[Foundation-l] Throwing some data onto the flamefest fire (was: English Wikipedia ethnocentric policy affects other communities)

[Luna]

On 12/22/06, James Hare <messedrocker at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Pros:
> - Less of a technical issue on English Wikipedia for those who don't have
> the ability (or permission) to install new fonts
> - Allows people of the community to identify people with a name they can
> understand, as opposed to using what they will just see as squiggly lines.


[snip]

Cons:
> - Does not allow people to use the name they really want.
> - SUL issues: with all sorts of different usernames, it'll be hard to have
> a
> -single- user login when you have to have multiple because of script
> requirements.
>
> I've stated this many times -- I like the idea of system transliteration
> for
> each wiki. Or at least a way to have an identity that's different from the
> username you log in with, so you can have a uniform username but you can
> be
> identified with what will be considered a comprehendable name.



Personally, I'm torn. With the utmost respect to all involved in the
discussion, I would find it incredibly difficult to relate to usernames in
scripts that I absolutely cannot recognize (just as an example, I can't
reliably tell the difference between two names in Arabic script, much less
type them out in the course of a conversation). I can also understand the
anger and frustration of those who have been blocked, and I certainly don't
want to hurt anyone's feelings.

It seems to be a "catch-22" -- the two widely proposed options both have
negative consequences. System transliteration, of some sort, is starting to
look better, from where I'm sitting. Perhaps allow the system to make a
"best guess," which the user can then modify, if they so choose, much like
our current signatures system?

I think we need to find a "middle road," if at all possible. System
transliteration seems to be the only such proposal -- if anybody else has
got any ideas, now's the time.

Just a thought,
-Luna