[Foundation-l] Simple Wikipedia: different projects

[Lodewijk]

Lets try to approach this from another angle.

Perhaps simple Wikipedia should not be considered as a different language,
but rather as a different project - a simplified Wikipedia. Because the
purpose of simple wikipedia's can be debated of course, but one potential is
to give more people understandable access to the contents. Then the
simplified version might not just be about simpler language, but also
simpler explanations (no long mathematical equations, but only that
introduction in a way that someone can understand the basics - in simple
understandable English). I would find it wonderful if I could let my little
nephew or sister read on a "simple" project without worrying they will panic
over the complexities. Partially for learning the language, partially for
getting the knowledge.

When approached like that, this would not really be a matter for the
language committee, and every language with enough potential community (!)
could get their own simple project.

Another option along the same lines could be a Simple namespace within
Wikipedia, if there would be an interface allowing you easily to focus on
just that namespace.

That way, we don't have to come up with artificial routes and explanations
to allow our communities the creation of such wonderful projects.

Best regards,

Lodewijk

2011/6/21 Milos Rancic <millosh at gmail.com>

> On 06/21/2011 12:25 AM, MZMcBride wrote:
> > Thanks for the detailed response. :-)
> >
> > Milos Rancic wrote:
> >> As usual, discussion would be held on Meta. If there are serious
> >> arguments against creation of Simple French Wikipedia, we would consider
> >> them, of course. However, "arguments" like "I don't like simple
> >> projects" won't be counted.
> >
> > Well, I'm sure some of them would say that in French; would that help?
> ;-)
> >
> > I do wonder if arguments such as "Wikimedia should not be in the business
> of
> > making simplified language-versions of projects" would be counted.
>
> There is one more thing in which I agree with Michael...
>
> As he is in the group which creates BCP 47 language subtags, I told to
> him that we should get generic subtags for simple languages. His
> response was that we should think about it when the time comes, not before.
>
> I think that we will wait for some time, maybe even long, before we get
> a valid request for Simple French Wikipedia. When that time comes, we'll
> think about details.
>
> I mean, there are other things to be done and we've already spent a lot
> of time in it. The only reason why we've done so is to normalize the
> situation. I started with the position "we should recommend to the Board
> to close all simple projects" during the Berlin meeting. However,
> normalization went into other direction and I am fine with it, too.
>
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