Returning to this -- Ben, any recent progress? a hint of offline editing would be a hit.<br><br>SJ<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Ben Lisbakken <<a href="mailto:lisbakke@google.com">lisbakke@google.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Hey guys -<br>
<br>
I've done some work on taking Wikipedia offline. I made a<br>
Greasemonkey script to inject Google Gears code onto Wikipedia pages.<br>
Here's the script -- you need to install Gears and Greasemonkey first, though.<br>
<a href="http://gears-monkey.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/WikipediaOffline/" target="_blank">http://gears-monkey.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/WikipediaOffline/</a><br>
<br>
Also, here's a screencast of me using it:<br>
<a href="http://www.lisbakken.com/GearsMonkey/wiki_offline/wiki_offline.mov" target="_blank">http://www.lisbakken.com/GearsMonkey/wiki_offline/wiki_offline.mov</a><br>
<br>
It wouldn't be hard to give WikiMedia Gears support in a patch (it's<br>
just JavaScript), and there are a lot of cool features that could be<br>
put in beyond what I've done (offline wiki editing, auto-download 1<br>
link deep on each page browsed to, only download small resources, a<br>
better ui for browsing offline pages, auto-syncing of fresh content<br>
etc.).<br>
<br>
Benj. Mako Hill has already expressed some interest in this project,<br>
and I was wondering if anyone else would like to help.<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
-Ben Lisbakken<br>
</font><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
On Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 12:21 PM, Samuel Klein <<a href="mailto:meta.sj@gmail.com">meta.sj@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> Hello Renaud, resources are certainly being wasted in duplicated effort.<br>
><br>
><br>
> > 1. Define clear needs.<br>
> > We are a bunch of people now, involved in this Offline Wiki thing<br>
> > (even if it's more than Wiki). What are the different needs ?<br>
><br>
> See [[Wikislices#Needs]] (extracted from last weeks' discussion)<br>
><br>
><br>
> > 2. Define core tech-needs.<br>
> > We know we need so kind of library ; and tools for selection/import.<br>
> > But those have been expressed in too many different ways I don't know<br>
> which are still in.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
> See above.<br>
> - At least one protocol/format for defining a collection index<br>
> - A tool for finding existing collections (scouring through a whitelist of<br>
> potential archives, to start with)<br>
> - Tools for creating an index quickly<br>
> - Tools for creating a downloadable zip/pdf/xol of a collection<br>
><br>
> I don't think we need to /make a new library/ so much as we need to<br>
> categorize existing tools in these terms so that the different approaches<br>
> can be compared (in spirit and in code).<br>
><br>
><br>
> > 3. Choose a technology (for good).<br>
> > OK, not for good, but we need to choose a platform and stick with it<br>
> > for a specified milestone because all the technology switches are a<br>
> > waste of time and energy.<br>
><br>
> For specific projects, by all means. (for instance, OLPC could use a way to<br>
> name a hundred articles and generate an offline collection of those<br>
> articles. Related to this, Pascal and Guillaume were discussing adding an<br>
> export feature to wikiwix.)<br>
><br>
> In general, this list is not to "set a standard" or reach consensus on what<br>
> technology or platform to use for all of our diverse projects. That may be<br>
> valuable eventually, but there is much more pressing work for us to do : for<br>
> instance, implementing a simple way to name and share collections (sets of<br>
> articles and revisions).<br>
><br>
> Choosing "a technology" without cause can just alienate people.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> > 4. Assign task to people.<br>
> > We are numerous people: companies, organizations, individuals. We have all<br>
> spent some time working on our direct needs so that we can use our<br>
> solutions. It's now time to work on a common solution which will benefit to<br>
> all of us. I am willing to work on it, but I need to know<br>
> > that I'm not alone and that you guys won't just switch to something<br>
> > else after I've put my work on it.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
> The first task I see (for each project) is to separate information about<br>
> existing DVD-images and projects, and the scripts used to generate them, so<br>
> that they can be compared to one another... and so that the task of<br>
> reviewing and curating can be separated from questions of platform or<br>
> language or reader. How would I find out, for instance, how to make my own<br>
> moulinwiki instance; or the list of articles included in each language?<br>
><br>
><br>
> > 5. Set up a real communication channel.<br>
> > SJ, you are used to IRC, it's a great tool but it's not perfect,<br>
> > especially when you're in Boston, Kelson and Linterweb are in Europe,<br>
> > I'm in Africa and Ksana people are in Asia.<br>
> > We should agree on some Wiki-space which we would _all_ be aware of and<br>
> set-up a mailing-list so that we can follow-up with updates.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
> Indeed. We're setting up a mailing list for this now through<br>
> <a href="http://lists.laptop.org" target="_blank">lists.laptop.org</a>. (we have had some server reorganization recently, else it<br>
> would already be in place.) For wikispace, I recommend finding a space on<br>
> the Metawiki itself to discuss this -- perhaps this one:<br>
> <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Static_content_group" target="_blank">http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Static_content_group</a><br>
><br>
> It is an old page, but one that needs new life. (I'm open to suggestions of<br>
> other wikis to host if meta seems a poor choice; but whatever we choose<br>
> should be a multilingual project) I hope everyone on this list will sign up<br>
> to be participants.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> > Now, re-read all those 5 propositions: it's communication-centric. The<br>
> > first two points is mostly a matter of sharing what SJ know with<br>
> > everybody. I'm sure you, SJ, have worked on those stuff for OLPC ; we<br>
> > know need to share it together.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
> Communication is key; which is why I began with a suggestion of forming a<br>
> list so that we will all have somewhere to share our efforts. I certainly<br>
> have as much work to do as anyone to let you know about projects OLPC is<br>
> engaged with. And I hope everyone else will share their own efforts, needs,<br>
> and projects -- not just with this group but on public wikipages for<br>
> everyone. The ratio of interest-in-static-content to knowledge about the<br>
> state of the field is very large.<br>
><br>
><br>
> > Well, thanks for reading, I'm looking forward to read your feedback.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
> Thanks for your feedback! I'll write to you all again once a list is set<br>
> up.<br>
><br>
> SJ<br>
><br>
> ps - Erik Z, thanks for the notes on scripts to compress images.<br>
> <math>-to-png sounds great. is that active on any wikimedia project?<br>
><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>