Wikimedia chapters/Reports/Wikimedia Australia/2008-11

Wikimedia Australia chapter report

Edition 2, November 2008

By Brianna Laugher, interim Secretary (blaugher at wikimedia dot org dot au)

Introduction

Another busy month for WMAU. Last month we promised a website, membership and an AGM. We managed to get two our of three and a few other odds and sods besides. Hot topics of discussion have been working with educators and museums.

News in brief

• An education mailing list was launched.
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/education_lists.wikimedia.org.au>
• Our official website was launched. Editing is limited to account holders (which is limited to members).
  • <http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Wikimedia_Australia>
  • <http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Accounts>
• We are now open for members! As of 2008-21-15 we have 31 paid members and 10 would-be members awaiting approval or receipt of payment.
  • http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Membership
• Wikimedia Australia received two donations (almost certainly as a result of the WMF fundraiser). As a result we started a page explaining how to donate and thanking donors.
  • <http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Donate>
  • <http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Thank_you>
• Wikimedia Australia is developing a joint publication with Creative Commons Australia, to be launched at the Free as in Freedom LCA miniconf.
  • Announcement & discussion: <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001915.html>
  • <http://wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Participatory_Culture_Primer>
• The AGM is planned for Sunday 10th January 2009 but it has not been formally announced yet.

Meetups

Past

• Melbourne, 5 November "Wiki Wednesday" coinciding with LUV talk [no report, see below]
• Sydney, 12 November "Wiki Wednesday",
  • report by Liam: <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001850.html>
• Perth, 29 November [no report]

Upcoming

• Sydney, 18 December: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Meetup/Sydney#December_18th_2008>
• Everywhere :) 10 January: AGM (planned)

Other events

Past

• Melbourne, 5 November, LUV meeting: "Hacking MediaWiki (For Users)" talk, by Brianna.
  • Video: <http://brianna.modernthings.org/article/173/hacking-mediawiki-for-users-video>
• Melbourne, 24 November, Victoria IT Teachers Association (VITTA) conference: "Wikipedia in schools: An unexplored potential" workshop by Brianna.
  • Report: <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001960.html>
• Sydney, 28 November, English Teachers Association conference: Liam gave a workshop about using Wikipedia in the classroom.
  • Report: <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001977.html>
  • Slides: <http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_teachers_primer_to_wikipedia.pdf>

Upcoming

• Hobart, 20 January 2009: "Free as in Freedom" miniconf as part of linux.conf.au, organised by Brianna. <http://linux.conf.au/schedule/121/view_miniconf> One of the speakers is Liam. Also, Angela is a keynote at the main conference.

Committee meeting minutes

• 2008-11-02 <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001780.html>
• 2008-11-09 <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001830.html>
• 2008-11-16 <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001912.html>
• 2008-11-23 <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-December/002100.html>

On the lists

Full archive: <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/thread.html>

• Adopting a language project
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001776.html>
• Wikipedia Loves Art! Photo contest at the Powerhouse Museum
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001815.html>
• Working on a WMAU brochure
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001828.html>
• Corporate sponsorship/membership
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001830.html>
• Legal restrictions on taking photographs in Australian Commonwealth reserve areas
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001840.html>
• WMAU activities and direction
  • <http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediaau-l/2008-November/001932.html>