You can agree or disagree with the conclusions, and agree or disagree on the value of WMF's non-wikipedia projects, but the facts are not in dispute (annual revenue, expenses, net assets are all from WMF published figures).
Yeah, this exponential increase in spending is what made me stop donating. I used to donate, but that was when I thought what they were trying to do was amass themselves enough capital so the return on investment would fund them indefinitely.
When I saw the cost inflation that came in lock-step with the increase in donations, I figured all my donation would buy was more bloat, not more security about the future of wikipedia.
If anything, donating seemed to leave the future of wikipedia less secure, because as long as costs were exploding, they would be more fragile to an economic downturn or controversy which reduced donations. It's easier to raise an extra 1 million dollars from alternate sources, then it is to raise an extra 100 million dollars from alternate sources.
Thriftiness is key to longevity, and they do not have it, and I will not contribute until they do. Once I'm convinced they have a culture of thrift, I'll contribute generously.
When I saw the cost inflation that came in lock-step with the increase in donations, I figured all my donation would buy was more bloat, not more security about the future of wikipedia.
If anything, donating seemed to leave the future of wikipedia less secure, because as long as costs were exploding, they would be more fragile to an economic downturn or controversy which reduced donations. It's easier to raise an extra 1 million dollars from alternate sources, then it is to raise an extra 100 million dollars from alternate sources.
Thriftiness is key to longevity, and they do not have it, and I will not contribute until they do. Once I'm convinced they have a culture of thrift, I'll contribute generously.