Texas Wikimania—can volunteers organize conferences?: Should paid event staff supplement the work of volunteers?← Back to ContentsView Latest Issue26 August 2015 The Biblioteca Vasconcelos A Wikimania banner on the Mexico City Hilton Signpost pollShould more paid event staff supplement volunteers in the organization of Wikimania? Yes (95%; 18 votes) No (5%; 1 vote)
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It's actually a systemic problem with chain hotels. Not only do they soak up visitors at exorbitant rates, but they capture a lot of the other spending too, from taxi fares to food and drink, and in the beach resorts entertainment and leisure. It is hard to find accommodation for 1,000+ people with suitable facilities, and at a good price. Pretty much Universities are the only likely contenders. All the best: Rich Farmbrough, 02:26, 28 August 2015 (UTC).[reply]
But I don't like the idea of paid people making the presentations. I've only been to one WM (London) and learnt a lot from the fellow Wikimedians I met there, somebody who writes about a country half a world away, the problems that some others had with their project about trains, or the unexpected simmilarities with countries you wouldn't think of. I don't mind some Jimmy's speech here, some Lila's comment there, or some paid specialist from time to time. But I'm far more interested in how you do the things you do. And I was asked more than once about what I did and how, so maybe I'm not the only one with this opinion.
My wife loves Barbican Centre, but had the place been an industrial building or a university campus, we would have enjoyed it all the same. B25es (talk) 14:59, 28 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, it is an experiment. The thrill is that it is, for many reasons, an important experiment; I then hope you too you can share the thrill of the challenge, in Esino.
Actually, they are all working to let all the visitors (each and every visitor) enjoy at their best their stay and the event. The Mayor is a really positive and brilliant person, he more or less put the entire town in the hands of the Committee, so the town of Esino Lario will totally, entirely, and wholeheartedly work for the Wikimedians attending the event. And this is one of the not-monetary symbols of the event: the Wiki Movement inside the life of the town, in the streets of an everyday life, and the town wanting some Wiki in its life. Of course, you are not going to visit a bank, despite certain arguments I can read above; in Esino you will find the streets of a small village on a lakeshore, with no touristic premises, and this might seem rather "unprofessional", indeed. ClubMed's GMs are welcome, however, just the same.
I'm not at all involved in the Committee. Volunteers wanted this event, volunteers are working on it. Mostly volunteers. So, if any mistakes or troubles there will be, they'll be mine too, even if I'm not helping in that. If mistakes and troubles will be yours too, then we still are in Wikiland, and that's the good news of the day... --g (talk) 08:26, 2 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]
(PS: needless to say, I would say the same whatever the destination; I know something about this one because the whole Italian Community, and the Swiss too, are supporting it and wish that Wikimedians will be welcome as well as they deserve)