[WikiEN-l] Offline submissions?how to address the limited range of participa

Mon Jun 26 13:28:13 UTC 2006

hi, I am not sure the current wikipedia administrative system is geared 
towards addressing this
"According to the WikiProject Countering Systemic Bias, "The average
> > Wikipedian on English Wikipedia (1) is male, (2) is
> > technically-inclined, (3) is formally educated, (4) speaks English to
> > an extent, (5) is White , (6) is aged 15-49, (7) is from a
> > predominantly Christian country, (8) is from an industrialized nation,
> > and (9) is more likely to be employed in intellectual pursuits than in
> > practical skills or physical labor."
"

If you go to the muslim guild on wikipedia  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Islam:The_Muslim_Guild
and you look at all the entrents, everyone is currently under threat of an 
indefinate ban or idefinately banned. I think the idea of having a greater 
participation is lip service.

>From: mboverload <mboverload at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: English Wikipedia <wikien-l at Wikipedia.org>
>To: "English Wikipedia" <wikien-l at wikipedia.org>
>Subject: Re: [WikiEN-l] Offline submissions?
>Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 18:14:08 -0700
>
>Maybe I'm the only one here, but I say "Who cares?"
>
>If they don't have a computer they don't have the time to write an
>encyclopedia.  They are trying to hold up two jobs and feed their kids.
>There's a reason they don't edit:  they don't care enough and I don't blame
>them.
>
>mboverload
>
>On 6/25/06, Anthere <Anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > Andrew Gray wrote:
> > > According to the WikiProject Countering Systemic Bias, "The average
> > > Wikipedian on English Wikipedia (1) is male, (2) is
> > > technically-inclined, (3) is formally educated, (4) speaks English to
> > > an extent, (5) is White , (6) is aged 15-49, (7) is from a
> > > predominantly Christian country, (8) is from an industrialized nation,
> > > and (9) is more likely to be employed in intellectual pursuits than in
> > > practical skills or physical labor."
> > >
> > > The problem with this is the unfortunate gap in coverage that results
> > > from a lack of interest from the typical demographic of Wikipedians
> > > described above. While this demographic is definitely interested in
> > > contributing to a free, online encyclopedia, that doesn't mean the
> > > others aren't. One particular problem is that in order to contribute
> > > to Wikipedia, you'll need to use a computer. There are others who
> > > would probably be interested in contributing to our global effort,
> > > too, but don't understand technology. We need to allow them to
> > > contribute.
> > >
> > > For that purpose, I would like to start a project where people without
> > > access to computers (or people who voluntarily choose not to use them)
> > > can -write- their own Wikipedia entries and mail them in. The first
> > > phase of this plan, of course, would be spreading the word. The least
> > > expensive way would probably be distributing fliers in frequented
> > > areas. People could then write their own articles, and mail them in to
> > > the Wikimedia Office. Someone at the office (maybe Monica?) could open
> > > the letters, scan them in, and email them to an offline submissions
> > > mailing list.
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > Just for the record, Monica is no more working for us. That let's Danny
> > to open the letters and scan the content. Then an automatic machine
> > could change it at least partially to electronic format. And others will
> > have the fix what should be fixed.
> >
> > I am a bit perplex you call this the least expensive way...
> > Of course, Danny frankly has no time to do this at all. I suppose we
> > would have to hire students to be the interface... in all honesty, I
> > think it is very unpractical, in particular in a language where there is
> > already so much content. Most of the time, the article would have
> > changed and the new content would need to be integrated to the online
> > version. This would be very unpractical.
> >
> > It has much more chance to work locally, in a rather little developped
> > language. Yes, your memory is good, it has been done, by Guaka, in
> > Bambara, a bit over a year ago. Guaka directly visited some elders and
> > picked up notes.
> >
> > One of the reasons the editing system works is that it is very simple
> > and very quick.
> >
> >   From there, people interested in the project would
> > > transcribe the article into Wikipedia (if applicable, see below) and
> > > mail back a corresponding letter featuring a print-out of the new
> > > article. Very simple process, plus it would allow people from
> > > non-typical-of-Wikipedia-editor backgrounds to put in their word.
> > >
> > > What if their entry is redundant? Not to worry. If the written
> > > submission has content the Wikipedia article doesn't, we add it in. If
> > > it doesn't, that's okay. We don't necessarily have to tell them what
> > > made it in and what didn't, but either way, a reply will be sent to
> > > the writer with a print-out of the article.
> >
> > Additional costs. Who would support that ?
> >
> > > ----
> > >
> > > I'm passing the above on for en:User:Messedrocker, since he's not
> > > subscribed to the list. My thoughts:
> > >
> > > a) This has certainly been done before on a local level with minor
> > > languages - was it in West Africa somewhere? My mind is failing me,
> > > but I've certainly seen it mentioned on wikipedia-l before - the
> > > writing was done by a local elder, transcribed and put online by a
> > > volunteer.
> >
> > Yes. Btw, Guaka will be at Wikimania in Boston. If you go, you may
> > discuss this experience with him.
> >
> > > b) It might well work, but would probably require careful thought and
> > > planning - who are we targeting? what sort of articles are we
> > > targeting them for? how do we deal with unwanted and inappropriate
> > > submissions without causing more badwill than we started with?
> > >
> > > c) Copyrights. This might get fun.
> > >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > WikiEN-l at Wikipedia.org
> > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit:
> > http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
> >
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