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.org
Year: 2006 Week: 37 Number: 42
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An independent internal news bulletin
for the members of the Wikimedia community
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=== Technical news ===
[!steward] - it is now more easy to get the attention of a steward if it is
urgent. In the IRC-channel #wikimedia-stewards is there now a bot guarding the
channel provided by [[w:nl:user:webboy]]. If you enter the command !steward it
calls for the stewards. To test it use !steward-test
=== Foundation ===
[clarification] - For the current vote for the position for the board of the WMF
only users who are indefinitely banned or blocked are not allowed to vote on
any project. Users blocked for a specific time period are not allowed to vote
on the wiki where the are blocked during the time of there block. If that user
can vote on a other wiki the are allowed to do so. See also;
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.org.wikimedia.foundation/9797
[New hire] - the WMF has hired Mark Bergsma to serve as Networking Coordinator
for the Foundation.
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.org.wikimedia.foundation/9792/focus=9792
=== Community ===
[InterWiki-report] - this week the Italian language Wikipedia is writing his
bit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-09-05/Interw…
[De-sysop] - On the En wikpedia is a user de-sysoped. That would not be news on
most wikis, but on EN it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2006-09-05/Everyk…
=== Media ===
[Guardian] Wikipedia defies China's censors
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1869075,00.html
[
Law.com] - interview with Brad - Wikimedia's First GC Prepares to Tread 'Legal
Minefield'
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1157557741507
=== Stats ===
The Volapük Wikipedia has reached 500 articles. This is a language with +/- 30
speakers. So 500 is very impressive.
http://vo.wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volap%C3%BCk
=== Other news ===
[Wikizine Closed] - There will be no Wikizine for week 38. The next edition is
expected for around the 27th September in week 39. Requests send to Wikizine
will not be answered during this period.
=== Did you know ... ===
... that you can setup local language portals?
The main domain name of the projects is a .org domain. And because most people
do not know anything else besides .com domains like
www.wiktionary.com also
point to that project.
But the first domain people will try is name of the project with the TLD from
there country. Check If the domain with the name of your project for your
county top level domain is still free. If it is try to obtain it. Keep it
private. Do not start discussions about it on your wiki or it will be squatted.
Best is that the WMF would buy the domain. Contact Brad Patrick, the WMF
interim executive director & lawyer <bpatrick AT wikimedia.org> to ask to buy
the domain. If it is already taken try to figure out who it owns and of there
intentions are honorable. Possibly it it registered by a friend of your project
to prevent it been registered by someone who would exploit it by pointing it to
a sexssite or something like that. Maybe the are willing to transfer the domain
to the WMF. Do only reconnaissance and contact the [[meta:Trademarks
committee]] when you have the basic information.
List the domain and the information you have on;
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Domains
When you have the domain then you can make a local portal. Consider doing this
also even when there is one clear dominant language and other languages are of
very little importance in the country. A listing on such a portal can give a
project in such a small language the exposure it needs to become successful.
Also makes clear that a project organized by language, not by country. Some
national domains are already active and are used for portals. Others are only
redirecting to the Wikipedia in the dominant language.
Examples of national domains who point to a portal;
http://www.wikipedia.be/ - Belgium
http://www.wikipedia.ch/ - Switzerland
Examples of national domains who redirect to the dominant language;
http://www.wikipedia.at - Austria ; redirect to the German Wikipedia. Excluding
the Slovene, Croatian and Hungarian language project.
http://www.wikipedia.de - Germany; redirect to the German Wikipedia. Excluding
the Danish, Frisian, Low German, Sorbian and Romany languages projects
=== User Quote ===
If you have a dirty mind then most things look sexual. When I first saw the
Wikimedia logo it looked to me like someone ripping open their shirt, therby
revealing their naked torso underneath. --Dangherous 23:35, 3 July 2006 (UTC)
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Editor(s): Walter
E-mail: ihavenews AT wikizine DOT org
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