SignWriting report after the Wikimedia Hackathon in Amsterdam

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
May 29, 2013

Hello Steve, and everyone who wants Wikipedias in written sign languages!

We join you in celebrating this big step forward - We are closer now to having multiple Wikipedias in written sign languages - I am so happy for this work and thankful also to everyone at the Wikimedia Foundation for making this possible for us to pioneer this new development - Steve has already posted the SignWriting Gadget on the Incubator and is paving the way now for us to move to the Incubator. I also want to thank Gerard Meijssen for his ongoing encouragement - this is only the beginning, Gerard!!

Let's Skype when you have the time, Gerard -

And everyone - the reason this is so important is that your sign languages will be written in valuable encyclopedia articles that the world can read online - it will open the world to realizing that your sign languages are now written languages - it is a great way to inform the general public in so many ways - we will all learn each other's sign languages with Wikipedias and we will also learn information through the articles themselves -

take a look at the current test Wikipedia for ASL, which will soon be moving to the Incubator…we have 14 article started...

ASL Wikipedia
http://ase.wikipedia.wmflabs.org/wiki/Main_Page

Val ;-)


------------------------------

On May 29, 2013, at 1:31 PM, Stephen E Slevinski Jr <slevin at signpuddle.net> wrote:

> Hi SignWriting List,
> 
> I was privileged to take part in the Wikimedia Hackathon in Amsterdam this year.  A three day event that covered all things Wikipedia and more.
> http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Hackathon_2013
> 
> 
> At the beginning of the event, everyone introduced themselves and a big board was created that covered all of the people and topics.
> 
> http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/File:Proposed_projects_for_the_Wikimedia_Hackathon_2013.jpg
> 
> My sticky for SignWriting is on the far right, second group from the end.
> 
> 
> 
> Before any language can have a new Wikipedia (or other project), it needs to start on Incubator and reach a certain level of activity.  Previously, it was impossible for Incubator to support sign languages, so a special server needed to be built on Wikimedia Labs for each sign language project.  
> 
> My main goal for the hackathon was to enable a SignWriting viewer on Incubator.  Mission accomplished!  Soon, we will start the transition from Wikimedia Labs to Incubator for the ASL Wikipedia Project.
> http://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/ase
> 
> 
> I have been informed by the language committee that any sign language (with a valid language code) will be automatically approved for the Incubator now that this technology exists.  We still have lots of work to continue, but this basic level of support is enough to start.
> 
> Additionally, I have a user script available on the English Wikipedia that anyone can enable to view SignWriting on the English Wikipedia.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Slevinski
> 
> 
> There were many people at the hackathon that were interested in and supportive of written sign language.  I was informed that the idea of SignWriting is supported throughout the Wikimedia organization and various committees.  Several people reviewed the technical basis of the project and approved of the design.  It was a very positive event and I'm deeply grateful I was able to attend.
> 
> Sometimes it seems like an overwhelming amount of work still needs to be completed, but today I celebrate the achievements that our team has made possible.
> 
> Regards,
> ∼Steve

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