Strategic planning, November conference, brief news and milestones

Strategic planning update

Several task forces for the strategic planning project are beginning their work, with the first round of task forces being assigned people and questions. The task forces that have begun so far are:

• Improving performance in China
• Connecting Wikimedia to those without or with limited Internet access
• Increase contributions from readers and under-represented groups
• Enhance community health and culture task force
• Alliances and Partnerships Task Force

Many other task forces are still in the planning stage. Task forces are tasked with synthesizing data and information relating to their area, answering a set of broad questions relating to this area and Wikimedia's work, and presenting a few proposals to the strategic planning team. The task force work will take place over the next two months.

Community involvement is still requested for strategic planning. The Call for Proposals is still open; current proposals can also be rated and discussed. There is also a current call for discussion of some of the key questions that have been developed. Finally, there is also a wiki to-do list.

Community events planned for November

The deadline for registration for Wikimedia Conference Japan is November 11; more information can be found on the conference website. The conference will be held on November 22, in Tokyo.

Wikimedia Brasil is planning a series of unconferences, on November 18 and 25. The themes are "Building Free Knowledge Through Collaboration," with a sub-theme of "Outreach, Participation and Quality in Wikimedia projects." They are also planning a series of workshops for the general public and Wikipedia volunteers.

So far, community meetups are planned in November for London (Nov. 8); Cambridge (Nov. 14); New York City (Nov. 15); Bangalore (Nov. 22); and Karachi (Nov. 22).

Briefly

• The log for IRC office hours with Kul Wadhwa has been posted.
• The blog of Because We Can features pictures of the construction of the 3-d puzzle globe that they manufactured for the new Wikimedia Foundation offices.
• Several Wikipedians have put together their own lists of Wikipedians who use Twitter, using Twitter's new lists feature; Ragesoss has put together a list of WMF board and advisory board members, and another list of Wikimedia staff; while Cbrown1023 has put together a general list. Angela also put together a list of Wikia staff.
• Witty lama has put together a help page and guide for cultural sector professionals who want to contribute to Wikipedia (shortcut WP:GLAM).

Wikipedia in the news

• Barry Newstead of the Wikimedia strategy project blogged about the strategy project, and how it is trying to be open to non-community members.
• The Huffington Post has recognized Sue Gardner, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, as one of their top 10 media game-changers of the year; the top place is determined by reader votes. Her Wikipedia article was consequently nominated for deletion and speedily kept.
• Writing in the The Spectator, James Hannam suggests that there is a "subtle campaign on Wikipedia to overstate the contribution of Islamic sages to scientific scholarship." Hannam highlights the comparative length and specific claims made in articles such as Avicenna, Al-Kindi, Alhazen, Rhazes, Al-Farabi and Geber compared with those of Western thinkers.

Milestones

• The Simple English Wikipedia has reached 58,000 articles.
• The Ukrainian Wikiquote has reached 1,000 articles with uk:q:Гарві Мілк.
• The Simple English Wiktionary has reached 12,000 entries.
• The Lithuanian Wiktionary has reached 300,000 articles.
• The Breton Wikipedia has reached 30,000 articles.

This week in history

• 7 November 2005: 800,000th article created
• 6 November 2006: Intelligence wiki receives media attention
• 5 November 2007: Wikimedia avoids liability in French lawsuit

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In this issue

2 November 2009

Article contest

Conference report

Election report

Audit Subcommittee

Dispatches

News and notes

Discussion report

WikiProject report

Features and admins

Arbitration report

Technology report

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• I was unable to find a copy of Hannam's article on the Spectator website. Looking him up, he is apparently "a historian of science specialising in the relationship between science and Christianity." So that should be borne in mind while considering his claims. — Hex (❝?!❞) 17:47, 3 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

• I'd suggest he consult Conservapedia instead. Lampman (talk) 01:12, 4 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

• He's the author of God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science, August 2009 (Amazon link). Since the Spectator article appears not to be available online (I looked as well), it's hard to examine his arguments, but it wouldn't surprise me to find that he had a lot of good points. Wikipedia is a work in progress. -- John Broughton (♫♫) 20:30, 4 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Date of meetup in Karachi extended. Please fix, if seem necessary. Saqib ^talk 09:36, 7 November 2009 (UTC) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Saqib Qayyum (talk • contribs) [reply]