Wikimédia France/Interview (2004-06-28)
This is a log from an IRC conversation in #wikimedia on 28 June 2004. Yann answers questions from Tomos about a Francophone Association. The purpose of this page is to share information about local chapters with those who would like to know more.
See also an earlier interview with Aoineko.
<tomos> may I publish the log in the same way? <tomos> on meta? <yannf> yes sure <tomos> sounds great. <tomos> Q. I guess there were a lot of discussions to decide to form the association, and decide the details of how it is going to be. <tomos> But what are some of the more contentious issues that people discussed for long time? <tomos> In other words, what were the issues that people had hard time finding a concensus? <yannf> i would say it's more a question of misunderstanding of what each other thinks <yannf> it's difficult to conduct this online only <yannf> i hope that the meeting we will have in paris on july 4th will solve this <yannf> there are debates over the aims and the timing <tomos> I see. <tomos> Some people thought it was still too early to form an association? <yannf> i wanted to have an organisation already 6 months ago <yannf> but at that time it seems nobody was interested <yannf> now we have a piloting committee with about 20 people <yannf> there is also debate about the link to the foundation <yannf> some want to be more independant <yannf> then there is the question of mirrors in france / europe <tomos> A lot of big questions, indeed <yannf> yes <yannf> but there is consensus about promotion <yannf> almost everybody agrees that the main objective of the org <yannf> we are at a very early stage <yannf> i think that things will get along little by little <tomos> Q. Do people see the association more or less a branch of Wikimedia Foundation? Or is it perceived more as an organization that forms strong tie with the Foundation? <yannf> for me it should represent the Foundation is France, and maybe in other French speaking countries <yannf> at will have some independance in its day to day business <yannf> the statuts give 33% vote the Foundation representant <yannf> so practically he/she will have veto power <tomos> So, for you, the association should be kind of an official branch, with some decision-making power regarding administrative aspects. But it follows the policies and goals of the Foundation. <yannf> yes <yannf> there was (is ?) a debate over which countries the association covers <yannf> in the piloting committee, there are people from france, belgium, switzerland <yannf> and japan (with aoineko) <yannf> anthere said that the association should be called wikimedia france <yannf> of course people from belgium and switzerland disagree :) <tomos> quite understandably. <yannf> i think that we are better with a french speaking association covering atleast france, belgium and switzerland <yannf> it seems that german people have a different opinion <tomos> do you think "francophone" is better than "french" because the association will get more members? <yannf> that the german association doesn't cover austria and switzerland where a big part of the population speaks german <yannf> there are not enough people now to have 3 associations <yannf> one in each country <yannf> may be later, in a few years <yannf> but the association will not only support the projects in french <yannf> but projects in all languages <yannf> only it area of activity will be limited to some countries <tomos> so in terms of multilingual orientation, fr. association is not different from the german verein. <yannf> for me, it's "french" only because of practical point of vue <yannf> it's very difficult to conduct day to day business in different languages <yannf> otherwise we would have a european association <tomos> so french association is not multilingual? <yannf> meetings, reports will be in french only <yannf> only translated in english for the Foundation <yannf> when necessary <yannf> but i think we should help other "small" languages <tomos> Q. I personally guessed that, if fr. association is only for french people, other people on french wikipedia feels a bit disappointed. Is that right? <tomos> Maybe people in belgium and switzerland want to join the association, and that is why it is francophone association? <yannf> but it will be a francophone association, not french national only <yannf> we already have people from belgium and switzerland <yannf> members of the piloting committee <tomos> Do you think the french only association was also possible? <yannf> not really <yannf> the project is international by nature <tomos> Because some of the active participants on french wikipedia is from Belgium, Switzerland, etc? <yannf> yes, and quebec (canada) <yannf> i wish we would have more people from africa <tomos> there are almost none? <yannf> yes <yannf> it would be very beneficial <tomos> to expand some articles? <yannf> as it's now very much western centered (is this english ?) <yannf> to have a larger pov <yannf> not only rich countries fron europe and north america <yannf> i feel other pov are missing <tomos> I see. japanese wikipedia is similar. japanese, some asian neighbors, and western POVs are stronger. <yannf> i can feel this because i traveled a lot and i lived abroad <tomos> oh, you are not in france? <yannf> now i live in france, but i lived 4 years in india <yannf> and i work in switzerland :) <yannf> i cross the border daily <tomos> cool :) <tomos> May I ask more about the concensus? <tomos> Do you have any particular idea about how to promote wikimedia? <yannf> yes that's also the area where i want to do something <yannf> personally <tomos> yes? what do you like to do? <yannf> locally i plan to contact schools, libraries <yannf> i think the ministry of education and culture may be interested <tomos> it is a promotion to visit the site and read articles? <yannf> then unesco and the organisation of francophonie <tomos> or use some articles in classroom? <tomos> or to increase contributors? <yannf> in my district wikipedia is already proposed as a reference in schools <yannf> we should try to have this everywhere <yannf> some teachers proposed that students work will be put into wikipedia <yannf> i think that's a great idea <yannf> it increase students' awareness and self-promoting <tomos> so promotion is indeed in all aspects: site visits, use of contents outside of the web site, and participation <yannf> aoineko is on #fr.wikimedia and he is blocked <yannf> we have about 10 articles on cosmology written by a student as a class work <yannf> i will have to go. --(interval)-- <tomos> May I ask you about the relation between the Foundation and the association? <yannf> yes <tomos> I suppose the association board will make the budget. <yannf> as i said the Foundation will have a representent in the board <yannf> will veto power practically <tomos> 1/3 of votes. <yannf> yes <yannf> but yes the budget, and more important source of income, will be decided by the association <tomos> and many of the decisions require more than 2/3 votes? <yannf> formaly only changing the objectives of the association <tomos> I see. <yannf> so the aims of the association can't be changed without the approval of the Foundation <yannf> i had a talk without jimbo about source of funding and we have very different opinions about that <yannf> i think it's mainly because of cultural difference <tomos> anything other than membership fee? <yannf> company sponsorship is common is the US <yannf> but it's not so in france, where government subvention is more common <tomos> ah. so you were thinking about getting some financial support from government. <yannf> i think that we could get government grants to publish cdroms and wikireaders on paper <yannf> in many european countries <yannf> and maybe from the european commission <yannf> and other big foundations <tomos> what are the opinions on fr. wkipedia? <yannf> i think that there is no opposition in principle