User talk:Improv

Say hi.

Could you please set your mail preferences and verify your address? Thanks! --Aphaia 09:29, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Wikizine

Hi,

I am user:Walter from Wikizine. I offer you, like all the other candidates, the opportunity to send me statement of around 300 words that I will send to the subscribers of wikizine. For more information see Wikizine/election 2006.

Greetings, Walter 22:09, 23 August 2006 (UTC)

PS: yes, I know, I have send this to you before by email. But for reasons I do not wish to explain here in detail I think in this case is useful that I can prove that I have asked you this. Because of that this second message.

Board of Trustees elections

Hello!

The Wikipedia Signpost, a community-newspaper in the English Wikipedia, is covering the Board of Trustees elections and will be featuring each of the candidates in next week's issue. As such, we would appreciate it if you would take some time to answer a few interview questions. Each candidate will be asked the same questions; by no means, though, feel obligated to answer any (or even) all of them, though we would greatly appreciate it if you did.

Some of the questions may be a bit redundant to the candidate information you have filled out already. This is both for convenience and for giving you the opportunity to expand on some of them a bit. However, we ask that you keep all responses brief, limiting them to no more than one or two paragraphs each.

You may leave replies to my English Wikipedia talk page, my meta talk page, or email them to me. I would appreciate it if responses are in on or before this Saturday, August 26; please have them in at the latest on Sunday the 27th in order for them to be included in Monday's issue.

As always, the Signpost reserves the right to re-distribute the questions and replies, shorten any responses if necessary, and take any other editorial action deemed appropriate.

Thanks again for your time, and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions! Flcelloguy (A note?) 00:06, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

1. Your name:
   • Pat Gunn
2. Your username most commonly used:
   • Improv (my older account was Pgunn)
3. Your current geographic location, along with your age:
   • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. I am 28 years old.
4. Projects with significant contributions (please both name the language and project, and link to your contributions)
   • I have only significantly contributed to en. See my statement for the links.
5. Do you have any rights (i.e. admin, bureaucrat) or positions (i.e. dispute resolution, CheckUser, etc.) on any of those projects? If so, which ones? When did you get elected or promoted for each one?
   • I became an admin on EN in February 2005.
6. Do you hold any universal rights (i.e. steward, etc.) for Wikimedia Projects? If so, since when?
   • No
7. When did you first start contributing to Wikimedia projects? Why and how did you initially join?
   • I started contributing in late 2002, first anonymously. I got an account in late 2002 because I was becoming interested in keeping track of my edits.
8. Briefly describe your career ("real-life"). How do you think this will help you be a successful Board member?
   • My career is not all that relevant. I am a systems administrator/programmer and a psychology researcher. It is possible that my extensive computer experience may be of use in understanding technical issues, and it is possible that dealing with the paperwork tied to universities and serving on some university committees over the years has prepared me for effective ways to communicate over a variety of forii.
9. Of all the candidates right now, why do you stand out from the field? What makes you the best candidate?
   • I won't claim to be the best -- there are many types of members who might contribute productively to the board in different ways. As for me, I'm culturally from the opensource community and the academic world, I'm skeptical of corporate ways of doing things and want to sacrifice as little of the open/informal as possible while still meeting our ends. I also care about getting input, on appropriate topics, from people from any project and language.
10. A knowledge of several languages has been cited as a key requirement for a Board member. Do you speak any other languages other than English? Why do you think language is or isn't critical to the Board?
    • I am a native speaker of (American) English. I can speak German or English (much better at reading them) to the extent of making myself understood, although I'm a bit clumsy in both and often need a dictionary. I can speak a bit of Japanese as well (can read Hiragana/Katakana), can read Cyrillic (but speak very little Russian), and can say a few odd phrases in Hebrew. I can often understand written Italian and French based off of my understanding of Spanish. I think language is a nice bonus in an otherwise qualified candidate.
11. What do you expect to do while serving on the Board? What are your expectations?
    • I expect to serve on some committees and do a lot of uninteresting but necessary work as well as participate in some of the larger steering issues.
12. What can you bring to the Board? What can you contribute to the Wikimedia Foundation?
    • I can provide my judgement, my effort, and my time.
13. Describe the one issue that you think is most pressing and pertinent to the Foundation right now, and how you would approach the situation.
    • I think defining the goals and form of the Foundation is the most challenging issue. I'd approach it by entering a discussion on it, listening and contributing as needed.
14. What is your vision of the Board in the Foundation heirarchy? How do you feel about the current leadership?
    • The board governs the foundation. It is the source of the committees that do most of the work, and is the final authority on what happens. I don't know enough of the private details of the foundation to judge the present leadershi.
15. As a Board member, you will be serving as a representative of the communities. Do you think you can represent the community and understand its concerns? Why?
    • I disagree - to come from the community as a long-term user gives the board someone who understands the culture and shares certain concerns with the experienced community at large. Any representativeness comes from the selection process, and is not a duty to represent as a delegate. I've been in the community for a very long time, but my judgement and words are my own. If the community likes me, it should be for what I say and the judgements I have made, not because I will be a delegate in some way.
16. What do you think of the Wikimedia Foundation and its mission in general? If you could change one thing about the running of the Foundation, what would you change?
    • I think the foundation manages projects that are one part of a larger cultural renaissance (in openness and collective action) brought about by enabling technologies and increased educational levels. I believe we should have foundation "ambassadors" for each sufficiently large wiki to translate concerns and iron out legal issues.
17. If elected, can and will you devote the appropriate time and other resources needed to serve on the Board?
    • I believe so.
18. Have you ever attended Wikimania or any other meetup? What role do you think these meetups play?
    • I went to Wikimania 2006 as well as an east coast meetup. I feel these are helpful in building community and providing ways to more rapidly and deeply share ideas.
19. Please list (and link) any other pages where you have gotten questions and comments pertaining to the Board elections; we are compiling all of the questions and would appreciate this.
    • See [1]
20. What would you say to a potential voter who is undecided right now?
    • It will be difficult for you to find enough information to vote sensibly. No offense meant to younger candidates, but I suggest you focus on people who are older and have had life experiences that are helpful in managing the business and large-scale direction of the foundation in ways that maximally preserve integrity without leading to a failed process. Good judgement is not an easy thing to estimate without a lot of work, and it, more than anything any of us have said in our candidate statements, is what the foundation needs.
21. Is there anything else you would like to mention?
    • In case any of my statements have been trimmed for length, please check my talkpage for meta for the full versions.

Thanks again.

Belwiki1959 vote

Hello! I've seen you edited your opposition to the project of revision-1959. Did you want to strike it out? -- 82.209.208.182 15:02, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Translation from Spanish

I notice that you adjusted the translation of the candidate statement that originally was written in Spanish. Very nice of you, the text was difficult to translate to other languages because it was slightly awkward and I actually assumed it was the translation to English that was a bit weird. // habj 21:52, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

AYUDA

Pienso que como muchas personas yo ingrese a participar en Wikipedia muy animadamente, sin embargo me tope con una gran traba, los wikipedistas que se creen dueños del saber y esta web, yo soy un novato en wikipedia y las veces que he entrado me dedico mas a procurar ver como arreglo la web de una artista joven latina, que viene sobresaliendo en el mundo del espectaculo.

Me parecio lindo poder colocar una biografia de ella, pero mi colaboracion primero llevo el irrelevante, no si el arte sea irrelevante o es irrelevante porque es una propuesta de un extraño... bueno en fin , luego de irrelevante paso a copy nose que? pero de alli le quitaron ese calñificativo y paso a votacion para borrado ???? whath??? y mas contrariado cuando dicen que pse puede editar bien para que no sea eliminado, porque no usan el tiempo en corregior los trabajos malos en vez de usarlo para crear foros y otros? porque no le dicen a uno como corregir los trabajos????

Luego veo quienes solicitan el borrado, al parecer gente que les gusta les llamen duquesa, excelencia, divinidad??? queeeee, esta es una pagina que pretende revolucionar la educacion??? hacer que persista el por siempre las cosas que deben de serlo??? no me parece que sea el criterio usado el mejor ç, usted como uno de los lideres por favor ayude para que existan estos cambios en la conducta de los administradores, bibliotecarios y en fin

Bueno sino nuevamente perdi el tiempo aca en este reino de brujas, condes, duquesas y reyes del saber :(

Ahhhhh mi contribucion fue sobre Mia Rauz

indignodewiki 20:21, 05 Septiembre 2006

• ¡Hola! .. Usted tienes un account? Hablar es mas dificíl sin una página usario. --Improv 04:07, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

Don´t worry about this user. As far I can see, he wrote an article which was deleted in es: for irrelevant. He only wanted to say how evil spanish admins are. Sorry for my English.--FAR 09:26, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

your summary

Hi, Improv! I just now found your foundation-l summary. It is nice to have such ... during Election I heard some non-English editors complain that foundation-l is for them in a too high traffic to follow threads.

Would you mind if I let wikija-l know your summary? How periodically do you intend to make it? Weekly?

Cheers, --Aphaia 19:32, 30 September 2006 (UTC)

Very good idea, but it would be even more useful if it would be more structured, like threads being grouped into sections by topic (legal/policy-related/etc.). --Tgr 20:58, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

About es:

I haven´t got many free time, but if you told me what texts you need to trasnlate I´ll try to help.--FAR 20:06, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

Ditto. Cinabrium 00:11, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

Thanks for your message. I'll try to coordinate with other es-wiki users as FAR so we can distribute the load. Meanwhile, and just for testing how difficult (or easy ;)) is the task, I've translated the last issue. It's here; it may still contain some typos. Regards from the Far South, Cinabrium 07:17, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

I started the big one. As I´m on holidays this week, I´ll try to do abit more each morning. --FAR 09:24, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

Spanish translation for 2006 10 08-14 done. Six hours after English original... Not bad! Next one goes on FAR ;) . Cinabrium 07:18, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

LSS

..so far, is superb. Thank you! I'd be happy to help out if you need a hand and/or backup. phoebe 05:44, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

I would like to help, too. --Skaf (German Wikipedia)

• Skaf, I would be glad to have someone translate things to German for me. I can't find your userpage on de though -- how can I get in touch with you? --Improv 01:28, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

Is there a possibility to create a RSS feed for LSS? --Avatar 10:03, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

• Interesting idea. I don't think it will work using MediaWiki's built-in functionality, but I might consider tossing it up on LiveJournal or on my own server. I'll think about it over the next few days. --Improv 15:01, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

Sysop rights

Hello, Improv
as a result of the unanimous election held on this page, you've been granted sysop status. Please list yourself in the sysop box. Thank you, M/ 23:01, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

Foundation list summary

Hi Pat, I am Ilario, member of Wikimedia Italy and President of Wikimedia CH. I am preparing the Foundation list summary in Italian for 22 October. There is problem if I will place it side by side with English, French and Spanish ones? --Ilario 12:33, 1 November 2006 (UTC)

Your Japanese

Hey, your Japanese are in fault! You are writing 'ぼくは　にほんご　すこし　でくます。', but answer is 'ぼくは　にほんご　すこし　できます。'. In using Kanji, the text are '僕は日本語を少しできます。' or '僕は日本語が少しできます。' both used (を or か). In Hiragana, also better are adding を or が after にほんご. Then, final answer is 'ぼくは　にほんごが　すこし　できます。'. If you can read Japanese, the text that meaning are 'ぼくは　にほんごが　よめます。' or '僕は日本語が読めます' (meaning I can read Japanese). And if you can write, the text that meaning are 'ぼくは　にほんごが　かけます。' or '僕は日本語が書けます。' (meaning I can write Japanese). Both meaning, are 'ぼくは　にほんごの　よみかきが　できます。' or '僕は日本語の読み書きができます。'. (meaning I can read/write of Japanese.). So that are confusing, you can to be understanding this? I hope to this to be your help for more of leaning Japanese. Thanks! --221.97.134.92 19:36, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

• ありがと　ございます。 --Improv 20:35, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

You already written 'ぼくは　にほんごが　すこし　でくます。'. But, 'でくます。' is in fault. 'できます。' is right. More better is to rewrite 'でくます' to 'できます'. You can't understand my English? Sorry, (for) my poor English. --221.97.134.92 01:17, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

No worries - My Japanese is equally bad. The dekumasu was actually a typo that I managed not to spot the first time around. I fixed it -- thanks. --Improv 14:55, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

Spanish translations

Spanish translations of foundation-l are up to date. Last week's one suffered some delay, just because a broken pipe had the untimely idea of clogging and flooding my apartment, with further fireworks in my computer :). I'll be out of town (very out of town indeed: in Tokyo) between Nov. 18 and 25, so please send the next publication alert to FAR. Regards from the Far South, Cinabrium 04:34, 15 November 2006 (UTC)

Wikien-l

Sorry about being so late, laziness and school got the best of me and I didn't really have time to just sit down and do it until now (since I have a week off for w:Thanksgiving). I have no idea what happened with that thread; I could have sworn I'd written out the entire thing, but it's fixed now. --Rory096 19:21, 23 November 2006 (UTC)

Your meta adminship

I'm sorry to inform you that due to inactivity, your meta adminship confirmation has failed and access removed per our policy. You're free to seek adminship here at a later time via the usual channels. Thank you for serving our community, and we really hope to see you back again someday. ~Kylu (u|t) 04:01, 1 February 2008 (UTC)