Wikinews-l July 2009

wikinews-l@lists.wikimedia.org

19 participants
17 discussions

Weather bot
by Milos Rancic 05 Aug '09

05 Aug '09

I finally made a weather bot according to my wishes. Its characteristics are: * It gathers information from wund.com, but it is possible to make plugins for other sites and protocols. * It may gather data from all over the world. * It may be localized in any language. The only problem is that one iteration takes at least 5-7 minutes just for weather in Serbia and just for Wikinews in Serbian. Probably, I would be able to run enough of instances for covering weather in Serbia for all Wikinews editions (or, questionable, to run enough of instances to cover the whole world for sr.wn). That means that I'll need your help (people who are able to run bots as cron jobs), so we may cover the whole world for all Wikinews editions. My other ask is related to programming the bot. I prefer to make the bot as a collaborative work because it is not reasonable to expect maintenance of one relatively huge project by just one person. I may make subversion repository at SourceForge (or at one of the servers in the company where I am working). If anyone of you are willing to join me, let me know that. Also, all other ideas are welcome. You may see its output here [1] (in Serbian). [1] - http://sr.wikinews.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%8…

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Geonotice improvements that could make Wikinews great (among other benefits)
by Sage Ross 31 Jul '09

31 Jul '09

One of the great frustrations of Wikinews for me is that it doesn't have a system for identifying and pointing users toward opportunities to get out into the offline world and do original reporting. A fine-grained cross-project opt-in geonotice system could be a solution. Here's how I imagine it working: there is a new opt-in geonotice (in addition to the current one that reaches everyone in the specified geography). For the opt-in geonotice (which would hopefully be able to reach across projects, since many causal Wikinewsies visit that site only rarely) any trusted user could add new items to let nearby people know about reporting or photography opportunities. For these opt-in notices, we would not need to lock down the ability to add items like we do for the current geonotice system (it's a fully protected page), since people who opt-in will expect a bit a noise. So, for example, I would set a notice that Senator Chris Dodd is holding a public discussion about health care reform on such-and-such date in Hartford, Connecticut. I mark this as a photo opportunity and a reporting opportunity. The system sets a default radius (or better yet, users specify the radius they want to be notified within) and everyone within x kilometers of Hartford who has opted in to the notice gets a watchlist message pointing to more details. I can imagine a wide range of tips and events that could be spread to the right people with such a system. This would do a couple things: it would draw in new users to Wikinews, and given enough participation it could provide a resource that is useful for professional journalists. Journalists are eager to figure out useful ways to tap the knowledge of amateurs, and a widely used geography-based tip-line is something that Wikimedia still has a chance to be the first organization to do well. I think finding a way to play a major part in the ongoing changes in the journalism world ought to be a high priority for the Foundation. -Sage Ross (User:Ragesoss)

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Re: [Wikinews-l] Kerosene Band..
by Brian McNeil 31 Jul '09

31 Jul '09

I cannot address issues with bans or access to Wikipedia. This is an issue for Wikipedia administrators, the two projects - Wikinews and Wikipedia are quite separate. Your IP address may well be banned because it is shared and someone else has used it to abuse Wikipedia. I note that the Kerosene 454 article you cite lists a discography of record label released albums. Your own contribution - which is a conflict of interest writing about yourself - did not cite such justification to meet notability guidelines. This is my last email response on this, please take your beef with Wikipedia to Wikipedia. Brian McNeil -----Original Message----- From: Liberty Acoustics and Services [mailto:lasprome@emirates.net.ae] Sent: 29 July 2009 19:37 To: Brian McNeil Subject: Re: Kerosene Band.. yeah but we saw alot of bands that actually put up their bio in wikipedia, like Kerosene 454, etc..... do we need to pay for this ? please ... would like to know how we can add the Band Kerosene in Wikipedia .. and can you please lift our IP ban on wikipedia, since this is the 1st time we tried to put something in wiki ... why where we banned? ----- Original Message ----- From: Brian McNeil <mailto:brian.mcneil@wikinewsie.org> To: 'Liberty <mailto:lasprome@emirates.net.ae> Acoustics and Services' Cc: 'Wikinews mailing list' <mailto:wikinews-l@lists.wikimedia.org> Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 4:40 PM Subject: RE: Kerosene Band.. Neither Wikinews nor Wikipedia are sites where you can stick up any old random stuff. Band adverts or hagiographies? Nope. Not notable. In the dustbin. Thank you for notifying me I can zap your page off Wikinews. I will also block the account as single purpose. Brian McNeil -----Original Message----- From: Liberty Acoustics and Services [mailto:lasprome@emirates.net.ae] Sent: 29 July 2009 10:56 To: Brian.McNeil(a)Wikinewsie.org Subject: Kerosene Band.. Hi, we are sorry to have posted Kerosene on Wiki News, since we where trying to post it to wikipedia but for some reason our Ip was blocked .. i would like to ask your assistance if you can help us move the article to wikipedia .. thanks

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Foundation Strategic Planning
by Philippe Beaudette 29 Jul '09

29 Jul '09

The Wikimedia Foundation has begun a year long phase of strategic planning. During this time of planning, members of the community have the opportunity to propose ideas, ask questions, and help to chart the future of the Foundation. In order to create as centralized an area as possible for these discussions, the strategy wiki (http://strategy.wikimedia.org ) has been launched. This wiki will provide an overview of the strategic planning process and ways to get involved, including just a few questions that everyone can answer. All ideas are welcome, and '''everyone''' is invited to participate. Please take a few moments to check out the strategy wiki. It is being translated into as many languages as possible now; feel free to leave your messages in your native language and we will have them translated (but, in case of any doubt, let us know what language it is, if not english!). All proposals (see http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Call_for_Proposals) for the Wikimedia Foundation may be left in any language as well. Please, take the time to join in this exciting process. The importance of your participation can not be overstated. [http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Philippe --Philippe] (please cross-post widely and forgive those who do) ____________________ Philippe Beaudette Facilitator, Strategic Plan Wikimedia Foundation pbeaudette(a)wikimedia.org Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. Help us make it a reality! http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Donate

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Re: [Wikinews-l] Kerosene Band..
by Brian McNeil 29 Jul '09

29 Jul '09

Neither Wikinews nor Wikipedia are sites where you can stick up any old random stuff. Band adverts or hagiographies? Nope. Not notable. In the dustbin. Thank you for notifying me I can zap your page off Wikinews. I will also block the account as single purpose. Brian McNeil -----Original Message----- From: Liberty Acoustics and Services [mailto:lasprome@emirates.net.ae] Sent: 29 July 2009 10:56 To: Brian.McNeil(a)Wikinewsie.org Subject: Kerosene Band.. Hi, we are sorry to have posted Kerosene on Wiki News, since we where trying to post it to wikipedia but for some reason our Ip was blocked .. i would like to ask your assistance if you can help us move the article to wikipedia .. thanks

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Possible project
by Milos Rancic 26 Jul '09

26 Jul '09

I've got information that it is possible to make a project related to Wikinews. The main target will be sr.wn, but I want to make something from which would benefit all Wikinews editions, too. My main target is making programs. And my main idea is making bots (completing Weather bot and making bots for harvesting different kinds of data...). However, it may be a MediaWiki extension, too. I expect that I'll have a budget for a programmer for 3-10 months. (I'll do the best to have a programmer for 10 months.) So, what are your opinions toward that? What would you like to have? Also, if you have an idea how to spend money in other ways, please let me know. (Keep in mind that it is not a lot of money, because I am counting on programmer's salaries in Serbia.) Besides that, Brian, you are/were manager in software development group... I don't have a precise idea what can be made for, let's say, one programmer/month and what we may realistically expect for 3, 5 or 10 months of programming.

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Interview about H1N1
by Milos Rancic 24 Jul '09

24 Jul '09

I've remembered that one prominent German Wikipedian, Nina Gerlach, is a biologist and I asked her is she able to give an interview about H1N1. She is not, but she gave to me contacts of another German Wikipedian, who is a medical scientist, virologist and who is working on H1N1 prevention in Germany (w:de:User:Gleiberg). So, we have the right person and we may make an interview about him. I suggest one week for gathering questions. During that week I would like that someone else takes this interview. (If no one else is willing to do that, I'll do that.)

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Antwoord bij afwezigheid
by steven_fruitsmaak＠hotmail.com 24 Jul '09

24 Jul '09

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Reporter-expert
by Milos Rancic 24 Jul '09

24 Jul '09

A couple of days ago, Mile, the most active sr.Wikinewsian, made an interview about Djavolja Varos. (To bi honest, last two years I was sick of mentioning that place for the so called "new seven wonders of the world".) He tried to find someone from the organization, but when he didn't succeed in that, he interviewed Ana, a Wikipedian and a student of geology. [1] The interview became a real success. Mile asked "popular questions" and Ana gave very hard scientific answers. Interview on sr.wn became, probably, the only journalist article on the Net in Serbian with so rational answers on ordinary questions. I realized one more thing: We (not just sr.wn) have a very strong background in many professionals and students in many areas (from Wikipedia). A geologist is especially interesting because she may give a short analysis of every tectonic movement, volcano or similar. But, we have a geneticist, too, which may give some rational answers about pig flu; and so on and so on. I don't think that it is necessary to keep the form of interview. Instead of that, we may ask such experts to write journalistic articles about relevant events. And, this is not original reporting. This is analytic text about some event. So, my question is: How do you see that kind of journalism? Of course, NPOV should be followed, but what more? Is something like that already defined on some Wikinews edition? If not, is there any specific reason for that? If yes, how did you do that? [1] - http://sr.wikinews.org/wiki/Vikivesti_intervju:_Djavolja_varos_-_prirodni_f…

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en.Wikinews & Vector
by Jon Davis 19 Jul '09

19 Jul '09

All, For those of you that have been living under a rock, the new Mediawiki Usability Initiative team released a new skin called "Vector" ( Original announcement: http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/mediawiki-l/2009-June/031330.html ). Many of us like Monobook (many also hate it), Vector is supposed to be the new more friendly layout (you can read more about it here: http://usability.wikimedia.org/wiki/Acai_Designs ). I would really appreciate it if everyone took just a few minutes to give Vector a shot, you can try it on any single page by adding ?useskin=vector ( For example: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Main_Page ). You can also turn it on for yourself (While logged in) on your user account by following: My Preferences > Appearance > Vector > Save What is the end goal? We would like to see this become the default on Wikinews here in the short order. While the concern has been raised that vector is still "Beta", it really isn't. It has been released on all WMF wiki's as an option for all users & the code isn't being changed on a regular basis any more (other than to fix rendering compatibility & that is basically completed also: http://usability.wikimedia.org/wiki/Releases/Acai/Compatibility_Matrix ) Who is this going to effect? Only new & anonymous users. Registered users will continue to be able to choose what Skin they use. So if you try Vector, think it is nice, but like your good old Monobook - not to fret - you can keep it. How much pain is this going to cause? Not as much as you'd think. Most of the gadgets & what toys work perfectly fine in Vector. Our resident expert of all things Javascript (Bawolff), fixed most everything a few weeks back. Myself and many others have been running Vector for a few weeks now without incident. How was this marketed? We've had the /topic in #wikinews on IRC talking about vector for more than 2 weeks. We've had the Anonnotice set. It has been tweeted about on @en_wikinews several times. Recently I changed the Sitenotice. Enwn.net had been temporarily hacked to make all URLs append ?useskin=vector . Also this is the last step, notifying wikinews-l and scoop. Why are we doing this? I love Monobook, I thought it was the best skin there was.... That being said, Vector looks nice, is cleaner and most importantly IS NOT a major rearrange. It took me about 2 minutes to acclimate to the minor adjustments, then I was off. I believe that is a true improvement and that it will bring more users and keep them around hopefully just a little bit longer. In addition to that, Wikinews has a small but involved use base - I think it would be quite the PR coup for us to be the first WMF site running Vector as the default. Cut to the chase? Please try out Vector and vote on it. We've got enough community input already (theoretically) to submit the bug, but it would be nice for a few more people to chime in -- http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Wikinews:Water_cooler/proposals#Make_Vector_Def… If you've got any questions, email me, email the list or ask on the Wiki. -- Jon [[User:ShakataGaNai]] http://snowulf.com/ - Blog http://snowulf.imagekind.com/ - Pictures This has been a test of the emergency sig system.

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Wikinews-l July 2009