Thats really cool!!! Way to go!!! Cheers,
Deepon On Thu, May 17, 2012 at 12:29 AM, Srikanth Ramakrishnan < rsrikant...@gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks to Chris Keating of the UK Chapter for sharing this: > > http://blog.wikimedia.org.uk/2012/05/welcome-to-the-worlds-first-wikipedia-town/ > You’ve probably heard the saying, “In theory, Wikipedia shouldn’t work, > but in practice it does.” Three of the things that contribute to make > Wikipedia work are topic-specific WikiProjects (“let’s write about a town), > Wikimedia chapters (“let’s organize throughout the United Kingdom”), and > unique ideas (“let’s use QR codes to share content”). This week these three > things successfully came together to create Monmouthpedia, “The World’s > First Wikipedia Town” in Monmouth, Wales. > > The idea for Monmouthpedia began at a TEDx talk in Bristol when John > Cummings, an occasional Wikipedia editor, suggested from the audience that > the UK Chapter use QR codes to “do a whole town.” That challenge was handed > to Cummings when the Wikimedia UK chapter backed the idea. He then moved to > his home town of Monmouth where he assembled an ad hoc group of supporters > who wanted to participate, including the local County Council. > > The project has taken six months of preparation, including a commitment by > the town to install a free, town-wide wi-fi network (the first of its kind > in Wales). On 19 May the entire town will be bedecked with banners > declaring Monmouth as the first Wikipedia Town in the world. > > The Monmouthpedia project uses QRpedia to allow visitors to scan QR codes > that link directly to the Wikipedia article in their own language. Because > of Monmouth’s efforts to provide free wi-fi and implement QRpedia, the town > is likely the only place where a visitor can tour in Hungarian, Hindi, > Indonesian, Welsh, or numerous other Wikipedia languages using QR codes. > > Much of the success of Monmouthpedia comes from its ability to capture the > imagination of the Wikipedia community, which has embraced the town > virtually. Wikipedia volunteers have contributed nearly 500 new articles in > over 25 languages, as well as videos on topics such as the historic > Chartists movement. > > The project also has a long list of partners, including 200 businesses, > several universities and nearly every school and community group in the > area. Wikipedia has partnered with museums and other institutions before, > as in Derby, but in Monmouth you will see over 1,000 QR codes on every > school, every important building, and hundreds of shops. The County Council > itself has a QRpedia code in its reception that takes you to their > Wikipedia article. > > Lest you think this is a passing interest, the town of Monmouth is in it > for the long haul. Many of the QRpedia codes are printed on ceramic plaques > that should last for decades. The information in articles is backed by the > Wikipedia community and will be continually improved and expanded. Physical > guides and maps will become outdated, but the Wikipedia articles will > always be able to be updated. This potential for on-site access to > up-to-date information in any language is what makes the Monmouthpedia > model so exciting. > > How long can Wikipedia defy the theory and continue to deliver free > information to the planet in over 280 languages? We think the Monmouthpedia > story provides a very optimistic outlook. If you want to find out more, > visit the Monmouthpedia website and take a look at the associated articles > on Wikipedia. > > *Post written by Roger Bamkin, Director of Wikimedia UK (Victuallers )* > > Barring the WiFi, something of this sort can be done on a smaller scale in > India right? > > > -- > Regards, > Srikanth Ramakrishnan, > Sathyamangalam-Gobichettipalayam Star Gazers, Coimbatore. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimediaindia-l mailing list > Wikimediaindia-l@lists.wikimedia.org > To unsubscribe from the list / change mailing preferences visit > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediaindia-l > >
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