[Foundation-l] [Translators-l] Some news from Wikiversity Beta

[SJ]

Dear Guillaume,

This is a lovely update.  For what it's worth, I strongly approve of
trying out the language-selection tool to provide for many languages
on the same wiki -- for this and other incubated projects.  Assuming
this is successful, it could be used to produce a multilingual hub for
older projects as well.

Best,
  SJ



On 9/3/06, Guillaume Paumier <guillom.pom at gmail.com> wrote:
> [ crossposting on foundation-l, wikiversity-l & translators-l ]
>
> Hello,
>
> Wikiversity Beta is now 10 days old and I think the time has come to give
> some news. I have decided to organize it as a list of FAQ. Feel free to ask
> questions I have not thought about. This page is available in English at
> http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Help:FAQ/En and will be
> available in French soon.
>
>
> * What is Wikiversity?
> --- Wikiversity is a new Wikimedia project [1] exploring ways to use the
> power of wiki to support online learning. This new project will be in beta
> phase during the first six months [2].
>
>
> * What is Wikiversity Beta?
>
> --- Wikiversity Beta is a global platform aiming at coordinating Wikiversity
> projects in several languages [3]. This multilingual coordination intends to
> deal with Wikiversity's mission and general guidelines of the project's
> scope (for example, about original research). Wikiversity Beta is also a
> place where Wikiversity projects which don't have a subdomain yet can
> develop.
>
> --- In a nutshell, Wikiversity is both a meta-wiki and an incubator for
> Wikiversity projects.
>
>
> * How is it possible to have so many languages coexisting on Beta without it
> becoming a mess?
>
> --- Wikiversity Beta intends to take advantage of the input of its many
> members (not only English-speakers). Multilingual discussions should not
> only coexist, but live in symbiosis. A multilingual discussion system has
> been proposed to manage them [4] so non-English speakers can take part in
> discussions. Moreover, Beta is using the Language select feature [5]
> developped on Meta, which allows users to hide foreign languages on
> multilingual pages.
>
>
> * What about separate Wikiversity projects which already have their own
> subdomain?
>
> --- Those separate projects [6] are growing their way. However, their
> participants are strongly encouraged to take part into discussions about
> general guidelines that will apply to all Wikiversity projects. Moreover,
> they are encouraged to post reports [7] about their projects to let
> everybody know about how it grows.
>
>
> * What's next?
>
> --- Now we need people to take part in the discussions on Wikiversity Beta.
> People from existing separate projects and people willing to contribute to a
> future separate project should join the discussions and work together.
> People who do not speak English are encouraged to take part in discussions
> but we also need volunteer translators to translate the talk summaries [4].
>
>
> * Your multilingual system will never work. It requires too many
> translators.
>
> --- If people really sum up their discussions, not only this will help them
> to focus on important things but it will not take much time to translate
> them. Ten days after Beta opening, its main page is already available in
> five languages.
>
> --- By the way, it is just a proposal. Hey, if everybody speaks english,
> very well, we won't have anything to translate. If the system does not work,
> at least we can say we tried.
>
>
> * For a coordination project, it would be much more practical if a single
> language of discussion is chosen.
>
> --- Of course it would be more practical; the question is: should we manage
> Beta the way that is easier for us English speakers or should we manage it
> the way everybody can take part in discussions about guidelines that will
> apply to all projects?
>
>
> * Wikiversity Beta Motto?
>
> --- The shorter, the better. If you want your ideas to reach people speaking
> other languages, write short and understandable summaries.
>
>
>
> Please feel free to ask questions and to make constructive comments. I would
> also like to thank Sebmol & JWSchmidt for their help.
>
> g.
>
>
> [1] Board resolution:
> http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Resolution_Wikiversity
> [2] Anthere's mail about Wikiversity:
> http://mail.wikimedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2006-August/009074.html
> [3] Wikiversity Beta URL: http://beta.wikiversity.org
> [4] Multilingual discussion proposal:
> http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Multilingualism
> [5] Language selection system:
> http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Language_select
> [6] List of separate Wikiversity projects:
> http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Separate_projects
> [7] Reports from separate projects:
> http://beta.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Reports
>
>
> --
> Guillaume Paumier
> Disciplus Simplex
> http://fr.wikipedia.org : Resistance is futile — You will be assimilated.
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>
>


-- 
++SJ