Hello, everyone

I am not interested in the policy of wikipedia at all. While it can be better still, I think the current policy (NPOV, for instance) and the syntax (wiki-markup language) are adequate and have no intention to discuss them.

My concern is about the administration of wikipedia, or the server, database stuff and the development of wikipedia. It seems there is a lot of problems and they are goind to be even worse.

In theory, yes, CVS of wikipedia code is open for anyone who is willing to contribute and should be work just like wiki. Alas! the reality is different, if not totally. As we know, quite a few of people are actually coding, compared with the number and diversity of wikipedians. Unlike the article in wikipedia,

I posted this for responding to the advice by Jimbo. However, if here is not appreciate place to submit this kind of mail, please let me know and I will seek another place to conduct the discussion.

Therefore,

I would like to proposal:

1. Disclose more information

While none of details are hidden, surely strangers have almost no information to hack. ("How to become a wikipedia hacker" in meta-wikipedia has a lack of critical information and is heavliy underused.)

2. Organize the development system

See UseMod. It has a far better developer community then wikipedia software.

We should stop immediately relying on the individual efforts. For example, many people simply post a bug to Brion, knowing he is responsible for the wikipedia software. Even he encourages people to report a bug to *him*. I don't blame him as well as others like him but really appreciate them. But such a case is not ought to be in wikipedia.

3. Make wikipedia software more visible and independent

Maybe we need a nice name for wikipedia software to make it more recognizable.

-- Therefore, --

the practical solution (I think but should not be limited to) is probably:

set up hacker.wikipedia.org or sister project dedicated to development software tools for wikipedia. In additon to the server software hosting wikipedia, the software programs may include another useful tools for wikipedians (maybe chat tools, if someone would like to persuite )

The site can embrace services for the sites hosting wikipedia software other than wikipedia.org (actually I am planning to switch the wiki program of my wiki to wikipedia software).

If you know UseMod and meatball, my proposal is akin to the relationship among UseMod and meatball.

Yes, there is a meat-wikipedia. But as we know, meta- wikipedia doesn't work well. There are plenty of dead stuff, which look weird and make strangers difficult to participate. There are even non-English stuff. Meta-wiki may be good place to put a draft, submit a proposal but it is not suitable for developers.

What do you think?

Best wishes, Takuya Murata takusi@manjiro.net