Now that I have migrated to an e-mail client (instead of replying to mails online), I can
actually try replying in-line. :)
So I've been thinking. Why does Commons based
project worked for
Philippines and not so much for Indonesia. I dare say it worked for
Hong Kong and India too. And then I remember this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOTlhuokVDs
That is Wikimedia Italy "how to" and "what is" video and it hit me
that they already localized everything, up to content, to Italian
language. Now Philippines and Hong Kong are more "English" than the
rest of Asia, India maybe somewhere in there too. Indonesia is not, I
doubt Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam were far off from Indonesia
situation.
Actually, we're (arguably) more American than British. :P
As far as I know, while the interface may have helped in Wikipedia Takes Manila, I doubt
the language is the only factor in this. In fact, several software packages related to
MediaWiki have equivalent Tagalog/Filipino versions, and while we'd like to use them,
the situation would be the opposite of Indonesia: a Tagalog interface would be harder to
understand than an English interface.
However, I think language is neutral on this thing, and at any rate the software can be
translated into Indonesian (or any other language for that matter) if need be. I will
agree though: translation is one thing, but localization is another. Much of Commons is
unavailable in Philippine languages other than the Main Page, and I think that's the
sad reality people back home face.
If we (Indonesian) are to do "wiki loves free
copyright pictures taken
here and there" - with an English infrastructure Commons, I need to
aim B level society (this is advertising code for middle class to
upper class economy) that understand English. Here's the problem,
although a lot of them are equipped with fancy camera, they usually
don't want to release it under a free license since they consider
themselves "pro" (although most of the time it is arguable).
An excited supporter would be a C level (students etc) which need an
Indonesian language infrastructure commons, up to, it's how to cartoon
in the beginning of uploading page:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:UploadWizard
So regardless monument or not, taken pictures effort would be more
successful effort if commons localized (localized! Not just translated
- see monalisa picture to most of Indonesian it will not fly) - it's
instruction in basic Asian language.
WLM does not use the standard uploading interface, as far as I remember. Maybe the
organizers of the European competitions know something about this, but then again,
they're not on this list. :P
But as I said earlier, localization is another matter altogether. The question now is
whether or not localization is a strong guarantor of a project's success.
Regards,
Josh
JAMES JOSHUA G. LIM
Class of 2013, AB Political Science
Ateneo de Manila University
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Vice-President, Wikimedia Philippines
Member, Ateneo Debate Society
Member, The Assembly
Member, Ateneo Lingua Ars Cultura
jamesjoshualim(a)yahoo.com | +63 (927) 531-8301
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