Talk:Wiki BUG

MediaWiki Engineering Group

Wiki BUG draws inspiration from the first officially WMF endorsed user group, our friends and neighbors here: mw:Groups/San Francisco. We look forward to working together, one way or another.

I think it probably makes sense to keep the groups separate (but am willing to consider anything). But for the sake of discussion, let me explain why separate seems like a better idea to me:

• Building community around shared interests: The main thing, to me, is that wiki technology and wiki use are very different activities, and suggest very different kinds of events. With Wiki BUG, we are not only using MediaWiki, but also Local Wiki (which is what Oakland Wiki is based on). We're basically connecting as writers, not around a specific tool. So while I think lots of people (including me) would want to be part of both groups, I think keeping them separate entities, with separate announcement mechanisms etc., will help us better target the people who are really only interested in one or the other (writing or technology).
• SF vs. BART region: Obviously this one is not a big deal, if the SF Engineering group wanted to expand its scope. The larger region is important to us though, as most of us live in the East Bay!

Looking forward to seeing what people have to say to all this. -Pete F (talk) 15:29, 28 January 2013 (UTC)

"San Francisco" is a concept.  :) I sleep in Mountain View (South Bay) and it takes me less to reach the WMF office in SF downtown than many others driving or commuting from closer distances. I find the BART reference unnecessary. You could simply schedule your activities and let people decide whether they are within their reach or not.--Qgil (talk) 21:48, 28 January 2013 (UTC)

Okay, I think it was a useful thing for us to talk through in our first discussion (in terms of developing a shared idea of what we're focusing on) but you're right, there's no reason to be rigid at all. I'll soften the way it's stated, and if you like, we can probably take it out altogether. And I'll strike that part of my comment above. -Pete F (talk) 22:20, 28 January 2013 (UTC)

I don't think the BART reference is necessary, since it could just as easily include Caltrain, or even systems that accept Clipper/Fastrack. But the important point is that the name "San Francisco" is exclusive by nature; we don't think of the Bay Area as being SF, it is the city, and that projects that the center of activities will be in the city. It is definitely an issue with the Bay Area, since we never know how to scale things. Does it make sense to have separate groups? Is one group good enough for a large area? Do we reach out to Marin County? Our little peninsula/bay region is wonky. ^_^ マイキ (talk) 07:48, 29 January 2013 (UTC)

I made a long response over at mediawikiwiki:Thread:Talk:Groups/San Francisco/New, related group starting up/reply (4), and it is a braindump, so I will not copy it here. But you should read it! マイキ (talk) 07:48, 29 January 2013 (UTC)

Done So, I think we are going to keep this a separate group, but try to find ways to actively support one another's work and collaborate. I hope this is OK with you maiki; it's not that anybody wants to be exclusive, but this group is born out of a desire to do writing and keep the focus there. I have no problem revisiting this if you remain unconvinced, but for the moment it will be helpful if we can move forward. -Pete F (talk) 01:42, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

Notes

I added a link to the group from the SF Meetup page on Wikipedia and vice versa. I love the idea of having a not-just-Wikimedia wiki group. Ideas: draw in WikiHow (based in Palo Alto), LocalWiki in general (SF, also Davis, Sac, etc); and I'm sure there are more... I would also love to build some Sacramento-area get-togethers at some point. -- phoebe | talk 18:44, 1 February 2013 (UTC)

Thanks for doing this, Phoebe! Yes, we should definitely reach out to those groups. We already have a connection to LocalWiki via Oakland Wiki, but should probably make a more explicit invitation! Feel free to point people here yourself, or else we will get to it soon :) I'll add it to the "to do" list on the main page. -Pete F (talk) 01:44, 6 February 2013 (UTC)

Confusion with Bug Squad

Do you have any concerns about the name causing confusion with the group in regards to the MediaWiki Bug Squad? --Varnent (talk)^(COI) 16:48, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

Where does "BUG" come from? --Another Believer (talk) 19:51, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

I believe it comes from "Bay (Area) User Group", making this term a para-Walronym.--Pharos (talk) 11:20, 21 June 2014 (UTC)

Wikimedia LGBT

		Wikimedia LGBT+
		Wikimedia LGBT+ is a proposed thematic organization that seeks to promote the development of content on Wikimedia projects which is of interest to LGBT+ communities. Proposed activities include outreach at LGBT events, Wikimania and other Wikimedia events, an international campaign called Wiki Loves Pride, and work on safe space policies, among other collaborations and interwiki projects. Active Wikimedians are welcome to join this cause! Please consider adding your name as a participant/supporter. Current tasks include translating pages, building a strong framework here at Meta, and achieving user group status (with the eventual goal of becoming a thematic organization). Your feedback is welcome on the discussion page.

--Another Believer (talk) 17:54, 1 November 2013 (UTC)