papers, it's always some new - hey, who is that sitting over there in that cubicle? Is that... Hitler?
GODWIN: Ka-CHING!
But it looks like all they're doing is promoting Erik Moeller to their vital Chief of Sideburn-Removal Operations position. I guess they've needed a good CSRO for years, and nobody is more qualified, but still... it hardly seems like a big deal.
[quote]
ReplyDelete6. Google bought Wikipedia.
Unlikely, given their investment in knols.
[/quote]
Their investment in Knol was buying Wikipedia. That's what google likes to do--buy companies and coopt their products, right? ;)
Maybe they're canceling the boondoggle that is Wikimania. Encyclopedia over community building!
ReplyDeleteIt was announced that Erik Moeller has resigned from the WMF board. I imagine he used his resume building experience as a board member to land some well-paying, high visibility job he is not really qualified for. At least those were the predictions about him that I heard when he first ran for the board. Hopefully the appointed replacement is one the people who were in statistical tie behind the winners of the last election.
ReplyDeletehttp://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2007-December/036323.html
ReplyDelete"Hi folks,
I am delighted to announce Erik Moeller as Deputy Director of the Wikimedia Foundation.
[...]
Sue Gardner
Executive Director,
Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
Greg said in his "offlist email" (http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2007-December/036214.html) that he would be moving into a position of more power. Erik is as brainwashed and out of touch with reality as they come...
Greg, you got a double lol because you were second in order. If you were listed before merkey, you'd earn a single lol, and merkey would get the double.
ReplyDeleteI think Kohser was joking...
ReplyDeleteSheesh.
Erik Moeller: Captain Of Industry!
ReplyDelete