This message was initially circulated by the organising team of Wikimania 2013.
Scholarship applications for Wikimania 2013 in Hong Kong are now being accepted. The application window is open until 22 February.
A Wikimania 2013 scholarship is an award given to an individual to enable them to attend Wikimania in Hong Kong from 7-11 August, 2013.
Two types of scholarship will be available this year. Partial scholarships will cover travel expenses to Wikimania, capped at 50% of the estimated air fare from your nearest international airport according to this page. Full scholarships will cover round-trip travel, dormitory accommodation as arranged by the Wikimania Team, and registration for Wikimania 2013.
Applicants will be rated on the following four dimensions:
1. Activity within Wikimedia (on-wiki and off-wiki) – 50%
2. Activity outside of Wikimedia and other free knowledge/software projects – 15%
3. Interest in Wikimania and the Wikimedia movement – 25%
4. Fluency of English language – 10%
If you have any question, email the team at wikimania-scholarship@wikimedia.org
Please note that Wikimedia UK will also be offering four full scholarships and two partial scholarships to attend Wikimania 2013. The application process is exactly the same and all applications should be made in the same way as that described above.
The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, working with Wikimedia UK, have today announced they are seeking to appoint a Wikimedian in Residence.
This is a ground-breaking partnership between two of the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions and the charity that promotes and supports Wikipedia, the world’s 5th most popular website.
As the official Wikimedian in Residence the successful applicant will be expected to make an impactful contribution to the public’s knowledge of the work of both institutions and their important and unique collections.
Jon Davies, Chief Executive of Wikimedia UK, said: “Wikimedia UK is really excited by this partnership. The Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are known worldwide for their excellence and their extensive archives. The Wikipedian in Residence will make a valuable contribution to making the museums’ materials accessible to people around the world, for free.”
Scouts from Portugal at the opening of the 21st World Scout Jamboree
This is a guest post from Maurizio Codogno, Wikimedia Italia, and was initially posted on the Wikimedia Foundation blog where you can also see the post in Italian and Spanish
On 9 September 2005, the article Choisy-le-Roi, a French town near Paris, was created on the Italian Wikipedia. On 3 October 2008, the article Placca indiana, one of the tectonic plates in the lithosphere of the Earth, was also created. What can these articles ever have in common? Simple. they are, respectively, the 100,000th and the 500,000th article on it.wikipedia.org.
On January 22, at 4:50 am (Rome and Zurich timezone), the millionth article was created! Given the creation and deletion of articles that routinely happens on Wikipedia, it is not exactly clear which one is the actual millionth article. The two most likely candidates are 8mm (a California-based band) and Scautismo e guidismo in Portogallo (Scouting and Guiding in Portugal).The Italian edition of Wikipedia is the fifth to have reached this milestone. In addition to the English language edition, which had its millionth article on March 1st, 2006 and now has well over four million entries, the “millionaire club” currently includes the Wikipedias in German (since 27 December 2009), French (since 21 September 2010) and Dutch (since 17 December 2011). The editions in Spanish, Russian and Polish are also approaching the milestone.
Surely, in August 2001, when the first Italian article was created, no one would even have dreamed of witnessing the millionth one. In the discussion about the creation of article number 100,000, some people jokingly wrote that they were getting ready for when the half a million goal was reached, a figure which seemed unattainable.
To tell the truth, the first two articles mentioned at the beginning of this post have something else in common. The links above show how the items appeared at their creation, but if you consult them today (respectively here and here), we can see that in these years the content of both articles has been greatly expanded. This is probably the best answer to those who believe that having too many articles is useless, if not harmful, for the encyclopedia: The structure of Wikipedia allows and even encourages the growth of knowledge, because even a slight improvement, when added to many others, can make a difference.
In fact, on the Italian Wikipedia, relative to other editions, the automated creation of pages is strictly limited to the cases where it’s tightly checked by humans and it encourages editor engagement, and has been almost non-existing in last years. Even more noteworthy is the fact that the 500,000th article was created by an unregistered user (a permission removed on the English Wikipedia in 2005), another confirmation of the practical philosophy of Wikipedia, which prefers authority of the text to authority of the writer.
The article Scautismo e guidismo in Portogallo is a product of Progetto:Scout, the combined effort of Wikipedia editors interested in developing and maintaining articles about scouting. The article itself, while entered by User:Lou_Crazy, is the result of a combined effort, in pure wiki style. Its contents come from the article Scouting and guiding in Portugal in the English language Wikipedia, which received contributions from at least ten different users since it was created in 2007. On the English Wikipedia there is WikiProject Scouting, which is analogous to Progetto:Scout. The text was translated by Lou Crazy, and it was adapted using templates written by members of Progetto:Scout to help in this effort. So, despite being only 2175 bytes long at its creation, this article already has a long history behind it, and it has already grown almost twice in size, including the addition of a photo.
Lou Crazy, who volunteers most of his free time as a scout leader, says that he started working on this article a few days ago, because it was missing, and he wants Wikipedia to be a great resource for scouts and guides who want to know more about their brother scouts and guides across the world. He had also prepared an article about Federação Escotista de Portugal, one of the scout associations in Portugal. So, when the counter was close to 1 million, he sent both articles and crossed his fingers.
The second candidate article, 8mm, was written by Nungalpiriggal, a fairly novice Wikipedian, who was awake and online that night, looking at the page counter with the mouse ready to press the Save Page button for the historical moment.
Why that article? First of all, Nungalpiriggal is a fan of that band and that page was missing. Second, he felt the millionth article should have respected Wikilove, thus, no controversial topics or discussed personalities, no football players or politicians, nothing that may cause any disagreement and confusion. So, the choice went to an international band that most people in Italy did not even know about (maybe, now that this article has been published, somebody else in Italy will listen to their music). And, last but not least, as a cameo in this page there is a link to Grey’s Anatomy, the article mostly viewed on the Italian Wiki in 2012.
Of course, no one plans to rest on our laurels and there are at least two new challenges for the encyclopedia. We need to increase the number of active contributors on Italian Wikipedia, which has stayed more or less constant for many months at around 8,000 people. Anyone can lend a hand, even just correcting a typo.
Of course we then have to improve the quality of individual items too. Today there are only 800 entries which are stated Featured or Good: it is true that the criteria for inclusion in those lists are very strict, but it is certainly possible to do much more. Finally, for those who feared that we are running out of items to be created, no worry! There is a page dedicated precisely to the requests for creating articles on topics not yet covered. Collaboration means that too!
This image of Lake Bondhus in Norway was Picture of the Year in 2011. But what will it be 2012’s winner? Photo byCommons User:Alchemist-hp
The below message was originally shared via email by the Wikimedia Commons Picture of the Year Committee. We’re happy to share it here.
Wikimedia Commons is happy to announce that the 2012 Picture of the Year competition is now open. We’re interested in your opinion as to which images qualify to be the Picture of the Year for 2012. Voting is open to established Wikimedia users who meet the following criteria:
1. Users must have an account, at any Wikimedia project, which was registered before Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000*[UTC]
2. This user account must have more than 75 edits on any single Wikimedia project before Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000 [UTC]. Please check your account eligibility using the POTY 2012 Contest Eligibility tool
3. Users must vote with an account meeting the above requirements either on Commons or another SUL-related Wikimedia project (for other Wikimedia projects, the account must be attached to the user’s Commons account
through SUL ).
Hundreds of images that have been rated Featured Pictures by the international Wikimedia Commons community in the past year are all entered in this competition. From professional animal and plant shots to breathtaking panoramas and skylines, restorations of historically relevant images, images portraying the world’s best architecture, maps, emblems, diagrams created with the most modern technology, and impressive human portraits, Commons features pictures of all flavours.
For your convenience, we have sorted the images into topic categories. Two rounds of voting will be held: In the first round, you can vote for as many images as you like. The first round category winners and the top ten overall will then make it to the final. In the final round, when a limited number of images are left, you must decide on the one image that you want to become the Picture of the Year.
As trailed on this blog last week, Wikimedia UK held an IRC office hours chat last Wednesday.
The office found the exercise really useful as another way to actively communicate with volunteers and the Wikimedia community. We hope those who dropped in found it helpful too.
Given the success of the event we’re committing to making this a regular occurrence. To this end, we’ll be hosting a monthly IRC chat on the third Wednesday of every month at 5.30pm UK time. The next one will take place on Wednesday 20 February. We’ll share reminders closer to the time.
Gallwch ddarllen y blog yma yn Gymraeg, isod. This blog post is also published in Welsh below.
There’s been some interesting work taking place in Wales recently, especially in relation to the Welsh language. There are a number of projects that are particularly notable, involving Robin Owain of Wicipedia Cymru, a well-known Wicipedian.
The first relates to a group called Hacio’r Iaith (lit translated as Hacking the Language). Hacio’r Iaith are holding their annual conference on Saturday 19 January at the National Library of Wales, Abersytwyth, Ceredigion. The event offers an opportunity for people who make web and technology projects in Welsh to present their experiences and learn from each other in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. As a part of the day’s programme Robin will be offering Wicipedia training sessions. The conference is free, but registration is required and can be taken care of here
The second project is an agreement between Wikimedia UK, Wicipedia Cymraeg and the People’s Collection of Wales (PCW) to run a pilot project to share PCW content on Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons-Share Alike licenses. The pilot will involve an initial set of around 100 images and may lead to content being shared from other partners such as the Royal Commission of Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales and the National Museum of Wales about further opportunities.
Lastly, high level talks have also been held between WMUK and the editors of Encyclopaedia Wales, Literature Wales and the University of Wales Press. We’ll keep you up to date with this and the other projects in Wales and if you’d like to get involved please do send an email to stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk in the first instance.
Gwaith Ardderchog gan Wicipedia Cymraeg
Mae ‘na waith diddolrol yn digwydd yng Nghymru’n ddiweddar, yn enwedig drwy’r Gymraeg. Ceir sawl prosiect nodedig iawn, ac maent yn ymwneud â Robin Owain o Wicipedia Cymraeg, Wicipediwr adnabyddus iawn.
Mae’r prosiect cynta’n ymwneud â grŵp o’r enw Hacio’r Iaith sy’n cynnal eu sesiwn flynyddol ar ddydd Sadwrn y 19eg o Ionawr yn y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol yn Aberystwyth. Mae’r digwyddiad hwn yn cynnig cyfleon i bobl sy’n ymddiddori mewn blogiau a gwefannau Cymraeg – a hynny mewn awyrgylch ymlaciol a chartrefol. Fel rhan o’r digwyddiad bydd Robin yn cynnal sesiynau hyfforddi ar olygu Wicipedia. Mae’r digwyddiad am ddim, ond bydd angen cofrestru ar wefan
Mae’r ail brosiect yn ymwneud â chytundeb rhwng Wikimedia UK, Wicipedia Cymraeg a Chasgliad y Werin (CyW) sy’n ein galluogi i dreialu prosiect peilot er mwyn rhannu cynnwys gwefan CyW ar Wikimedia Commons dan drwydded Creative Commons-Share Alike. Bydd 100 o ddelweddau cychwynol yn cael eu cynnwys gyda’r gobaith y bydd ychwaneg yn dod o stabl Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru, yr Amgueddfa Genedlaethol a chyrff eraill.
I goroni hyn i gyd, cafwyd trafodaethau’n ddiweddar rhwng prif olygyddion Gwyddoniadur Cymru, Llenyddiaeth Cymru, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru a WMUK. Fe adawn i chi wybod o unrhyw gamau breision am y prosiect hwn a’r gweddill fel y dont i’r fei, ac os carwch fod yn rhan o’r uchod yna rhowch wybod i stevie.benton@wikimedia.org.uk.
GLAM-Wiki 2013 is taking place at the British Library
Followers of this blog will be aware that there’s been plenty of work going on behind the scenes to prepare for GLAM-Wiki 2013 It’s a global conference for the GLAM sector (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) intended for sector professionals, volunteers in Wikipedia and the Wikimedia movement, and anyone interested in open content in the cultural sector. It is organised by Wikimedia UK, the UK charity that supports the Wikimedia movement in the UK, in association with Europeana, and generously hosted by the British Library.
We’ve reached the point now where we’re ready to call for papers to be submitted. We’re looking for proposals for presentations, workshop proposals, or panel discussions, lasting up to an hour (which would include questions).
We have two broad themes for papers, within the broader area of open content in the cultural sector; sustainability and future models, in particular with reference to engagement with the Wikimedia movement. We welcome submissions both from within the Wikimedia community and from cultural institutions of all kinds, whether or not they have worked with us before.
Here at Wikimedia UK we like to keep in touch with our volunteers and the people interested in our work using as many methods as possible.
To this end, we’re hosting an online web chat at 5.30pm this evening, Wednesday 16 January. Some of the staff from our office will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about Wikimedia UK and our projects and plans.
We’re particularly keen to take questions from volunteers and Wikimedia project editors who would like to learn more about the chapter. The chat is also open to journalists who’d like to find out more about who we are and what we do.
Wikivoyage becomes the 12th official Wikimedia project and debuts on Wikipedia’s 12th birthday
SAN FRANCISCO — 15 January, 2013 — The Wikimedia Foundation is excited to announce the launch of its 12th official project: Wikivoyage – a free, worldwide, online travel guide. Like Wikipedia and its sister projects, Wikivoyage is free to edit, free of ads, and built collaboratively by volunteers from around the globe.
Wikivoyage is currently available in nine languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. There are already approximately 50,000 articles, which are edited and improved by a core group of approximately 200 volunteer editors.
“There’s a huge global demand for travel information, but very few sources are both comprehensive and non-commercial. That’s about to change,” said Sue Gardner, Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation. “Wikivoyage is a great, useful service for travelers, and I’m expecting that with the support of the Wikimedia Foundation and the global Wikimedia editing community, it’s going to get even bigger and better.”
Wikivoyage has been an active wiki-based travel guide since 2006 in German and Italian, supported by the German non-profit Wikivoyage Association. The contributors on that site and the non-profit requested to migrate their content and offered to donate their brand to the new project hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. The proposal was approved by the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees in October 2012. The site was moved over to the Wikimedia Foundation servers in November of 2012, where it was in Beta until today.
“The purpose of the Wikivoyage Association is to promote education and knowledge of all countries and regions in the world, as well as understanding among nations,” said Stefan Fussan, Chairman of the board of the Wikivoyage Association. “We’re very excited about the launch of Wikivoyage as a Wikimedia project, and about the future role of the Association in supporting the Wikivoyage community through its programs.”
Wikivoyage is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license, which allows anyone the right to read, copy, print, save, download, modify, distribute, sell, and update its content in any way, provided the terms of the free license are respected. This includes giving proper attribution to the creators of the content and ensuring that any reuse or derivative works are also freely-licensed.
“As contributors to Wikivoyage, we work hard to create high-quality content, written by travelers, for travelers, in their own language,” said Peter Fitzgerald, an administrator on Wikivoyage. “We’re very excited to be part of the Wikimedia community, and we invite travelers to join us in creating an independent, non-commercial, online travel guide for the world. We are confident that it will become the number one travel resource on the web.”
The Wikivoyage launch coincides with the 12th anniversary of the founding of Wikipedia on January 15th, 2001.
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