cbrown1023(a)comcast.net wrote:
Wikibooks has always been slightly loose in the
definition department. Basically, it is as its tagline shows, a library of textbooks.
These text books range in their subject matter as much as their contributors do. Another
thing to keep in mind is that on projects other than Wikipedia, original research is what
they thrive on.
The textbook in question, I believe, *does* meet the scope of the project. Any textbook
that someone wants to read is acceptable (for the most part :P)
Casey Brown
Cbrown1023
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Gabe Johnson" <gjzilla(a)gmail.com>
> On 7/20/07, habj wrote:
>
>> The Meta entry on Wikibooks
>>
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikibooks
>> is not very thorough. How is a "textbook" defined? How is it defined
what
>> fits on Wikibooks or not? Is "Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter"
>>
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Harry_Potter a suitable Wikibooks project?
>> Why/why not?
>>
>> /habj
>>
>>
> I think it would be suitable. It's no it's own work of fiction, it's a
> guide to one. ~~~~
>
>
> --
> Absolute Power
>
>
Sorry I'm late in this discussion, but this has been dealt with ad
nauseum on a VfD about this very text. Twice.
See:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Votes_for_deletion/Archive_1#Harry_P…
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Votes_for_deletion/Archive_11#Muggle…
As far as the "textbook" emphasis, that is something which has always
been a slippery slope. A current discussion on en.wikibooks is to try
and change the wording to "educational text materials" to reflect more
the reality of the situation on Wikibooks. There are a number of
Wikibooks that don't necessarily fit the strict definition of something
that would be considered a textbook, but are clearly non-fiction and do
have an educational emphasis.
It is too bad that this text has to be marked yet again, presumably due
to the current interest in all things about Harry Potter.
As a side note, there is some very significant activity happening right
now with this book, and something which the Wikibooks admins have been
preparing for for a little bit too. With the release of the last book,
plus the movie release, it was anticipated that there would be many new
users on Wikibooks, and this has in fact proven to be true as well. It
will be interesting to see just how far some of these new participants
may end up going once they stick around for a bit, as there are a few
new individuals who are quite active at the moment and making positive
contributions but are otherwise new to the Wiki-world.
-- Robert Horning