[Wikimedia-l] Go away, community (from WMF wiki at least)

[Thehelpfulone]

On 12 May 2013 19:44, Florence Devouard <anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> :) Yeah, pretty bad.
>
> The main reason I would consider WMF wiki SHOULD NOT be an entirely
> staff-controlled and operated site is the fact we originally wanted it to
> be at least in part multilingual.
>
> Current staff does not seem to be very interested in that original wish.
>
> Some requests for translation are sometimes made but lot's of outdated
> content is still over there. Sometimes, it does not matter too much. Other
> times, it is quite unfortunate. Check out for example
> http://wikimediafoundation.**org/wiki/Privacy_policy<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_policy>
>
> Important ? yes
> Should be translated ? I would say "yes, as much as possible"
> Should old versions stick there ? I would say vehemently "no, should not"
>
> Still, many languages still display the old version.
> The staff will hide itself behind the fact that "only the English version
> matters". Which is why Dutch is still the old version:
> http://wikimediafoundation.**org/wiki/Privacybeleid<http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Privacybeleid>
> Is that good ? No, I would say it is "not serious".
>
> Who can help clean that up ?
> Well... if not the volunteers, then it would have to be the staff job.
> Except I doubt the staff would consider that to be part of its job. If only
> because staff does not speak 300 languages.
>
> What's the best way to motivate volunteers to help with translation and
> update of non-English content ? I am not sure, but probably not in removing
> their admin bit as if they were dangerous people. Right now, I would go as
> far as saying that WMF on the contrary should look out for more people to
> help clean up ;)
>
> How does that happen right now ? Well, volunteers do ask on meta to get an
> account for WMF wiki. Where ? Here: http://meta.wikimedia.org/**
> wiki/Request_for_an_account_**on_the_Foundation_wiki<http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Request_for_an_account_on_the_Foundation_wiki>
>
> And guess who is taking care of giving them access ?
> A volunteer who has the technical means to create them accounts.
> Oh wait... not any more. Ah, hum. Well, I take it a staff member will do
> that in the future :)
>
> -------
>
> Alternatively, the staff, with the official support of their management
> and the board can decide that the Foundation wiki should not try any more
> to be translated in other languages and should stick to what it actually
> is: a US-based non profit company.
>
> Translations may be non-official... and on meta.
>
> -------
>
> The multilingualism we hoped so dearly has always been an issue. It is
> poorly dealt with on the Wikimedia Foundation blog. Poorly dealt with on
> the Foundation Wiki. Poorly dealt with on OTRS.
>
> :(
>

For what it's worth, I did try to get some re-translation organised in
early February: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Translation_requests/WMF and
asked communications staff at the WMF for their input. To be fair to them
they did say that they'd look into it and get back to me but I think they
might have been swamped with other things so it was forgotten.
-- 
Thehelpfulone
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Thehelpfulone