[Foundation-l] Development in Africa

Mon Sep 18 22:15:14 UTC 2006

Anthere wrote:
> Gerard Meijssen wrote:
>   
>> Anthere wrote:
>>     
>>> 1.2. Identification of big media group (make a list).
>>> Contact and proposition of articles. Language focus: english, french, 
>>> arab, portuguese.
>>> Of course, include them in the list of press release.
>>>  
>>>       
>> I take it that you want to engage the media in the countries themselves, 
>> this is more effectively done by local people. They will be able to do 
>> so effectively when they know themselves empowered to do so. This means 
>> that local chapters may be really relevant here. They are because they 
>> can handle money and they provide a front to the people who do things on 
>> the ground. If you want to stimulate local languages, learn how it is 
>> done by others, what is done in Neapolitan is one good example but there 
>> are more like it.
>>     
>
> Can you explain more about what is done in Neapolitan language ?
>   
The Neapolitan language is a language that is considered by many to be 
inferior. People are not educated in it, while the Neapolitans are a 
proud people many sadly do not take pride in their own language. In 
order to promote the Neapolitan language, everything is done to 
stimulate the recognition of the Neapolitan language. Stubs are created 
to create a tapestry of articles that are linked. Translation tools are 
used to generate content. There is a newsletter in Neapolitan to people 
who are interested. People living as far afield as the USA and Australia 
are contacted when they show their interest in the Neapolitan language. 
There have been articles in the press about the project. Neapolitan 
traditions are covered, local interest is sought.

As the Italian chapter now has a coordinator for the regional languages, 
it will be interesting to see how the chapter will be able to facilitate 
projects like the Neapolitan wikipedia.. I know for instance that the 
Neapolitan project would love to have a Neapolitan dictionary to scan 
and OCR as well as support for scanning original Neapolitan literature 
(most of is it in the public domain).
>>> 1.3. Identification of specialized press (make a list)
>>> Focus: Linux fanatics :-) Contact and proposition of articles
>>>       
>> I think the Linux fanatics are overrated, they have many of the concepts 
>> right, they have the fanatism wrong. We should reach out to everyone we 
>> do not want to be associated and identified with a fanatic fringe. I 
>> understand and appreciate the wink, but some of these people are fringe 
>> and are more of a burden than of a help.
>>     
>
> Frankly... I have seen most languages start thanks to developers 
> participation. And remember quite well that for a rather long time, the 
> only articles we got were only in tech journals. This is something we 
> should rely on.
>   
It may be true that many of our "languages" (you mean Wikipedia ?) were 
started by developers, but since then many other projects have started 
and many of these projects have not been started by developers. Many of 
these projects are doing well. When you consider the press coverage we 
are getting, you will find that we are now have traction in the main 
press. The effect of publications like the one in Nature, the 
Seigenthaler interview on CNN proved extremely valuable. This is where 
our current relevant exposure comes from. A slashdot article does no 
longer generate a slashdot effect.

I am not suggesting that we should cold shoulder the computer press. 
They are relevant to a large part of the wiki community. What I am 
saying is that the Linux fanatics are not and have never been that 
important. The people who became involved in our projects have been too 
level headed to call them fanatics.

>>> 1.4. Identification of major NGO working on education and woman groups.
>>> Contact. Provide them with a bit of "advertisment".
>>>  
>>>       
>> When you want to get NGO's to work on our projects, you do not only want 
>> to inform them, you also want to engage them. It means that a 
>> substantial amount of time will be involved. The time frame in which 
>> they operate is quite different, they work with budget cycles, 
>> deadlines. NGO's are often really enthusiastic but for them wikis and 
>> their methodology are new; they have to be initiated in the wiki way. It 
>> takes time and perseverance.
>>     
>
> Correct
>
>   
>>> 1.5. Contact of all major universities.
>>> propose them teleconference (if they are equipped) or irl presentation 
>>> (if that fit well with a formal conference or a trip)
>>>  
>>>       
>> I have not done that systematically yet, but it is extremely likely that 
>> I will get many more contacts in universities soon.
>>     
>
> ok
>
>   
>>> 2. Favor production of content in languages already developped
>>> Cases such as RAFT or Wiki voices. If necessary, find money and someone 
>>> to help coordinating this to ensure success.
>>>  
>>>       
>> It is helpful if there is a place where these things are coordinated. A 
>> language subcommittee of the SPC could do many of these things.. It is 
>> just for this subcommittee to be allowed to start. Finding money is not 
>> that hard. It just needs a plan that needs implementation. Approving 
>> plans for funding and incorporation in the WMF would be a step towards 
>> the notion of "donations, putting your money where your mouth is" 
>> (details on Meta).
>>     
>
> Right now, the problem seems to be that nobody is willing to take time 
> doing plans. Doing plans is not as funny as writing articles.
> For example, I suggested a long time ago we should build up a list of 
> african media contacts to send press releases to. I started doing that a 
> long time ago for Algeria and Marocco (press releases sent there never 
> raised any attention though). But a much more extensive list needs to be 
> set up and used. But no list has ever been made as far as I know. Saying 
> "it needs a plan" is good, that does not make it happen. Approving plans 
> is good as well, but needs a plan in the first place.
>
> I am unsure how to approach this.
>   
There is a plan what a language subcommittee can do. It has been 
published on Meta. There are people who are willing to execute that 
plan. The only thing that is needed is to have a mandate to do this for 
the Wikimedia Foundation as well. We are doing many of the things 
mentioned anyway because it benefits the WiktionaryZ project and we do 
not mind that the benefit is more than just WiktionaryZ; that is what 
makes it so sweet to do.
>>> 3. Favor production of content in local languages
>>>
>>> * Help Beta Wiki
>>> * Contact local NGOs for help in translation interface
>>> * Identification (now) of major languages (according to read/write 
>>> coverage)
>>>       
>> There is agreement between Brion and Nikerabbit that Beta Wiki will be 
>> hosted on a more convenient place. This is an extremely important thing 
>> and I am grateful to Brion to help out on this one.
>>
>> Translating the User Interface only for our projects is a missed 
>> opportunity. MediaWiki is extremely powerful software. When the 
>> localisation is also seen as an opportunity to have this great tool 
>> available, it becomes something that has relevance to an organisation 
>> for itself. This is an extremely powerful argument. It also underlines 
>> why the localisation in a wikipedia is not such a great idea; it's scope 
>> is only that project and there is no added benefit.
>>     
>
> Here, I appear to have lost you on the way... can you re-explain ?
>   
When an NGO helps with the localisation of MediaWiki, only to have a 
Wikipedia benefit, is a nice effort but a missed opportunity. MediaWiki 
can be used for other projects including projects of the NGO itself and 
the partners they asked to do the localisation for them. This way 
MediaWiki becomes a tool for these organisations as well and this in 
turn makes the investment in the localisation more valuable. This means 
that MediaWiki should be seen as a valuable commodity in it's own right, 
a commodity we should more actively promote.
>>> Here are some thougts. Are they others ?
>>> Who feel like helping take care of some of those points ?
>>>  
>>>       
>> It is important to be enthusiastic about what we do and it is as 
>> important to have a good understanding what the WMF does and what it's 
>> projects are. It is however also really relevant to tell that the WMF is 
>> part of a growing ecosphere with many other projects like Wikitravel, 
>> Yellowiki, Wikia being part of it. This shows that the wikiway is not 
>> only the Wikipedia way.
>>
>> I have been taking care of some of these points because it helps 
>> WiktionaryZ. For WiktionaryZ it is relevant that we are part of this 
>> whole wiki thing. The strength of what we do is achieved in the many 
>> different things we do, try and achieve. We would be better served if we 
>> cooperated more and bickered less.
>>     
>
> indeed
>
> I went back to the meta page on the topic. They are hopelessly outdated.
>
> Well, my first move will be to contact back this BBC journalist as well 
> as the journalist from IT & Telecom Digest. One step at a time.
>   
>> Thanks,
>>      GerardM
>>
>> http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/afrophonewikis/ - Yahoo group on 
>> supporting African language
>> http://www.kasahorow.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page - Wiki for a 
>> project plan for supporting Ghanaian languages
>> http://wiktionaryz.org - Pre alpha project to do lexicology, terminology 
>> and ontology has both language and country portals
>> http://nike.users.idler.fi/dev/index.php?title=ISO-639-3/gil