If increasing global reach and participation is part of our strategy, then
it is important to communicate in the principal languages and engage with
new people.
Certainly, communities can help to translate. But the Foundation can leave
that work only to the communities.
What if nobody in the Chinese, Spanish or Arabic communities of speakers is
able to do a decent work translating? Well, we leave billions of people
outside and our expansion in developing countries will be affected.
Also, it is important to have a coherent message across the world, without
misspellings or uncomplete translations that can hurt it. Volunteers do a
great job, but not the professional one we expect from the WMF.
Every respected international organization publishes in different
languages... when will the Wikimedia Foundation start doing it?
Osmar Valdebenito Gaete
Presidente de Wikimedia Chile
http://www.wikimediachile.cl
2012/4/16 Juergen Fenn <schneeschmelze(a)googlemail.com>
Am 14. April 2012 14:03 schrieb Martijn Hoekstra <
martijnhoekstra(a)gmail.com>gt;:
As a matter of principle, I wholeheartedly agree.
But principles only
take you so far, and cost a great deal. I don't see much wrong with
the communities translating reports, rather than have the WMF spend my
donated money on translators.
May I remind you that in German Wikipedia so many contributors are
concerned by exclusion from discussions and annoucements in English
that the German chapter had to start a newsletter last autumn that is
compiled weekly as a joint effort by chapter staff and volunteers in
order to inform about recent events. However, this does not replace
translations. In publishing its announcements in English only, the
Wikimedia Foundation does exclude the majority of Wikipedians from
direct participation which is an unfair and undemocratic way. Any
money spent on improving participation is well spent, if it costs
anything more at all.
Regards,
Jürgen.
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