I'm most proud of my "mentees", who stay as active "workers" in the wiki-community and write good articles, or do otherwise usefully contribute to the wiki-project. Maybe it's also a little bit my merit as their mentor.
- How I became involved? - Oh, that's very easy - I was looking for some information on a certain subject in the internet, but I couldn't find it ...

I cannot see it different from [1]!? The board/head of a federation has the duty to serve their members!

My candidature is no critisicm of the board's work! I'm just one of the simple volunteers working for wiki, and so I know the base - and that is most important to do a successful work. I'm experienced in leading honorary organisations and so I know, how to prevent and cope with problems, ... but sorry, I'm not the man to praise myself.

Most important is, to guide the foundation into a secure future. And there are two things of utmost importance - a save and stable financial planning and keeping the volunteers (like me) motivated - especially by reasonable decisions in accordance to the wishes of the editors. I think, one should not pump up the foundation too fast, but pay much attention to the quality of the projects' contents. The work-capacity of the volunteers is limited, and to disperse this capacity to much is dangerous. Also wiki has a good reputation today, we must try to improve it in the future.

The Foundation can plan, what it can afford! Not more and not less - I'm not yet a member of the board, so I hope/think, they've thought about ... I did not take part in the discussions. In my personal opinion, the strategic planning has to be very strict, without depts, in order to keep the independence of the foundation untouched. The foundation must not be pumped up to a gigantic "air bubble" - and explode - like the stock-market - and vanish. We must pay great attention to the quality of our projects - and our independence.

Well, here I just can repeat my answer from above. The Foundation can just do, what it can afford. All projects are useful and more or less important.
Technically I think, it might be useful to have a more skilled "Search-function". So when You a looking for a subject, that's not on Your "mother tongue-wiki", You should not have to use "google", but a wiki-search-function. ... and I personally have a further idea (but that is of secondary importance): - "original research" on wiki. In this case there would neither be a classical Customer nor a classical Contractor, and so the typical constellation of interests would not exist. In this way for instance, Review-Studies in medical sciences could be worked out. If this idea needs in the beginning an own project is a matter of discussion. (This is one of my ideas, since I first came in touch with the internet (I think it was in 1995) :-) ).

To ask the Community is most important for a successful work ... . And I don't see why it should be a real problem to proceed in that way.

... very carefully and not without the agreement of an overwhelming majority of the volunteers working for wiki. Otherwise the foundation may risk to loose its most valuable good - the motivation and the work of its volunteers.

A "non-profit" organisation first "has to have the money" and then "spend it"! So it should not have any debts if possible and should just spend the money it has. Otherwise it will be endangered to become dependent on others ...

Chapters, I think, play a very important one. Sooner or later the structure of the foundation will alter to that of other international federations (like FIFA or IOC) - but I think wiki is too young for that at the moment, and so the present construction of the foundation is opportune. The reason for this chance is a very simple one - in the future the chapters will grow more and more together and become more stable and more self-confident.

At the moment, I don't see any need for a change, do You?


















Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2009-07-27/Board_elections/Thomas_Braun