2006:Wikimania/Program/2006-03-09

Program meeting Thursday Mar. 9, 23:00UTC

freenode#wikimania This was a very short, very small meeting. Apparently everyone was out sick? Or maybe I just need to remind ya'll more of meetings? or we need to change the time? :) In active attendance: GerardM, sj, brassratgirl, & Amgine

Agenda

• individual speakers (see notes from last meeting)
• tutorial ideas - getting presenters
  • research tutorial
  • project-contribution tutorial content
• logistics - getting contact information for each invited speaker (what we need)
• free culture - offered help getting word out to free-license artists (for party, &c)

hopefully this will be a short meeting with most followup by email

Notes

We talked about:

• individual speakers - ideas for invites
• presentation topic ideas
• what info to ask for from speakers - we brainstormed the following list:
  • name, address, occupation, affiliation, short bio, wikiname if avail/so desired, photo if so desired, link to personal site / publications, talk topic/title (optional??), native language, native country, where they are departing from (and visa needs), tech needs for presenting, general special needs

Log (gerhead Turtle)

[3/9/2006 3:06 PM] <brassratgirl> weeelll... a bunch of people told me they *wouldn't* be here... 
[3/9/2006 3:06 PM] <brassratgirl> I guess we can wait around for a few & see who all shows
[3/9/2006 3:07 PM] <brassratgirl> sj, did you get ahold of anyone about the website? 
[3/9/2006 3:07 PM] <GerardM> sj you were interested in specialised communications protocols for Afrika ?
[3/9/2006 3:07 PM] <_sj|> gerardm: yes
[3/9/2006 3:07 PM] <_sj|> and hi
[3/9/2006 3:07 PM] <GerardM> to deal with things with cheap windows in the peering agreements and stuff
[3/9/2006 3:08 PM] <_sj|> not sure what you mean precisely
[3/9/2006 3:08 PM] <GerardM> have a mo
[3/9/2006 3:08 PM] <_sj|> ways to provide cheap interfaces to a dynamic body of content
[3/9/2006 3:08 PM] <_sj|> falls under projects and content
[3/9/2006 3:09 PM] <_sj|> practical ways to expand the contributor base to places that don't have "traditional" networking would be interesting
[3/9/2006 3:09 PM] <GerardM> We were aproached today by the University of Amsterdam (the "Vrije Universiteit")
[3/9/2006 3:09 PM] <GerardM> they have a project that seems to be exactly what would help for this
[3/9/2006 3:10 PM] <GerardM> this is HARD technology
[3/9/2006 3:10 PM] <GerardM> but it will do exactly what we want .. make content available cheaply whereever
[3/9/2006 3:11 PM] <_sj|> sounds interesting.  any details yet?
[3/9/2006 3:11 PM] <GerardM> We will talk with them on wednesday
[3/9/2006 3:11 PM] <GerardM> They may also be interested in speaking at Wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:11 PM] * GerardM I have that hat on nowadays
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <_sj|> neat.  send updates to some appropriate place... and yes, encourage them to submit a presentation to wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <brassratgirl> Gerard: yes, that sounds great .. 
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <_sj|> meanwhile the free culture movement is keen on helping us get free-license artists
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <GerardM> On a different note, Martin Mai (University of Bamberg) is using Wikimedia content for language training .. I asked them if they could give a presentation as well
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <_sj|> to perform at a party, provide music, &c
[3/9/2006 3:12 PM] <brassratgirl> sj - nifty 
[3/9/2006 3:13 PM] <_sj|> could be cool.  and it's good publicity.
[3/9/2006 3:13 PM] <GerardM> If we want a talk about semantic web kinda content in a MediaWiki environment, I hope to discuss this tomorrow
[3/9/2006 3:13 PM] <_sj|> gerard: he's activeloy using it now?
[3/9/2006 3:13 PM] <_sj|> or is it still an idea?
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <GerardM> Martin Mai has demo software posted on Meta
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <_sj|> right, but is he using it actively?
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <GerardM> (references to what he is already doing)
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <_sj|> or preparing for next term?
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <GerardM> he is actively developing it
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <_sj|> ok
[3/9/2006 3:14 PM] <_sj|> who's the audience tomorrow for the semantic web discussion?
[3/9/2006 3:15 PM] <GerardM> Do you know what it is  ?
[3/9/2006 3:15 PM] <GerardM> it is the next thing after the world wide web according to Sir Tim
[3/9/2006 3:15 PM] <_sj|> the semantic web?  sure.  we had a full panel on it last year.
[3/9/2006 3:15 PM] <_sj|> tho it means different things to different people...
[3/9/2006 3:15 PM] <GerardM> :)
[3/9/2006 3:16 PM] <GerardM> this will be rather practical
[3/9/2006 3:16 PM] <GerardM> anyway, that is my progress report I am afraid
[3/9/2006 3:16 PM] <brassratgirl> gerard: sounds good .. 
[3/9/2006 3:17 PM] <brassratgirl> who are you talking about the semantic web with tommorow? 
[3/9/2006 3:17 PM] <GerardM>  Barend Mons
[3/9/2006 3:17 PM] <GerardM> he is a gifted speaker :)
[3/9/2006 3:17 PM] -->| sistero_ (n=pheobeze@ip126-23-59-81.dyndsl.versatel.nl) has joined #wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:18 PM] <--| sistero_ has left #wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:18 PM] <brassratgirl> what does he do again? 
[3/9/2006 3:18 PM] <GerardM> He is the professor type
[3/9/2006 3:19 PM] <GerardM> He is decidedly in the free content field
[3/9/2006 3:19 PM] <brassratgirl> oh, ok 
[3/9/2006 3:19 PM] <GerardM> The potential for him to do good is astounding
[3/9/2006 3:20 PM] <_sj|> On specific speakers : I have a second way to ping the librarian of congress now; maybe we'll get a response.
[3/9/2006 3:20 PM] <_sj|> and the invite to Sir Tim is in his schedule-organizer's hands.
[3/9/2006 3:20 PM] <brassratgirl> woo! 
[3/9/2006 3:20 PM] <GerardM> I would like to have Google talk about their Library project :)
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <brassratgirl> yes 
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <_sj|> agreed.  we have to find the right person to speak
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <_sj|> from google, from ibm, and a few other large orgs.
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <brassratgirl> If we invite them, I'm wondering if a tech or social presentation would be more interesting 
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <GerardM> Sir Tim would be NICE
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <GerardM> for them the main thing is what do you do with it ..
[3/9/2006 3:21 PM] <GerardM> they will want the things that are unexpected to them
[3/9/2006 3:22 PM] <GerardM> Technical is great, but we excell by doing the data thing .. that is unexpected
[3/9/2006 3:23 PM] -->| Amgine (n=chatzill@24.84.55.177) has joined #wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:23 PM] <brassratgirl> hey amgine!
[3/9/2006 3:23 PM] <Amgine> Heyla! sorry I 'm late.
[3/9/2006 3:23 PM] <brassratgirl> we were just talking about google print 
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <brassratgirl> & whether to invite them, and who... 
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <Amgine> <nod>
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <brassratgirl> no worries, there's very few people here
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <Amgine> <grin>
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <brassratgirl> everyone called in sick, or something 
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <_sj|> or simply passed on...
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <Amgine> Well, I'm gathering evidences, and forgot what the time was.
[3/9/2006 3:24 PM] <_sj|> evidences?
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <_sj|> we do want someone working on g-translation to talk about that
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <Amgine> I'm up for RfAr.
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <brassratgirl> we do? 
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <_sj|> or don't we?  they are on our list, at least.
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <brassratgirl> I suppose so.. 
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <_sj|> unlike g-print atm.
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <brassratgirl> there hasn't been quite as much consensus around translation as print, I thought
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <Amgine> Well, I know that Gerard has a connections with other machine translation.
[3/9/2006 3:25 PM] <brassratgirl> print isn't on the list? hmph. 
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] *brassratgirl will fix
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <Amgine> Where's the list, btw.
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <_sj|> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2006/Program_ideas
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <GerardM> what is RfAr ??
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <_sj|> brg: we have both, sorry :)
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <brassratgirl> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2006/Program_ideas
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <_sj|> it's just that we have direct contact with Franz Och
[3/9/2006 3:26 PM] <brassratgirl> same as ever 
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <_sj|> and not with a particular G-printer
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <brassratgirl> g-translation's great, don't get me wrong 
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <GerardM> I do know people .. Machine translation is NOT my cup of tea
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <brassratgirl> well, if we can figure out what angle we'd like to take re: print... 
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <brassratgirl> we can likely find someone .. 
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <Amgine> GerardM: What about logos?
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <GerardM> Definetly not
[3/9/2006 3:27 PM] <brassratgirl> I may have library connections, or can figure them out, because they're scanning at Berkeley 
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <GerardM> They are not in the picture at all
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <Amgine> <nod> Okay.
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <_sj|> brg: right
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <GerardM> I will explain later if you need to be convinced
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <_sj|> and someone from the Harvard digitization project would be interesting 
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <brassratgirl> otherwise, I guess we call them up .. 
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <Amgine> No, no need GerardM. I trust you.
[3/9/2006 3:28 PM] <_sj|> we also need to schedule a library day, for people to camp out and use a local library in earnest; perhaps the month before...
[3/9/2006 3:29 PM] <GerardM> One of the questions to ask these library types will be how will we may we benefit ?
[3/9/2006 3:29 PM] <_sj|> gerard :?
[3/9/2006 3:29 PM] <Amgine> GerardM: Libraries are very very supportive of Wikimedia.
[3/9/2006 3:29 PM] <Amgine> They would like to find a way to fund us.
[3/9/2006 3:29 PM] <brassratgirl> well, there's brewster's digitization as well 
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <Amgine> What theme are we talking about, btw?
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <brassratgirl> we should figure out how many projects we want to bring in.. 
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <GerardM> sorry that is not what I mean - I mean the library digitizing folk
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <brassratgirl> Amgine: all of them, apparently :P 
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <brassratgirl> but digitization is free knowledge
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <_sj|> individual speakers, mainly
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <_sj|> in this case:
[3/9/2006 3:30 PM] <_sj|> which ones to invite from larger orgs
[3/9/2006 3:31 PM] <Amgine> ALA.
[3/9/2006 3:31 PM] <brassratgirl> Amgine: I've thought about it, and I can't come up with a clear part of ALA to reach out to.. 
[3/9/2006 3:31 PM] <brassratgirl> the other library orgs are much-more tech focussed
[3/9/2006 3:32 PM] <GerardM> Digitisation of PD stuff is freeing knowledge. For the rest we have to wait ..
[3/9/2006 3:32 PM] <Amgine> <considers> There is a branch of ALA which is focused on electronic books.
[3/9/2006 3:32 PM] <_sj|> We should send a cfp solicitation to the program coordinators for a few regional ala groups
[3/9/2006 3:32 PM] <_sj|> right now I believe we've covered major sla groups, and some of ASIST
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <brassratgirl> ACRL & their local chapters might be better 
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <brassratgirl> ACLR is the academic libraries branch of ALA.. 
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <brassratgirl> and they tend to focus on this kind of thing much more 
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <_sj|> so noted.
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <brassratgirl> sj - I assume NEASIST has been spammed? 
[3/9/2006 3:33 PM] <_sj|> what information do we need from speakers?
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <_sj|> brg: yes.  they're actively trying to help.
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <brassratgirl> invited or non? 
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <Amgine> ala.org is down.
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <brassratgirl> ala has the worst site ever. 
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <_sj|> the local SLA president elect and the NEASIST president elect came to the local wikimeet last monday
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <_sj|> and had never met one another before :-)  but were glad to
[3/9/2006 3:34 PM] <brassratgirl> that's pretty awesome. 
[3/9/2006 3:35 PM] <_sj|> it was fun.  we just talked about wikipedia use in libraries, but they'll be in touch re: helping with wikimania too.
[3/9/2006 3:35 PM] <_sj|> there's this study from mit, in which they wanted to know which parts of the library were used most by students
[3/9/2006 3:35 PM] <_sj|> and they had an "other" field and lots of students filled in "Wikipedia"
[3/9/2006 3:35 PM] <_sj|> so many that someone wrote this up... the NEASIST rep said she'd try to get the survey creators to submit something
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <Amgine> ALA Lita website is also down.
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <_sj|> maybe suggest a panel of students.
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <Amgine> NT server.
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <brassratgirl> As I see it, you're going to get two groups of librarians -- local ones, and ones that are actively interested in tech/wikis/open source/etc. I'm trying to hit up major people in the latter group, mostly bloggers.
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <brassratgirl> Amgine: like I said, it's total crap :) 
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <_sj|> info we need from speakers:
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <brassratgirl> (btw, amgine: lita is a good idea) 
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <_sj|> on top of what's requested by indico already, a license release on their abstract; 
[3/9/2006 3:36 PM] <brassratgirl> name, address, occupation 
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <brassratgirl> affiliation, short bio, wikiname
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <brassratgirl> photo if so desired
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <_sj|> (not all have wikinames)
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <Amgine> <nod> Amazing that the IT part of ala has a down server though.
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <brassratgirl> (if available) 
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <_sj|> yes, photo and short bio early
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <_sj|> link to personal site / publications
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <brassratgirl> oh, and talk topic :P 
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <_sj|> (optional)
[3/9/2006 3:37 PM] <brassratgirl> talk title? 
[3/9/2006 3:38 PM] <GerardM> Do we want to have people present projects that have not been started ?
[3/9/2006 3:38 PM] <GerardM> That would prove interesting .. they have to convince ..
[3/9/2006 3:38 PM] <_sj|> gerard: it would be a harder sell, I think
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <brassratgirl> Gerard: I think it would have to be judged on a case by case basis
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <Amgine> <nod> Not as invited speakers, anyway.
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <_sj|> not a reason not to submit an abstract, however
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <brassratgirl> something where people can actually present data or results is more interesting 
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <GerardM> :) Why not :) give them the opportunity
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <GerardM> We have so many rooms ?
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <brassratgirl> but a theoretical idea can be good. Depends on the topic.
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <Amgine> <nod> Be a good idea for a submission, but not good for invited.
[3/9/2006 3:39 PM] <GerardM> We can invite, we may not fund them coming
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <_sj|> brg: also native language(s)
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <brassratgirl> Gerard: but not infinite rooms :) 
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <_sj|> to help prioritize translations
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <brassratgirl> sj: visa needs
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <_sj|> yes.
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <brassratgirl> sj: other travel needs? 
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <_sj|> native country and where they will be departing from
[3/9/2006 3:40 PM] <brassratgirl> yes
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <GerardM> It would be a "finge meeting" 
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <_sj|> a space for special needs
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <_sj|> gerardm: there's the notion of "BOFs" -- birds of a feather meetings
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <GerardM> they can be bof's
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <brassratgirl> "special needs" - dietary, mobility, etc. etc. 
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <brassratgirl> tech needs? 
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <Amgine> <nod>
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <_sj|> yes.  projector; speakers?  a provided machine?  
[3/9/2006 3:41 PM] <brassratgirl> That kind of thing could make a really good bof, actually 
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <brassratgirl> a round-robin discussion of people's upcoming projects 
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <_sj|> brg: we can draft a form for them.
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <Amgine> I'd like to see such project proposals also have a chance at a main podium too.
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <brassratgirl> sj - ok 
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <_sj|> gerard: would be a fun bof, especially if there's still room for others to weigh in
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <_sj|> and give their opinions.
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <brassratgirl> sj: am still working on the invite letter, will send to you 
[3/9/2006 3:42 PM] <_sj|> we can have some bofs that just self-form at the conference; but bofs are welcome to submit abstracts too
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <Amgine> <whinces> Maybe not always, sj. Imagine Wikiversity?
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <_sj|> brg: you rock
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <brassratgirl> sj: we need to draft a separate "here's the call for papers" non-specific letter, too 
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <_sj|> yep
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <_sj|> amgine: totally.  case by case
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <GerardM> Martin Mai's stuff fits in with WIkiversity
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] *brassratgirl imagines her weekend...
[3/9/2006 3:43 PM] <_sj|> wikiversity may have enough to talk about to offer a projects session; wikipeople[sic], in contrast, may not
[3/9/2006 3:44 PM] <Amgine> <imagines brg's weekend on the stove>
[3/9/2006 3:44 PM] <brassratgirl> amgine: precisely
[3/9/2006 3:44 PM] <brassratgirl> did martin mai present last year? help me out, here
[3/9/2006 3:44 PM] <_sj|> (though the brits thinking about starting such a project might have a bof related to that.)
[3/9/2006 3:45 PM] <_sj|> brg: no
[3/9/2006 3:45 PM] <GerardM> He did not
[3/9/2006 3:45 PM] <GerardM> he was there though
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <_sj|> he just needs to submit an abstract about what he'd like to present, then we can talk about it in april :) 
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] * _sj| has to run
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <brassratgirl> ok 
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <GerardM> .. I will press harder .. he has not been to the US before
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <GerardM> .. so have I ..
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <_sj|> tutorials : getting tutorials specific to each project?
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <_sj|> gerard: ahh so
[3/9/2006 3:46 PM] <brassratgirl> cormac sent out that email about the research tutorial (wince) 
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <_sj|> yes....
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <Amgine> Tutorials do not always work across languages within a single project?
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <brassratgirl> we've talked about it a bit - and we agreed that if no one takes it on, we can schedule it anyway... 
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <brassratgirl> and tailor it more around who's acutally going to be there
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <brassratgirl> there's been a fair amount of interest, but everyone involved is incredibly busy right now 
[3/9/2006 3:47 PM] <_sj|> amgine: why not?
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <_sj|> brg: a good person to ping about that is jamesf, when he's not away
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <brassratgirl> right. 
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <Amgine> Are we talking about a tutorials for Wikimania?
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <_sj|> yes
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <brassratgirl> Amgine: yes
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <GerardM> James is still the CRO of the Wikimedia Foundation
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <Amgine> Okay, then I'm out of order.
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <brassratgirl> yes, I need to talk to him about it 
[3/9/2006 3:48 PM] <GerardM> Then again I do not know what that is worth with all the committees ..
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <Amgine> Important, GerardM.
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <_sj|> must run.  catch up later...
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <Amgine> And he's had a bit more time the past two weeks.
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <brassratgirl> bye sj 
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <--| _sj| has left #wikimania
[3/9/2006 3:49 PM] <brassratgirl> I have to go myself soon 

at this point, there was some miscellaneous talk about mailing lists, some personal conversations, and the meeting slowly faded away