[Foundation-l] Re: Wikipubs Project Proposal.

[SJ]

On 2/11/06, Kernigh <xkernigh at netscape.net> wrote:
> There are some users at Meta who think that the "Wikipubs" proposal is
> illegitimate. Thus the proposal page [1] has entered requests for deletion
> at Meta.
>
> [1] http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikipubs
<
> However, there is a valid concern here, which is that hundreds of wikis from
> the Internet will create pages for themselves at meta.wikimedia.org, simply
> by pretending that they want to become Wikimedia Foundation projects.

Is this a concern?  I personally see no problem with free and libre
projects, which are interested in merging their content with Wikipedia
content where/as appropriate, having their own page or section on
meta.  Most are not fully enough developed to deserve their own page;
but a mention certainly does not hurt.  This applies equally well to
Wikicities and to other projects.

I am reminded of eBay and its trust system.  They decided at some
point to start worrying about people attempting to use their eBay
reputation on other sites, as indication of their trustworthiness. 
eBay wanted them to stay within their own walls or renounce use of
their eBay rep.  So today, even though "like eBay's system" is [sadly
enough :) ] a by-word at identity conferences, they've given up the
chance to take advantage of their early recognition.

If the free and libre knowledge-gathering projects of the world are
competing to get a page on Meta, that's fantastic.  That saves us from
having to go out and collect such lists ourselves, and convince the
site-maintainers that they care about cooperation with other related
efforts.

++SJ