German Wikipedia to recieve state funding

The German edition of the popular open-content encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, is to receive funding from the German government, according to a report by Heise Online.

The German government will be focusing some of its budget onto entries about renewable energy on de Wikipedia. Nova Institute will notify external experts on which entries need work on. “Articles on vegetable fibers, the EU’s quota on biofuels, and synthetic fibers that also contain natural fibers are to be added to the German version of Wikipedia.”

In June, Deutsche Telekom gave the Wikipedia Deutschland organisation 20,000 Euros.

Ubuntu so far

I have been using Ubuntu quite a lot lately and I have to say, I like it!

Using the 64bit version of Ubuntu (a form of Linux) is quite a struggle as not all software and programs are suited towards the 64bit, but the 32bit form. So a bit of hunting over the Internet is required to either find a way to get, say Picasa, to work on Ubuntu 64bit.

I am a self-confessed geek when it comes to Windows, but with Ubuntu, I pale in comparison to those who can use the terminal with ease.

Despite these problems, I have found Ubuntu quite enjoyable, with a nice, pleasing interface, and not overdone. It also has great security, but maybe a little too good. Passwords are a must for any user account (though hacking can overcome this obstacle). And, seeing as my primary use of the computer is the Internet, Ubuntu can basically do everything I need it to do. And when I need to do other stuff, I just dual boot into Windows XP Home Edition.

If you want a good alternative to Windows and can’t shell out enough for a Mac, or agree with Linus Torvalds when he said, “My personal opinion of Mac is not very high. Frankly, it’s a piece of crap. It contains all the design mistakes you can make, and even managed to make up a few of its own.” Linux/Ubuntu would be the best option to go for.

Colour coding on Wikipedia

A novel idea has been suggested by Prime Digit to colour (New Zealand spelling) code Wikipedia, showing what should be, theoretically, incorrect or unproven.

If the text is highlighted red, a probablility the information present is incorrect. The higher amount of red highlighted, the more probability that it is incorrect.

Using probability of accuracy (PoA), the text that has been edited the least, or not at all, will have more accuracy than text that is edited, say, constantly. “If a user edits something else on the page, every block that is not edited is considered of higher PoA. Registered users are even more likely to edit errors they find, and even more so with administrators.”

While I think this is a good idea, I believe, if it were ever to be implemented, that it should be opt-in only. I also prefer the printable version to it than the colour coding, making it easier to read the text without interruption and still easy to understand.

Hat-tip to What’s New Media.

“Video: RSS in Plain English”

Don’t know what or how to use RSS and all that jargon just confuses you more? Well you’re wait is over for clarification, commoncraft have produced a video about RSS in “plain English”.

The YouTube video has been embedded below.

And, if you want to subscribe to my blog, the RSS feed for posts is here.

This is how Google does things

The search giant Google accounts for about a quarter (23.8%) of all of Wikimedia’s (that is, Wikipedia, Wikinews, etc, combined) traffic, whereas Ask, MSN/Live Search, and Yahoo! Search only account for 0.05%, 0.6%, and 2.1% respectively, according to leŭksman.

43.9% of all traffic comes from interwiki links.

Hat-tip goes to Search Engine Journal.

Back on the Internet

I have just got back on the Internet after around six days without it.

Our Xtra (run by Telecom New Zealand) modem failed us and we got our replacement modem today and now our Internet is running fine.

The problem without having any Internet is unchecked e-mails and unread RSS feeds. According to my feed reader, Google Reader, I had well over 200 unread RSS items.

New digital camera

I love photography, so much so that I have bought a new digital camera. The new camera is a Fujifilm FinePix S9600.

It is an upgrade from my previous digital camera, a Fujifilm FinePix s3500.  Can you see a pattern emerging here?!

I have had the new camera for about half a day, and I love the camera. It makes me look very important, and professional carrying around a huge, professional type camera.

It isn’t a DSLR, but it is just as good. Boasts 9 megapixels, 10.7x optical zoom, zoom and focus rings and a top ISO speed of 1800 (which, apparently, is not found on many digital cameras).

The photo of the camera above was found on Flickr, and was uploaded by Finkangel. I have an account on Flickr which currently is housing photographs from my old camera.

No more boycott

Blogger Aucklander at Large has announced that an agreement has occurred between Jackie Lang and the George Street Subway.

Bloggers were boycotting Subway nationwide over their unfair dismissal of Ms Lang who shared a free coke with her distressed friend. And to make matters worse, they laid theft charges against her, which resulted in her having to spend a few hours in prison. Though these charges were dropped by the Police.

Wikinews has the background in more detail.