Talk:Essential glossary

From WikipediaStory

Re: Significant members of the community

Of all of the names I see listed here, the only one I don't recognize is Soufron. A glance at his contributions to the English Wikipedia show less than 50 total edits. So can someone explain why this person is included? (I'm not looking for an argument -- I simply have no idea who she/he is & what influence she/he had on the project.) -- Llywrch 06:28, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

I think the general direction you should be looking at, is the area of jurisprudence. *He* is a French guy with a legal backround. As to the specifics of his contributions in that field, I fear I can disclose no further details. -- Cimon Avaro 16:45, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

This is the sort of answer that frustrates me more than it helps. The Internet is a text-based environment, starved of the context that accompanying non-verbal communications -- or even the context provided by the familiar genres of fiction & non-fiction -- provide. It is immensely difficult for someone, like me, who is coming from the outside to this incident not to read Cimon's comment as an arrogant dismissal; as a statement simplified to "He's important. You don't need to know why." (If you don't see my point, contrast what Cimon wrote with the alternative response, "He advised Wikipedia/Wikimedia on some legal issues. Unfortunately, much of it was off-wiki so you won't find it.")

I know Cimon did not intentionally mean to express himself in a dismissive way because I have met him, & know him well enough not to read his words as an arrogant dismissal; also, English is not his first language, so he may not always express himself in the best way. However, even with that information I found it hard not to read his words as provocative.

Much of the frustration I feel with the Foundation is due to a dysfunctional communication style like this. As I wrote months ago, the whole matter about Carolyn Doran could have been avoided had the Foundation simply stated that she left for "personal reasons" (which is correct, based on information that later came out) or that the responsibilities of her job changed & she was no longer a good fit (which is correct, based on statements that came from various staffers). Instead her departure was glossed over, all questions about her were evaded ("it's personal; we can't talk about it"), & when he sensational background came out even those who wanted to assume good faith wondered if there wasn't more to the story.

I doubt I am the only one who experiences this frustration: the English Wikipedia alone is a huge project, where many active contributors not only don't know each other very well, but many don't even know other important contributors even exist. Add to this that the other Wikimedia projects operate in ignorance not only of the English Wikipedia, but of each other, & this emphasis on personal privacy angers other Wikimedians who already feel excluded from certain influential circles. And may be in bad humor because of frustrations with other contributors. There is no magic bullet to solve this widespread sense of "outsidership" in these projects, but it would help an effing lot if that sense of disassociation were kept in mind when these matters were addressed. -- Llywrch 20:27, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

You are quite correct that I was not being dismissive. You are also correct that the main problem is that of English being my second language. In this case I can't tell you, because I don't know about real things he has done, beyond memories of people referring to him in discussions of legal situations, without any specific memories about what the specific cases/situations/issues were. It is my memory that is vague, not my freedom to talk about the issues, nor my willingness.

If it helps at all, I know Soufron was one of the main presenters of a program item, alongside with Brad Patrick, at Wikimania Boston, which described the legal framework of Wikimedia Foundations situation. -- Cimon Avaro 13:53, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Just for the record, Jean-Baptiste Soufron, better known as Soufron, was active in the French Wikipedia and Free Culture Movement. He was a member of the French Chapter's Board, and was chosen as the first Legal Officer of the Foundation. Danny 17:27, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

 !vote

Used in voting, and discussions about voting. yet I still don't know exactly what people mean by it. Even though I have some idea, it would be good to have a definition which encapsulates what most people think of when they see "!vote". Harryboyles 08:06, 27 June 2008 (UTC)