Comments on: Wikipedia Hiring for Usability Initiative http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/2009/01/wikipedia-hiring-for-usability-initiative/ A community resource for Richmond, VA Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:06:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: MediaWiki WYSIWYG Coming Soon — RichmondWiki Blog http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/2009/01/wikipedia-hiring-for-usability-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-309 MediaWiki WYSIWYG Coming Soon — RichmondWiki Blog Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:06:28 +0000 http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/?p=135#comment-309 [...] could be associated with the usability initiative that the Wikimedia Foundation was hiring for this past [...] [...] could be associated with the usability initiative that the Wikimedia Foundation was hiring for this past [...]

]]> By: Gregory Kohs http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/2009/01/wikipedia-hiring-for-usability-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-123 Gregory Kohs Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:49:03 +0000 http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/?p=135#comment-123 I should also note, that 6 hours after submitting my comment to the Komura post, it still has not been published. Typically, the WMF censors any questions or comments that overtly criticize their ethics. I should also note, that 6 hours after submitting my comment to the Komura post, it still has not been published. Typically, the WMF censors any questions or comments that overtly criticize their ethics.

]]> By: Gregory Kohs http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/2009/01/wikipedia-hiring-for-usability-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Gregory Kohs Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:46:57 +0000 http://www.richmondwiki.org/blog/?p=135#comment-122 You'll be interested to learn that Komura <a href="http://blog.wikimedia.org/2009/01/21/a-note-on-the-wikipedia-usability-initiative/" rel="nofollow">recently announced</a> that Wikia, Inc. is the winning bid for renting out office space to this project, paid for with presumably tax-deductible donations. I asked on the WMF blog: <i>More detail, please, on the note that "Wikia matched the best offer". Were the other ten higher bidders also given the opportunity to match the best offer? Why was Wikia chosen on a "second and final offer" basis, rather than the good-faith firm that submitted the lowest offer?</i> <i>I have to agree with Steven Walling. Considering that the last official arrangement between Wikia and Wikipedia was appointing Wikia employee Ryan "Essjay" Jordan to the Arbitration Committee, I would have thought the WMF would be hyper-sensitive to working in concert yet again with their neighbor down the street.</i> How is this not self-dealing, considering that one principal of Wikia, Inc. serves on the WMF Board, and another heads up the WMF Advisory Board? You’ll be interested to learn that Komura recently announced that Wikia, Inc. is the winning bid for renting out office space to this project, paid for with presumably tax-deductible donations.

I asked on the WMF blog:

More detail, please, on the note that “Wikia matched the best offer”. Were the other ten higher bidders also given the opportunity to match the best offer? Why was Wikia chosen on a “second and final offer” basis, rather than the good-faith firm that submitted the lowest offer?

I have to agree with Steven Walling. Considering that the last official arrangement between Wikia and Wikipedia was appointing Wikia employee Ryan “Essjay” Jordan to the Arbitration Committee, I would have thought the WMF would be hyper-sensitive to working in concert yet again with their neighbor down the street.

How is this not self-dealing, considering that one principal of Wikia, Inc. serves on the WMF Board, and another heads up the WMF Advisory Board?

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