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Proposal:Upload and release pre-existing content

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Every proposal should be tied to one of the strategic priorities below.

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  1. Achieve continued growth in readership
  2. Focus on quality content
  3. Increase Participation
  4. Stabilize and improve the infrastructure
  5. Encourage Innovation


Summary

I propose adding a function similar to "upload file" (visible in main toolbar), but which would focus on releasing (open sourcing) user's pre-existing text files for Wikipedia to use. This would highlight that there are ways to improve Wikipedia other than editing the article pages themselves.

Process: Let's assume that I have written a short biography. I see a stub page in Wp. I would like to add my input, but don't have the time or lack the skills to edit an article. I already have written about the subject elsewhere. Do I have to leave without the satisfaction of being able to help Wikipedia, only because i don't know how/want to edit? Not so, if there were an easy way to upload my pre-existing text file and tell with a license that it's okay for Wikipedia to use it.

These uploaded text files would be gathered into "Wikipedia's source archive", where experienced editors would sift through them and use them to build better articles.

In short: User uploads a raw text (or adds a link to file/html-page) and tags it with a wp-compatible licence or leaves enough info to satisfy OTRS-requirements. Then editors assess the data and type and mold it into an article (or improve an existing one). For example academicians could use this way of improving wikipedia. They have heaps of content, which they might release for wp, but don't have the time or nerves to deal with the editing side of wp.

DISCLAIMER: This would not mean that we would be accepting original research or that these files/this content could be used as a reference in the article. It would be just a helpful visitor pointing to a new source (often outside of Google's and thus editors' reach), which would be assessed by editors like any other. Difference to some random materials from internet would be in that it - thanks to that OTRS or CC-by-sa -tag - could be used word for word, if needed, for an article.


Community Discussion

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