[WikiEN-l] We've been overtaken.

[Ray Saintonge]

geni wrote:
> 2009/4/21 Nathan:
>   
>> Exactly what I thought. Better integration and support for wikiprojects
>> (have to say, I sort of prefer "task groups" as a name...), better
>> recognition on the wiki of top contributors to various articles -- those are
>> things we could really learn from.
>>     
> Historically wikiprojects getting hold of too much power or thinking
> they have has tended to cause problems.
>   

Not really.  It is just as valid to say that centralized policies and 
"guidelines" hinder the development of wikiprojects, and that there is 
too much power at the centre.   This is a traditional problem in 
countries that must share powers between federal and state authority. 
Nathan's point about better integration and support is well taken, even 
if I don't feel as strongly about the recognition.

The renaming of "wikiprojects" to clarify the distinction between these 
and "sister projects" has crossed my mind before, though my suggested 
name would be "study groups".
>> And if we could approach the proprietor,
>> and encourage a more compatible licensing scheme, our Chinese language
>> projects could really benefit (and their project could benefit from
>> Wikimedia content).
>>     
> I suspect they already take it.
>   

Of course!  Licensing schemes that stress the letter of the licences 
rather than a series of underlying principles don't make this any easier.

>> Did this thing just appear out of nowhere? Suddenly a collaborative online
>> reference site larger than the English Wikipedia?
>>     
> Been around for a while. I was expecting it to overtake en this year
> but not this soon. Would be interesting to know how they beat out
> Baidu Baike.
>
>
>   
It's not surprising that a gang of unilingual Anglos wouldn't notice a 
Chinese language development.

Ec