Archive for the ‘Japanopedia’ Category
Japanopedia - Questions from Readers
On February 21, 2008 in Japanopedia
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Some background in case you are new:Japanopedia is a project on wikia.com (from the creators of wikipedia). Here are some previous posts about it, more explanation to come. |
Deas Said, Is this similar to Japan Reference? Note: I have never used the site. Just ran across it when searching. But it seems kind of similar. Just curious.
The Chemist Said, Hi Deas! I love Jref. I’ve been roaming around on its pages for a long time. I don’t want this project to replace or compete with it. Instead I hope this project will support and enhance other projects like jref.The project is supposed to be more of a tool for collaboration than a resource in itself. The JapanSoc project page we started on it is a perfect example. Multiple people can work on the same list and check off the blogs they have soc’ed. Few platforms besides wiki allow this type of collaboration. Other projects, like Jref, could use this wiki to organise group work for their own sites.
I need to explain this better in future posts. I think I have just confused people so far.
If you have any other questions about the project (or this reply) please let me know because it could help me better explain it in the future to others.
Also, to relate it to your RockingInHakata:
Let’s say you wanted to make a bunch of LOL cats in Japanese ( or translate a list of jokes into Japanese) and you wanted help from others. You could use this wiki to start a project page for it and invite others to help you out. So multiple people could edit and translate on the same page (and wikis archive all changes so you cannot lose info to vandalism).
I would love to help you with this kind of page if you are interested. Just let me know!
What do you think? Do you understand the project a little better from this q and a? Feel free to tell me if I sound like a rambling idiot 
I hope Deas saw my reply.
Japanopedia better explained (hopefully)
On February 20, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Japanopedia, Suggestions Please
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Some background in case you are new:Japanopedia is a project on wikia.com (from the creators of wikipedia). Here are some previous posts about it, more explanation to come. |
I think I have confused some people with the Japanopedia project. Thankfully Shane has pointed that out:
I applaud you for starting this project and maybe I missed something - what is the goal? Who is it geared toward? Is it meant to be a ‘click-through’ resource pointing to more detailed information or the source of the information itself?
I am having a hard time figuring out how little ‘ol me can support the project?
First, Shane is complete right about me not explaining the project very well. Thanks Shane! I forget that you cannot read my mind to find out.
Here is what I’d like Japanopedia to be, in a nutshell:
A tool for people to use to collaborate on projects to enhance Japan-related information online.
Ok. That is a pretty short, general explanation and I am bound to be pounced on in the comments for it. If you like short explanations you can skip down to the bullet points below and get a good overview of what Japanopedia is/isn’t. For those who like detail, to redeem myself, I am going to answer each of Shane’s questions now:
#1 What is the goal?
The goal is to give the Japan-related web community a central place where they can collaborate on whatever projects they’d like.
For example: Let’s say you want to start a page to compile a list of all the best beginner Japanese lessons from Youtube. You could start the page and then tell other interested people about it. With several hands doing the compiling it should make for a bigger list.
#2 Who is it geared toward?
The site is a little more geared towards webmasters and bloggers (especially at this point) than to general readers. It is not really meant to be [only] an encyclopedia, so maybe the name should be changed. At some point it would be nice if it had articles on everything under the sun but that’s not the only goal.
#3 Is it meant to be a ‘click-through’ resource pointing to more detailed information or the source of the information itself?
I’m glad you asked this question, and I was planning on mentioning it. Mainly it will be click-thru. That’s because Japanopedia is supposed to be a support to all of the projects and sites out there and not a copy or competition.
That said, it has the potential to offer some of the most complete guides available on a topic. Wikipedia only includes encyclopedia-worthy information. So although we would not copy the wikipedia article (just link to it) , we could add information that wikipedia does not (extra related links and video, for example) .
#4 I am having a hard time figuring out how little ‘ol me can support the project?
There are two things that I recommend we all do: stay curious, and let your imagination run wild.
Stay curious because more and more will be going on with Japanopedia as it progresses. New projects are going to come up and you might find some that interest you.
But don’t just wait hoping for interesting projects to come up, suggest them. Let your imagination run wild! I know Shane likes kotowaza and mentioned maybe having a page to compile them on Japanopedia. I can start a project for that (and I am working on a page to make it easier for people to start projects on their own). If you want to start something and you want my help just ask!
Some extra tips on Japanopedia
- don’t think of it as a launched site (a finished project). More as a work in progress
- don’t consider it an information destination in itself, just a guide
- consider it a behind the scenes project that fuels collaboration
- consider it a project to highlight and help other Japan-related projects
Let’s hear from you (a.k.a I’m talking too much)
The comment section below is just screaming for you to write your thoughts!
Do you have any questions?
If you have any questions about the project please ask them and I will post them along with an answer in subsequent “Q and A” posts (if you don’t want me to post them write “don’t post”).
Do you have a project you would like me to help you start?
Fire up the imagination factory, come up with an idea, and then let me know about it in the comments. I will post it and everyone can contribute feedback to get the project started.
That’s all the typing I can take for now.
As always let me know what you think
And have a great day!
DailyJ
Japanopedia explained - post #2: Featured projects, featured websites, and some highlights from feedback
On February 11, 2008 in Japanopedia, Uncategorized
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Some background in case you are new:Japanopedia is a project on wikia.com (from the creators of wikipedia). Here are some previous posts about it, more explanation to come. |
Hi All.
I should really be on post four or five by now given all the great (and quick) feedback you have given. I need to learn to type in my sleep 
I have to thank Shane, Nick and Chris for all of their suggestions (and support). I will try to address everything they have brought up. But that will take some work so let’s take it a step at a time.
#1
Shane mentioned highlighting a certain task or a way that people can contribute. An excellent idea. So I started a project to help JapanSoc and made it the “featured project” of the month for Japanopedia.
#2
Nick said:
I appreciate you setting up the JapanSoc project on Japanopedia, but the project that really needs work is Japanopedia itself. We talked before about changing the template/theme/skin, but what about the content? If you click the “Random page” link, you almost always get empty pages…What you need on the front page is some examples of the better, fuller, pages that exist on Japanopedia
So I decided to put a “featured sites” block on the main page with logo style images to a few of the well made pages currently on the site. If you want your page on that block you can go ahead (as long as your page is filled) and add it yourself or ask me and I will add it.
Chris asked for a better logo of Japanopedia that he could use as a button on his site. I am horrible at graphic design so I don’t know how much help I can be with that. What do you think of the small logo at the top of this post? I know the quality isn’t that great.
Slowly but surely, bit by bit Japanopedia ought to build up. It is a project done on a completely voluntary unpaid basis (just like wikipedia) so don’t expect miracles overnight
But keep dreaming up ideas and giving feedback anyway. They should all get attention in the long run.
Japanopedia explained - post #1: background on the project
On January 20, 2008 in Announcements, Community building, Future of the J-web, Japanopedia, Suggestions Please
I have been wanting for some time to talk about this project here with you on DailyJ.
This is a project that is very dear to my heart. I consider it a gift to the Japan-related web.
It is a wikipedia-like site that is not owned by any one person or site, but owned by everyone.
When the idea of a wikipedia-like site was first suggested to me I went out and started a wiki on wikia.com called The Nipponster Japan Project and I wrote this post about it: Stone soup and the Nipponster Japan Project.
I think that post is still a great analogy for the project, but since I cannot and do not want to take credit for this project I asked the wikia staff to change the name to Japanopedia.
For ease of use, you can access it at Japanopedia.org, which redirects to the wikia.com URL jproject.wikia.com.
So,
Now it is your wiki. You can use this site for any Japan-related project. You want to work together with others to compile a list of XYZ? Go right ahead.
I will be involved in Japanopedia (and if you want my help with any project I am happy to help). But I don’t control Japanopedia, the community does.
I’ll post more explaining this project, how it works, how it is community owned, what types of projects would work well on it, etc.
As always I would love to hear your feedback, so let me know what you think!
