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
2012/4/16 Juergen Fenn schneeschmelze@googlemail.com
Am 14. April 2012 14:03 schrieb Martijn Hoekstra < martijnhoekstra@gmail.com>:
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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