Grants talk:Project/Rapid/UG LK/Photo equipment

Usage

Hi Rehman. Thank you for this request and all your contributions on the Wikimedia projects. We have a few questions before moving forward with this request:

1. It looks like from the logbook that the user group already has the equipment that is being request. Please let us know if you are requesting another set of the same equipment and if yes, why?
2. Beyond photographing dams, buildings, and power stations (your personal interest), what are other members of the user group interested in using the camera for? Has the group identified gaps they are interested in filling or other photo walks they would like to organize? It would be great to see more endorsements of the grant from user group members who would like to also use the equipment.

Thanks, Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 23:44, 5 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi Alex. Thanks for your message.

1. The logbook is just a dummy page which I copied from another usergroup. I created it just to demonstrate how the equipment will be kept track of.
2. The initial photowalk will be lead by myself (with the hopes that it will encourage others as well). The topics quoted above have limited coverage, and also happened to be topics I am well knowledgeable of. Hence I believe they are most effective topics to start with at the moment. I'm optimistic that once the first few walks are successfully completed, many others would also wish to cover their areas of interest with the equipment available.

Please do let me know if you have any further clarifications. Kind regards, Rehman 13:45, 7 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi Rehman. Thank you for the clarifications. It would still be useful for us to have a link to where you've notified the community of this grant and received interest from others regarding using the equipment. You can either link to a page or have community members endorse the grant directly. Thanks! Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 17:06, 7 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi Alex. I have notified about this grant at the usergroup talkpage in early October. I've pinged the existing members today as well, hopefully that will help. :) Rehman 15:04, 8 December 2016 (UTC)

Approved

Hi Rehman. Thanks for your efforts to get more feedback from your community on this request. I see there have been a couple more endorsements. It would be great for you to continue to communicate about the availability of the equipment for the use by all volunteers. We also need a start and end date for this grant. Best, Alex Wang (WMF) (talk) 01:12, 15 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi Alex. Thank you so much. Yes, I plan on transcluding the 'logbook' page on the Usergroup's homepage (once the equipment is imported), and also pinging the editors currently signed-up on the usergroup. As a side note, do you think it is a good idea to put a starting threshold for editors to use the equipment (say, active for 6 months, 500 edits, or similar)? I'm wondering if non-Wikimedians would sign up just to use the equipment? Would you be able to guide me by advising how other usergroups/communities keep their equipment safe? Please excuse for the odd question, I couldn't find a guideline for such a topic :)

The start and end dates for the first photowalk project using this equipment will be from the first week after receiving the equipment, and ends in a month (30 days).

With regards to importing the equipment, will the purchase be made by WMF, or can I do it myself?

Thank you again for all your support and guidance. Please do feel free to reply on the existing email thread, if you feel that is more appropriate.

Warm wishes, and seasons greetings! Rehman 14:20, 15 December 2016 (UTC)

Hi again, Alex. Just want to update you that I had purchased the equipment yesterday. I managed to negotiate a good deal with the vendor, which allowed me to purchase better quality/additional items for the same price (listed here). Only the "backup battery" is pending delivery, after which I will scan the reciepts and upload for records.

I recall that you had responded to my questions above, but I am unable to find that discussion/email :( If you see the logbook page, I have mentioned a 6 months/500 edits threshhold, along with the requirement to provide a photo ID when using the equipment, just to be sure the equipment will be in safe hands. Is that fine with our policies? Do you think that is too restrictive? I am yet to announce the availability of the equipment to the community. Will wait for your reply. Thank you and kind regards, Rehman 11:15, 19 February 2017 (UTC)