[CivicAccess-discuss] inviations? + tranlated letter + plans?

Tue Dec 13 06:33:22 AEDT 2005

points inserted below:

first - I think the name of the mailing list is bad.  If we change it
- now is the time before we invite people.  I think it should just be
list at civicaccess.ca.

If I am the only one that thinks this is worth thinking about, I will
drop it.  But it isn't a big deal if we change it now.

as for the comments below - if no one disagrees with me i will make
the changes on the wiki.  so be sure to tell me if you think i'm
wrong.

On 12/12/05, Tracey P. Lauriault <tlauriau at magma.ca> wrote:
> Greetings all;
>
> It is breakfast time, with crumpets, coffee, sunshine and all,  and I am
> dreaming of drinking some rasberry mort subite and to having a bravo
> toast with my new pals on this list at some point in time today in
> celebration of having sent out of the invitation letter!  It is the
> small things in life that make me happy really!
>
> On a more professional note, below (+on wiki) is the letter that I
> attempted to translate (attempt being the operative here!), and was
> wonderin' what our plans are?  There are also the -how to get involved-
> bits below the letter that need -names and how to stuff- that I hope one
> you fine and wonderful fellas can fill in.  I translated below each para
> to make it easier for the franco editeurs.
>
> Any way, i will keep looking at and pinning for the bubbly on the fridge
> door until which time we do the thang and can celebrate!
>
> Cheers
> Tracey
>
> ************
> '''Comments:'''
> tweakable and targeted
>
> go out soon
>
> go out to all on the mail list at the same time
>
> all add names to list
>
> '''questions'''
> need to ensure the how to bits are clear - '''''see engagement
> information'''''?  Can one of you fine people ensure that it will be
> easy to get pwords and such and ensure that the part at the end of the
> letter is clear?
>
> '''DRAFT INVITE LETTER:'''
>
> Hi There;
> Bonjour;
>
> Stéphane, Patrick, Michael and Tracey here and we would like to invite
> you to co-found a new canadian civic engagement space - Citizens for
> Open Access to Civic Information and Data (COACID).  We are contacting
> you since we know that you have been thinking and talking about these
> issues, have been actively engaged in related activities, and also
> because each or you has unique expertise, knowledge and experience to
> contribute to this type of activity (i.e. social planning, data access,
> open source, mapping, technology creation, etc.).
>
>
> Stéphane, Patrick, Michael et Tracey vous invitent à la formation d'un
> nouvel espace d'engagement civique canadien - Citoyen-ne-s pour l'Accès
> Libre à l'Information et aux Données Civiques (CALIDC).  On vous
> contacte car nous savons que vous aussi avez considérer et discuster de
> ces sujects, aviez été impliqué dans des activités reliés, et parce-que
> vous avez de l'expertise, des connaissances, et de l'experience à
> contribuer à ce type d'entreprise (example: planification sociale, accès
> au données, logitiels libres, cartographie, development de technologie,
> eccetera).
>
>
> We are a group of diverse citizens, who also happen to be technologists,

the four of us actually aren't a group of diverse citizens.  tracey -
you're the only one who isn't white male professional in between the
ages of 25-32 ;-)  we can either say that we are aiming to be a
diverse group or just say that we're a group of citizens who also
happen to be . . .

> academics, and activists, who share a common belief that civic
> information and data should be made easily accessible at no cost for
> non-commercial purposes to citizens and civil society organizations. We

okay - this is a big point actually.  There is a big difference
between free data and data free for non-commercial use.   It seems
like a small detail but it's really important.  For example I would
*love* to be able to create a mapping website with environmental data
on it that is supported by advertisments to environmental products.  I
think we should change this to:

"share a common belief that civic information and data should be made
freely accessible to all citizens"  We could add an "in instances
where data collection currently depends upon cost recovery,
non-commercial use should be allowed with the aim to future free
access"

> are doing this because, we understand that participatory democratic
> processes require that citizens have access to information and data to
> inform their engagement and to improve the quality of the decisions they
> make during that process. But also because, information and data are the
> essential bits and bytes required to re-imagine, re-envision, visualize
> and critically analyze the communities we live in.
>
I think we could say this stronger - that if we are to fulfill our
role as engaged citizens we need to be informed about our society. 
Having open access to the civic information is key.

> Nous sommes un regroupement divers de Citoyen-ne-s, qui sommes aussi des
> technicien-ne-s, acdémiques, et actitivistes, qui croient que
> l'informations et les données numériques devront être facilement accéder
> sans frais pour des buts non commerciales au citoyen-ne-s et les
> organismes civiques.  Et ce la participation des citoyen-ne-s dans le
> procès démocratiques est intégralement lié à l'accès de l'informations
> et données numériques qui informent cet engagement et aussi qui améliore
> la qualité des décisions faitent dans ce procès.  Aussi, l'informations
> et les données numériques sont nécéssaires pour re-imaginer,
> re-envisioner, visualiser et pour analiser les collectivitées dans
> lesquelles nous vivons.
>
> So far a COACID Civic Access discussion lists has been created and also
> a wiki with some draft content.  The wiki is an open source

get rid of open source - not relevant.

> collaborative tool that will host content discussed on the list.  In
> short this is an emerging community of citizens across Canada like you
> who want to share what they know, do, their skills, information and data
> and these tools are there to facilitate that.

I'm going to edit this one a bit:

"As concerned citizens of our neighborhoods, cities, provinces and
country we are trying to contribute to the development of a larger
community of practice around open civic data in Canada.  We believe
that the combination of stronger open access to civic data along with
new information and communication tools can encourage and support a
more informed and engaged citizenship.  This mailing list and wiki
exist to help people like you who share this belief to pool what they
know, what they do, their skills, their information and their
resources and to support each other in this goal.

shoot - that's too wordy as well.

>
> à date nous avons créer une liste de dicussion COACID Civic Access et un

change COACID to CALIDC
> wiki.  Le wiki est un outil collaboratif et un example d'un logitiel
> libre qui supportera les discussion de la liste de discussion. Bref,
> c'est une collectivité emergente de citoyen-ne-s à travers le canada de
> personnes comme vous qui veulent partager ce que l'on sait, fait, nos
> compétences, de l'information, des données numériques, et des outils
> associés pour faciliter ces objectifs.
>
> Please join the list and introduce yourselves, check out the wiki, share
> your ideas, interests, and add some content and discuss issues you think
> are important from your unique and diverse perspectives.  There is no
> pre-determined way to do or say things, so feel free to say, modify, and
> do as you like in this environment. The group remains small and closed.
> Once we have been working together a little the list and wiki will be
> opened to the public and other related communities of practice!
>
I would change the last 2 sentances to:
The mailing list and wiki are still closed to the public.  The only
reason for that is for us to discuss together about this topic - what
we want it to become, how we can want to work together - before we
invite the general public.  We are not trying to be exclusive - 3 of
us have never worked specifically in the domain of civic information -
but we think that it could be beneficial to temporarily share a more
limited discussion with you before we open up the site and mailing
list.  We want to have a solid idea for this space before we lauch it
and we are asking for your help in deciding what that framework should
be.

> Joignez-vous à la liste de discussion, introduisez-vous, navigué le
> wiki, partagé vos idées, intérets, et ajouter du contenue et discuté des
> sujets que vous considérez importants de vos perspectives uniques. Il
> n'y a pas de format spécifié pour partager vos commentaire, donc soyez
> libre de dire, modifier, et de faire ce que vous voulez dans cet
> environment.  Le groupe demeure petit et fermé au fondateur et invité en
> ce moment, et lorsques nous serions plus habitués de travailler ensemble
> la liste de discussion et le wiki seront ouverts au public et d'autre
> communautés de pratiques.
>
> We look forward to being engaged in this information and data community
> building activity with you!
>
> Nous avons hate d'etre engagé avec vous dans la formations d'une
> nouvelle communauté dedié au partage d'information et données numeriques.
>
> Cheers
> Stephane, Patrick, Michael and Tracey
>
> Merci
> Stéphane, Patrick, Michael and Tracey

what do you think of those changes?

mike

>
> '''''Engagement Information:'''''
>  * to get pwords for the wiki '''name''' can help '''email'''
>  * to get pwords for the Discussion list '''name''' can help '''email'''
>  * Discussion List -
> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca/
>  * Wiki address - http://civicaccess.ca/cgi-bin/moin.cgi/
>
> '''''Pour participer:'''''
>  * Pour un mot de passe pour le wiki contacter '''name''' '''email'''
>  * Pour un mot de passe pour la liste de discussion '''name''' can help
> '''email'''
>  * Liste de discussion -
> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca/
>  * Addresse du wiki - http://civicaccess.ca/cgi-bin/moin.cgi/
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CivicAccess-discuss mailing list
> CivicAccess-discuss at civicaccess.ca
> http://civicaccess.ca/mailman/listinfo/civicaccess-discuss_civicaccess.ca
>