[Foundation-l] Are we useful yet?

[Florence Devouard]

Lars Aronsson wrote:
> mboverload wrote:
> 
>> Someone needs to tell me WHY we should have a Wikipedia or 
>> Wikinews in these kinds of languages.
> 
> This is actually a really good suggestion.  It should not be taken 
> as an insult, and it should not be restricted to small or "odd" 
> languages.  As now even the closing of Wikiquote was being 
> discussed, we really need to tell each other and the world:
> 
>  * Why should there be a Wikipedia in French?
>  * Why should there be a Wikisource in English?
>  * Why should there be a Wiktionary in Russian?
> 
> We shouldn't take any of these for granted.  Tell the world!  Why 
> are they needed?  Exactly how are they useful?  Are they indeed 
> useful, or do we keep all these projects just in case they could 
> become useful?  Can you come up with convincing arguments?  Who is 
> being helped by these projects?
> 
> Such arguments are needed for recruiting more volunteers as well 
> as soliciting donations.
> 
> But if we really fail to produce good arguments, perhaps we are 
> just wasting our time and that project should be closed down.


I have a nice quote on that topic


“Everyone loses if one language is lost because then a nation and 
culture lose their memory, and so does the complex tapestry from which 
the world is woven and which makes the world an exciting place.”

Vigdis Finnbogadottir
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Languages