On 11-10-2002, The Cunctator wrote thusly :
On Fri, 2002-10-11 at 04:05, Krzysztof P. Jasiutowicz wrote:
For the discussion to be productive please state :
- what (other than domain names) signs of balkanization are there ?
- what are you proposals to integrate other Wikipedias into one big
Wikipedia so that avoid balkanization ?
I've written about both of these in previous emails, so to reiterate:
- From a procedural standpoint: separate username spaces; separate
Recent Changes spaces; the wikipedia-l/intlwiki-l separation; different grades of software; imperfect or non-existent interlanguage linking. Many of these are actively being improved even as we speak, some of them are not.
We (other Wikipedias/Wikipedists) are not able to change them. It is therefore not a sign of balkanization but only deficiencies of design, implementation and/or execution of plans and policies.
From a conceptual standpoint: seeing Wikipedia as largely separate
projects specific to individual languages and nationalities.
- The procedural improvements I propose should be obvious from what I
consider to be problem areas.
From a conceptual standpoint, I think it's important to envision
Wikipedia as a single project that happens to have content in an admixture of languages (much as the World Wide Web is a single network that happens to have sites in an admixture of languages--the world does much better with a single geo-neutral Web instead of an American Web, Chinese Web, Polish Web. I am also troubled by the forces which are trying to balkanize the Web).
I take your point but what exactly are you proposing to do to avoid this ?
I thank you for discussing this in my native tongue. My Polish is worse than minimal.
You're welcome. I assure you my Polish is not perfect either.
Please do not give an impression there are some inner trends (in Wikipedias) to balkanize the whole project.
Regards, Kpjas.