Daniel Mayer wrote:
--- Brion Vibber <brion(a)pobox.com> wrote:
Servien Ilaino wrote:
Sorry to say, but these developers are kind of
useless, aren't developers
supposed to "develop"... I haven't seen a new wiki for ages, no reactions
from developers or whatever at all!
The Wikimedia Foundation board has refused to endorse the proposed policy
for
new language additions, so things are pretty much frozen until someone clarifies
who has authority to do what and when.
Also, simply having an ISO code is not enough justification to have a separate wiki. Our
goal is
to create encyclopedias in every language for the purpose of enabling reading and
understanding.
I take it you refer to the ISO-639 codes. Glibly assuming that it is
"understood" what a language is is giving the lively discussions that we
have had not really helpful. It is also painfully clear that what IS a
language is often denied on political grounds. When you re-read the
discussions about Andalusian you have a good example for this. The
difference between Castillian and Andalusian is not really different
from what are accepted languages associated with Spain. Then again this
is a linguistic not a political reality.
Many ISO codes are for mutually intelligible dialects
that should not have separate wikis. Even
having different scripts between dialects is not always a reason to have separate wikis
since we
have the ability to convert scripts on the fly.
"We have the technology" means little if you do not have the content
to
do just this. We are able to do this at present is for a language where
the written language is divorced from the spoken language. When you say;
mutually intelligible you have to appreciate that many people who live
in the Netherlands can with some difficulty and a lot of good will
understand what Germans say. From that perspective we do not need a
German Wikipedia as the Dutch Wikipedia would be adequate ??
A much better policy needs to be created that takes
this into account.
As the facts as you put them are disputed themselves, how do you want to
build a policy on that. What is your point in being restrictive when it
comes to languages that are not important to you but where people have a
passion for their language ??
BTW, the developers are most useful and greatly
appreciated. Without them we would have no
software and the servers would bog down and become useless. Developing != creating.
-- mav
Thanks,
GerardM