How to start a new Wikickoff
Other languages: ...Translate this page!
Do you want to start a Wikickoff in a new language? It could not need much work. It could need little time to become ready to "go live". You need to know your language well. It is also good to know a language of a large Wikickoff well.
Find your language
Go to your language's Wikipedia on Complete list of language available. If your language is not on the list, then contact Wikickoff forum to ask for its creation. Then, list it on Complete list of language available. In your posting, you should list some information. This might include the name of the language and the number of people who can speak it.
Getting help
If you do not already use another Wiki, you might have many questions when you begin. For answers to your questions, you may contact other Wikickoffers. For example, you can contact people with the KO Gathering forum.
Get your logo
Go to Wikickoff in other languages (get or ask for your logos). You need to ask a developer to help you install your logo. Check out the list of developers who might help you. See also [KO Gathering forum].
Start on the pages themselves
Set Main Page
You may create your own Main Page. You may also go to the Main Page of another Wikipedia and translate it into your language.
Welcome page
You will need to create a welcome page similar to Welcome, newcomers. You can just translate that. You can also write something original. You might already have a link from the Main Page to the Welcome page. You can click that and start writing the text. You can probably find a good Welcome Page in your language into Wikipedia website.
How to edit a page
You need to have How to edit a page into your language. You can probably find a good How to edit a page in your language into Wikipedia website. .
Another helpful link: Starting a new page and How to start a new Wikickoff.
Add a link to the main pages of other Wikickoff sections
All Wikickoff sections have a list of languages at the bottom and at the top of their Main Page in the laguage bar. If the page is unprotected, you can add your language there. If the page is protected, you should ask a different person to add the link on the Main Page's talk page. You can go to [KO Gathering forum] for people who will help you. After you have added it to one or more Wikickoff section, users of other languages will add it to theirs.
Translate the interface
To translate the pages you must edit and rename the pages in your correct logo. Example: German logo is "De:" so the german "Main_Page" will have to be translated and renamed as "De:Main_Page". You might need someone to help you very soon so add your request on [KO Gathering forum].
Please note that for the translation of the free encyclopedia that free in this sense means as in "not restricted", because English does not have different words for free (price - "gratis") and free (freedom). This sometimes makes people confused. If your language has different words for free (as in price) and free (as in freedom), please use the one that refers to freedom.
If the language has some characters that are difficult to enter on many keyboards of the speakers of the language you can check add a box of special characters to insert using the Copyrightwarning message.
Prepare the Community pages
Each Wikickoff project has a place where users go to talk about things. In the English Wikipedia, for example, this is the KO Gathering Forum. The Italian Wikickoff has Kickoffworld forum. Please ask into those forum for a section in your language or create a new forum yourself in another website.
You will need a page where writers and editors can write their name and location. One idea is to use the page of Wikickoffers as a base and translate it in your language.
Set up basic guidelines
There are a few rules that all Wikickoff sections must follow:
- You cannot violate the terms of a copyright. Please make a page to warn users not to copy things from other places without asking the author.
- It is OK to distribute Wikipedia articles under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. Please read the license and make a page to explain it.
- Authors must write from a neutral point of view (NPOV). Please make a page to explain this.
- Please make a page to explain what Wikipedia is not.
Other than these all-projects rules, each Wikickoff has created its own rules.
Some rules you might want to have right away include:
- Orthographic practices - if there is more than one way to spell or write your language, you will need rules about it.
- Stylistic conventions - if your language does not have a standardised universal form (way everybody speaks it to understand each other), you will need to have one or have a rule to tell people which forms or dialects of your language to use. Also, you will need more complex stylistic conventions (for an example, see here).
- naming conventions
Add a style guide and resources for writers
You want to have a high-quality Kick Off encyclopaedia. Please write a few suggestions for writers. Are there websites in your language about how to write? Maybe you want to add a dictionary or a grammar guide here. Put in everything that could be useful for writers.
Write a few good content articles as an example for others
You might want to write a few articles for your Wikickoff to get it started, and to give an example to other possible writers. You can translate an article from a different Wikickoff, or you can write an original article.
Have cooperation between your language wikipedia and the others
We think that you should join the KO Gathering forum so that you will know what happens.
Please make a local Forum for multilingual cooperation. (make yourself or ask others a new forum so that we can talk to you more easily)
If you want to have a central place where you can find out what is going on in the whole Wikickoff community, go to Kick Off Gathering website.
Promote your Wikickoff
Find appropriate newsgroups, forums, discussion lists, et cetera where people are interested that the Wikickoff has started in their language. Offer to write an article for a local magazine or website about your work on the project, and its cultural value to the game history. Create a small web-site or just a single page on internet about Wikickoff in your language. Add a link to Wikickoff in your email signature.
Now your language is ready for the public! Try to convince your friends to join the project, and explain how the Wikickoff works. Thank you for working hard!