[Foundation-l] New project proposal - Wikibuilder

[Angela]

SJ wrote:
> Why not have a standalone "wikilabs" project for new potential
> wikimedia projects?  

There are a lot of questions that would need to be addressed before
this could be answered. How do you decide when a test wiki hosted at
Wikilabs has failed and it is time to remove it? What about the risks
of breaking links? How will different ideas be developed within the
same wiki and how will this content be moved to the real site if the
idea turns out to be successful. How many ideas will be accepted for
the Wikilabs? Wikicities has had over 120 requests for new wikis in
the last three months. Wikimedia is far better known, so this number
will be much larger if Wikilabs were part of Wikimedia.

Daniel Mayer wrote: 
> Because Wikimedia is not a free hosting service for just any wiki idea and
> Wikicities already exists to fill that role.
Christiaan Briggs wrote:
> [[Proposals for new projects]] clearly states that "Wikimedia is not a
> free hosting company for any kind of wikis. 

I would like to point out that Wikicities is not purely a free hosting
company either. We aim to build communities, not just host wikis. I
reject around a third of applications that are made, and of the
remaining requests, at least half are adapted between the initial
proposal and the creation of the wiki.

Daniel Mayer wrote: 
> Wikilabs isn't needed at all due to the existence of Wikicities. After being
> hosted at Wikicities for some time we can then see if Wikibuilder is 1) a
> viable idea and 2) if it is something that will fit with our mandate.

I don't think the existence of Wikicities, which is not officially
affiliated with Wikimedia, completely removes the need for a
Wikimedia-based Wikilabs. The connection with existing projects, and
possibly even the prestige of being a Wikimedia project, might make
people more likely to contribute to wikis hosted there rather than at
Wikicities.

I also want to reiterate Jimmy's point that wikis on Wikicities can
later be moved to Wikimedia if the Wikimedia community supports this.
I expect that with some proposals, there would be greater support
following a period at Wikicities once the wiki has proven successful.

Angela

----
Angela Beesley
www.wikicities.com