Community Council/Meetings/Third/Motion to add the extension for embedding 3rd party media

Background
As per discussion and links on Guidelines for embedding links to third party media

Draft concepts for motion

 * Based on Straw Dog 1

Motion
Wikieducator will install the Widgets extension that enables embedding of 3rd party media. Wikieducator will extend its policies to instruct its users that any media being embedded must have appropriate copyrights. A volunteer working party will be set up to monitor media being embedded, and support the creation of free and open format derivatives of the media being used. Copyright and similar meta data will be managed the same way that media files are currently managed on Wikieducator - with templates and media pages. Should this motion see a majority disapproving or abstaining, a working group will be set up to develop a proposal for implementation by next Council Meeting. Leighblackall 07:34, 8 May 2010 (UTC)

Second

 * Nellie Deutsch 09:27, 8 May 2010 (UTC)

Discussion
I see this issue as one of quite a few issues that test the democratic rhetoric of Wikieducator. The "lazy consensus poll" on the last motion indicated a majority here support embedding 3rd party media now, but the concerns of an obvious minority has caused that motion to stall. We all should realise that Wikieducator ALREADY supports the use of proprietary formats (MP3 and Flash on Help pages) and embedded 3rd party media (Kaltura and RSS). We all appreciate the importance and value of that media on WE, as we surely all appreciate the value that the plethora of multi media available on 3rd party sites potentially has to WE. Adding the Widgets extension enables people to bring that vast media library into WE, and would greatly enhance people's experiences with WE. Just look at the range of wonderful tools it supports! Developing a volunteer base and work flow (with eventual software) for making free format derivatives of that embedded media will fulfill concerns regarding "free cultural works". Adding multi media and creating free format derivatives would make WE the most significant OER MediaWiki project on the Internet. Rejecting the use of embedded 3rd party media on the basis of it being in proprietary formats not only belittles the points of educational betterment, it discriminates against all those who don't have the literacy, device or option to use those free formats. Suggesting that using third party media compromises the reliability of Wikieducator contradicts our trust in links, hypertext and indeed the online format! We might as well return to paper, or tablets for that matter. Wikieducator has no option but to offer proprietary AND free formats side by side if it wants as many people as possible to benefit from free learning enhanced by multi media. Faced with this, and the fact that WE already supports proprietary and embedded 3rd party media, it is obvious that WE should have enabled this enhancement a long time ago, and so should take this step now. Leighblackall 07:52, 8 May 2010 (UTC)
 * As I stated before, I would not have been able to reach my online and face-to-face students had I not used Bliptv and Kaltura (Youtube) on WikiEducator. --Nellie Deutsch 09:32, 8 May 2010 (UTC)

No,sorry, Leigh, Nellie and Peter, for me this comes too quick. I understand your impatience, as with your experience with media you are light-years ahead of me, but I need more time to get acquainted with the issue and therefore propose  to  adjourn the decision at least until our next meeting. BTW, I think a motion should not contain a logic like: "Should this motion see a majority disapproving or abstaining ... ", because if the motion is disapproved, this statement is disapproved too. Günther Osswald 16:16, 8 May 2010 (UTC)


 * This motion, the ability to embed 3rd party media, support for proprietary formats, is really not the issue here - we can already do all those things in round about ways. While I'm surprised to see your comment Günther (I seemed to have missed your comments on this issue elsewhere), the closure of this motion, and the conduct of the last, really confirms to me that Wikieducator is governed by a benevolent dictatorship. The Council, this voting process, working parties, policies, are really just ceremonial events to satisfy public image and collect 'evidence' for funding. I am quite sorry for my part in it. From Liquid Threads, Kaltura, RSS, and even the half install of the Widgets extension, right through to how the budget is managed, we all know it goes by the say so of one person, who takes advice from an unelected shadow "executive committee". This last effort on my part tried to test that, giving a benefit of the doubt. I know the dictator has Wikieducator's best interests at heart, but ends never justify the means. Despite the governance issues, Wikieducator is a significant project, and is certainly helping to build education sector awareness on the issues and limitations of free and open source media. For me, I'd rather work under such limitations via the Wikimedia Foundation and its Wikiversity project, playing a relatively low key role. In that regard Wikieducator has no significant point of difference.. which is a worry. All the best everyone Leighblackall 22:27, 8 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Assertions that the management and budget of the OER Foundation are controlled by one person are totally unfounded and borderline trolling. The OER Foundation's strategic and operational plans, budget etc are developed transparently and openly in the wiki for all to see. The budget and expenditure is approved by standard corporate business practice. The OERF is registered with the NZ Charities Commission, and is subject to the normal financial control procedures, reporting and auditing procedures required by law. --Wayne Mackintosh 02:41, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

Approval

 * Peter Rawsthorne 14:00, 8 May 2010 (UTC)
 * Leighblackall 22:29, 8 May 2010 (UTC)

Disapproval

 * Günther Osswald 16:14, 8 May 2010 (UTC)