#WMFboard; The English language #Wikipedia

As the biggest Wikipedia, the wiki that attracts the most visitors by far for the Wikimedia Foundation, it is the Wiki where all subjects for all cultures need to find their place. When politicians want to make an enemy out of a different people one of the reasons why they may succeed is when there is a lack of credible and available information about the country and the culture of these people.

The Neutral Point of View is a cornerstone for our ability to integrate many different view points. To realise this our ability to welcome people from all over the world is essential. Biting the newbies, is not only a drama for English speakers new to Wikipedia but it is even worse for people for whom the English language and culture is foreign.

Blaming the "dogs" is not fair; they do what they are trained to do. They are part of our community and they do provide an essential service. In my opinion it is essential to strengthen our community with Social Media type of functionality. When you consider the proliferation of Wikimedia related activity on Facebook and LinkedIn, it is obvious to consider Social Media as part of any solution.

There is and there will be a continued vigilance against vandals and trolls. A better understanding of the risks they pose and where they come from will help us develop improved tools for the patrol of recent changes. This helps us open the door. A user interface that is more in-line with what people expect and know will open the door even further.
Thanks,
      GerardM