Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate questions

See also: Wikimedia UK v2.0/Candidate statements

Questions to be asked of the candidates for election to the Board of Wikimedia v2.0 in September 2008:

Mandatory questions

These questions must be answered by all candidates or their candidacy will be invalidated.

• What is your full name

Voluntary questions

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?
• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?
• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?
• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?
• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?
• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

Answers and questions for individual candidates

Tango

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

Thomas Michael Dalton

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I can't be entirely sure, I'm going into my final year of Uni and I don't know how much time my project work will take up. I should be able to devote a few hours a week, minimum.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

Just "Tango".

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

I don't know, really... I've just gone through my English Wikipedia talk page and updated by barnstar collection and discovered I'm up to 7 now - I'm not sure I deserved all of them, but I'm proud that someone thought I did. Does that count?

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I'd be happy to take on any role people want of me (although I make no promises to be good at it!). I have experience of minuting meetings and could probably handle the rest of the secretaries roles. I have no formal accountancy training, but I'm a maths student so I'm not afraid of numbers and could probably handle being treasurer (at least while we're small). I have no relevant experience for being chair, but am happy to learn if people want me to.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

My role was limited to sending lots of emails trying to get people to move things forward - I guess it worked, although not quite as I intended.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No, should be fine. I visited a few banks and asked them about their requirements for identification and I'm sure I can manage them.

Questions Last Updated: --Tango 16:30, 13 September 2008 (UTC)

Cfp

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

Tom Holden

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I'm doing a doctorate, so I have no firm deadlines and I can be very flexible with where and when I work, thus I can certainly commit to a few hours a week in addition to my Wikimania commitments.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

Just "Cfp".

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

I think what makes me most proud is when others discover a page I've started and continue to improve it.

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

Sure, if the other board members thought I was the best qualified for the position. I guess being an economist gives me some semi-qualification as a treasurer, but it very much depends on the skills of the other board members.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

Similarly to Tango, I sent plenty of e-mails and expressed interest in being included in the decision making process, but it didn't come to much (beyond us now starting afresh).

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

Nope, none at all.

Questions Last Updated: --cfp 21:18, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

Skenmy

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

Paul Roy Williams

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

This is currently impossible for me to answer truthfully. I am in a period of change where I am starting a new job and also starting a distance learning BSc course that takes up 14-16 hours of my week. I do not intend to neglect my duties, if elected, however, as it is my hope and wish to see v2 succeed.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

Only "Skenmy".

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

My proudest achievement would be becoming one of the more senior members of the English Wikinews - while not an "achievement" per se, it makes me proud.

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I have experience in chairing meetings, so I would be interested in being Chair, but not Treasurer.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

I was uninvolved apart from being an outside observer.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

I anticipate no difficulties here. I am already identified to the foundation.

Questions Last Updated: --Skenmy 14:03, 13 September 2008 (UTC)

KTC

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

Kwan Ting Chan

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I am willing, and as far as I can tell, able to commit as much time as is required. I would offer my resignation if for whatever reason I feel I can no longer offer what is required of these positions.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

As stated on my en.wp user page, I control (and have edited from) the global account "User:KTC", which is attached to from all such named account on Wikimedia wikis except that of es:User:KTC and ja:User:KTC. I also control the doppelganger account en:User:Ktc from back in the days when one could freely create similar named account to an already existing one. No other account belong to me.

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

Since I have no particular editing area, and just improve things by little bits here and there, it's a difficult question to answer. Though of course, managing to get through the 2008 WMF Board election as an election officer without getting shouted at (too much), and being the main person responsible for updating the software used is something I am pleased about.

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I have no particular preference one way or another, and would decide upon seeing who else is on the board, and their respective experiences.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

No, although I were one of those who submitted a request for guarantee membership just before the announcement of its intention to wind up the company. I considered and hoped to help move things along were I accepted a member.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No.

Kate

Mandatory questions

• What is your full name

River Tarnell.

Voluntary questions

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I expect to commit at least several hours per week, if needed. (More, if something needs to be done quickly, or there's a lot to do.)

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

I am User:Kate on all projects.

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

My contribution to running the site as a developer/sysadmin.

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I wouldn't object to it, but I don't know if I would be qualified for those positions.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from its failure?

No, I wasn't.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No. I have a valid UK passport and other forms of id for proof of address.

Mike Peel

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

As my username says: Mike Peel (or Michael Peel).

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I am entering the final year of my PhD, which may limit my time, but I don't think that of order a few hours a week will be a problem - so long as most of those are confined to the evening / weekend.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

I have a global user account, so just User:Mike Peel.

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

Being part of the collaborative effort that is Wikipedia et al. Or if you want a more specific answer, the featured articles/lists listed on my Wikipedia user page (or my uploaded photos - it's difficult to choose)

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I find it curious that Membership isn't listed; that would probably be my preferred role. Failing that, I have experience being a chair (I'm the chair of the Jodrell Bank postgraduate student committee, if that means anything), and I would probably be good at the role of secretary. Whilst I do work with mathematics a lot, I probably wouldn't be as good at treasurer due to that involving accountancy.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

No. However, from observing its downfall, I'd say that it is vital to keep momentum rolling, and to keep the community informed and involved - both things that WMUK1 didn't do too well, at least towards the end.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No, so long as my parent's address is OK (I use that address for convenience, as my university-based address has historically changed regularly).

Questions Last Updated: Mike Peel 21:17, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

Warofdreams

Mandatory

• What is your full name?

Michael Conn

Voluntary

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I intend to commit as much time as is required. I will shortly be undertaking a distance learning course, which may limit my available time at particular points, but an average of a few hours a week should not be a problem.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

Pretty much just "Warofdreams". I have a tiny number of edits on the Welsh edition of Wikipedia as "Cwmardy".

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

I am particularly pleased to have created short articles on the English edition of Wikipedia on several hundred topics relating to sub-Saharan Africa, which appear to have assisted in spurring increased interest in work on this field. Administratively, I've been pleased to have determined consensus in a way generally approved of by all involved on several Requests for Adminship which had attracted heated discussion.

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

I am familiar with all these roles and would be happy to take any of them on, in the absence of a better placed board member.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

I was not involved, as I felt at the time that the London-based group were best placed to move things forward. The primary lessons I take are the need to produce and attempt to adhere to a timetable for development of the organisation (this is going well, so far!), the need for the board to actively engage with members and to encourage memberships to be taken out, and the need for the board members to remain contactable and active.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No, this should not pose any problem.

Questions Last Updated: --Warofdreams 18:58, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

AndrewRT (Andrew Turvey)

• What is your full name?

Andrew Rowan Turvey

• How much time can you commit to acting on the Board?

I will be busy over the next few months - particularly at the start as I have some exams in early October - but I hope to be able to dedicate at least a few hours each week.

• What user names have you used to edit wikimedia projects?

Just "AndrewRT".

• What's your proudest achievement as a wikimedia editor?

See my candidate statement where I talk about my work on en-wikipedia

• Would you be interested in being an officer of the Board (i.e. Chair, Secretary or Treasurer)?

My preference is to be Secretary, responsible for forming and registering the company, liasing with Companies House, HMRC, the Charity Commission etc. as this is where I think I would be most use. I have also chaired quite a few committees before and I'm keen that the Board is efficiently run and good at communicating with the community so I would be open to this one too. Treasurer I could also do, or help someone else with but I'm not too keen as I offered (on meta) to prepare the company's accounts and this would not be possible if I was also Treasurer as it would be a conflict. After the subsequent Board is elected I want to take a back seat.

• Were you involved in Wikimedia UK v1 and if so, what lessons do you think can be learned from it's failure?

I must confess I never even heard of it! I'm very keen we learn as much as we can from their work - successes as well as failures.

• Would you anticipate any difficulties in proving your identity or address for bank account opening purposes?

No. I've got plenty of debt which means banks are generally happy to throw credit at me! I moved house a year ago but I dont think that should cause a problem.

Additional questions from w:en:User:Fr33kman, with answers below:

1) What is your reluctance for the CRB check? You are a Charted Accountant and so can't have a record to do that so I'm a bit confused. (I've gone through 7 of them and it's very simple (and private) process)

You are right to note that a Chartered Accountant can't have any convictions for dishonesty or they would be stripped of their membership. However, the criteria is not the same as the criteria for working with children - the Independent Barring Board can ban anyone from working with children based on a police caution or even a reported incident from a youth club - so the logic doesn't entirely apply. I have no reason to believe I would fail an IBB check, and as I've said already, I would be quite happy to undergo a check if the Board decided it was necessary or indeed a legal requirement for the particular role I was doing (e.g. if I was the Membership Secretary and the Board thought it was prudent to check.) However, I think the various regulations we have to follow are onerous enough as it is, without us adding extra things beyond what's required or reasonable just because someone thought it might be a good idea. The initial Board will be doing very little, if anything, with children, so I think requiring every Board member to agree to a check is excessive and unnecessary. I hope this makes sense and sounds reasonable!

2) Your talk page doesn't show much interaction with other users, why is this?

I don't entirely understand this question. All my talk posts are archived here after they are concluded and I have nearly 100 talk discussions in total. Add to that my 353 total talk page edits and I thought I had a quite respectable total!