<aude> *** start logging ***
<shipmaster> so
<shipmaster> one of my questions
<shipmaster> regarding the recommendations
<shipmaster> that we are supposed to produce
<shipmaster> is their scope
<shipmaster> how much detail should we include, the questions seem to be very broad
<shipmaster> some are open ended like 4 and 5
<shipmaster> ?
<Amgine> Generically, the recommendations should be fairly broad.
<Amgine> They shouldn't be about implementation, but about higher goals.
<aude> i think we can provide some background info, but ultimately we are to provide recommendations specific to what the wikimedia foundation could do to address them
<shipmaster> ok
<aude> the recommendations don't have to be very specific, but general is okay
<shipmaster> ok, so
=-= _brianmc_ is now known as brianmc
<shipmaster> question 1 we can easily provide reliable research on,
<aude> agree
<shipmaster> question 2 is something that I can give my opinion in based on my wiki experience, but it's something
<aude> i did start question pages
<aude> http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Task_force/Arabic_Task_Force/Internet_use
<aude> and added a few that i think tie in, and can provide relevant background
<shipmaster> that we probably either need to research more or reach consensus on
<shipmaster> ok
<aude> i'm not sure if the questions i added are good, and we can change them, add or delete them
<aude> for question 2, i think opinion is okay
<shipmaster> i think they are fine, I guess that question is needed to provide background
<aude> we can also reach out to other Arabic Wikipedians for opinions, and even outside of wikimedia
<shipmaster> that's what I was thinking
<shipmaster> that will also be very useful
<shipmaster> for 3,4 and 5 about the extent Wikimedia can help and how
<aude> it might be possible to put together an informal survey, send out an e-mail to the arabic wikipedia list and/or put up a watchlist notice on arabic wikipedia asking for input
<shipmaster> i think we should do that
<rima> that's great idea the survey will help
<shipmaster> I can put the survey in the watchlist notice and the mailing list
<shipmaster> when we agree on its content
<rima> ok
<shipmaster> there is also
<shipmaster> a satellite community
<shipmaster> that we can tap for ideas
<aude> started a page: http://strategy.wikimedia.org/wiki/Task_force/Arabic_Task_Force/Survey
<shipmaster> Google is working on a project with Wikipedians in Egypt
<shipmaster> to use the google translation tool to create 6 million words worth of translations
<shipmaster> there are a lot of student volunteers that only participate in this project
<shipmaster> are we interested in involving them?
<aude> is there a link about the project?
<aude> it sounds very interesting
<shipmaster> hmm lemme look
<shipmaster> http://enrichwiki.net/index.php?title=??????_????????
<shipmaster> they also recently expanded to include people from King Saud university in Saudi Arabia too
<aude> thanks
<shipmaster> I am involved with the project (not as much as I would like though)
<shipmaster> but if we perceive we need them for something I can help
<shipmaster> or if we want to involve them
<rima> yes good idea
<aude> i think so, i think they would be interested
<rima> I agree
<shipmaster> ok then I will email their mailing list about it
<shipmaster> invite them to join the discussion
<aude> if you can think of any questions related to the five main ones, please add them
<shipmaster> I can also put any possible developments so that everyone is up to date
<aude> shipmaster: i saw your answer to question #1
<shipmaster> like for example I can put links to the effort to create a wikimedia chapter in Egypt
<shipmaster> ok
<aude> i suggest we use the talk page for the question for discussion, and use the main question pages to write our answers
<shipmaster> ok I am fine with that
<shipmaster> I will move it there
<shipmaster> to the question talk page
<aude> yes, the efforts for starting a chapter are relevant
<shipmaster> the extent of government involvement is also an issue
<aude> i'm also looking at what the other task forces are doing, for ideas and examples of how to organize
<shipmaster> for example Wikipedia was blocked in Syria till recently
<shipmaster> and on the other hand,
<aude> i know about Egypt, but less about other countries in regard to government involvement
<shipmaster> the government in Egypt has offered to fund further wikipedia initiatives
<shipmaster> so yeah we may need to assess how good/bad either of these are
<aude> generally speaking, i know that wikimedia is interested in partnerships with outside organizations
<aude> this includes a project to add images to wikimedia commons from the german federal archive
<rima> I don't have any idea about the government involvment in Saudi Arabia
<aude> what kind of opportunities we see in Arabic speaking countries?
<aude> or efforts to educate governments about wikipedia?
<aude> i'm sure there are plenty of myths or things some people/governments don't understand?
<shipmaster> I think there is a spectrum
<rima> yes I agree
<shipmaster> from the Emirates for example, which has funded very openly critical UN reports
<shipmaster> and I think they will cooperate fully with any wikipedia entity
<shipmaster> to Egypt, who will still cooperate but with reservations
<shipmaster> to Syria which perceives Wikipedia as a threat
<shipmaster> to other governments who are totally oblivious of what Wikipedia means
<rima> I am going to read that report i think it's an interesting report
<shipmaster> I think we can include questions
<shipmaster> about the government reaction to wikipedia
<shipmaster> in the survey
<shipmaster> ?
<aude> agree
<rima> yes
<shipmaster> ok I will work on the sruvey page later today and add more questions for you guys to review
<rima> great
<aude> the other thing i wonder about is the demand for arabic wikipedia, versus people with ability in English and who look on English Wikipedia
<shipmaster> my personal opinion here
<aude> and the question about having colloquial arabic versions of wikipedia
<shipmaster> based on my involvment with wikipedia since 2004
<shipmaster> is that we usually see and interact
<shipmaster> with bi-lingual arabs
<shipmaster> but the fact is
<shipmaster> there is a big majority
<shipmaster> of people who only know Arabic
<shipmaster> a silent majority
<rima> that's right
<shipmaster> and this majority basically has no internet references except for religious material
<aude> how easy is it for someone who only knows arabic to use the internet?
<shipmaster> other than wikipedia there is very little
<shipmaster> very easy
<aude> that makes sense, about availability of references
<shipmaster> the OS is arabized
<shipmaster> Windows
<shipmaster> so they can find their way around
<shipmaster> but there is not much material
<rima> yes windows is arabized
<shipmaster> colloquial on the other hand is a political rather than a practical matter
<rima> but the materials in the webs are so few
<aude> so, the question could be about how to get more contributions to arabic wikipedia
<shipmaster> yes
<rima> most of it forums political news
<shipmaster> people dont learn to read colloquial , they learn to read and write formal Arabic
<rima> the most visited are these sites
<shipmaster> anyway
<shipmaster> I am running out of time
<shipmaster> for today
<aude> another issue, which is true on english wikipedia, is that with long-time volunteers , some are retiring, get busy, and are contributing less now
<aude> i wonder what extent that's true on arabic wikipedia, or if that's not the case
<shipmaster> I will email the google initiative group and look at the survey
<aude> shipmaster: okay, thank you for your time
<shipmaster> (it is I think)
<rima> we can involve mor people
<shipmaster> yes we should
<shipmaster> and let's arrange another IRC meeting soon
<aude> i think another task force is looking at "community health" which deals with how to retain volunteers
<rima> ok thanks
<shipmaster> bye everyone for now and thanks
<aude> bye
<rima> bye
