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RAT goes Wikipedia - A proposal
#1
In other history forums I have seen how users coordinate their efforts to improve on Wikipedia. I propose that we do the same here at RAT. Fortunately, there is already a portal on the Roman military at RAT, which could help channel our efforts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Mil ... cient_Rome

I already made some contributions over the last few weeks and it's even more fun than I thought.

New Articles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bematist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taccola
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_des_Eupalinos

Contributions to existing articles:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_%28machine%29 (ancient Greek and Roman cranes)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelbarrow (ancient Greece and Medieval Europe)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_dock (Antiquity and Renaissance Europe)
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#2
I plan to modify the Plumbata entry.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#3
I noticed that with a few smart measures one can counteract unwarranted editions fairly well.

1. Put the article on the watchlist
2. Provide Footnotes
3. In case you want to modify/correct existing assertions, give a brief explanation on the discussion page
4. Set up new articles and try to write them from the outset comprehensively
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#4
Created List of the world's largest domes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_largest_domes
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#5
Expanded that list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_technology

Introduced a few articles on extant Roman bridges: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Roman_bridges
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#6
I plan to writte a few articles on Roman Forts nearby where I live (northeast england - county durham) that protected Dere Street, mainly Longovicium, Vindomora and the one at binchester (forgot its roman name).

Will post a link here once these are finished.
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#7
If someone wants to keep a master list of the articles, I'd volunteer to be a "wiki-watchdog" to make sure no one we don't know about edits them.
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
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#8
I amended the timeframe for the use of segs on this article (to include the lateness of the Carlisle and Leon finds and push it further than the usual 250AD):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_mili ... _equipment

After explaining on the Discussion page I was quite rightly asked for sources, which I promptly did.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#9
Completely overhauled Diolkos and introduced a veritable footnote massacre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diolkos

Wrote the section on antiquity at Galley slave : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galley_slave

Still lacking though Simon James (2001c), ‘The Roman galley slave: Ben-Hur and the birth of a factoid’, Public Archaeology, 2, 35-49 for a more complete account.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#10
Quote:If someone wants to keep a master list of the articles, I'd volunteer to be a "wiki-watchdog" to make sure no one we don't know about edits them.

That sounds good. Perhaps we should really establish kind of a Wiki task force for coordinating our efforts. Sometimes, on controversial topics, it is really helpful to have an assisting voice of reason, to prevent articles from overtaken by biased Wikipedians.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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#11
A possible good alternative to Wikipedia is Google's upcoming Knol. Changes are not anonymous, and authors are cited.

Description of knol:

Quote:Google Knol, an Encyclopedia Written by Experts

Udi Manber from Google writes about a new service for sharing knowledge called knol.

"Earlier this week, we started inviting a selected group of people to try a new, free tool that we are calling knol, which stands for a unit of knowledge. Our goal is to encourage people who know a particular subject to write an authoritative article about it. The tool is still in development and this is just the first phase of testing."

Unlike Wikipedia, Knol wants article written by people who are an authority on a subject. The articles written in Knol are more like scientific papers because they have clearly defined authors, references, even if they don't necessarily include original research. "We believe that knowing who wrote what will significantly help users make better use of web content," explains Google.

Example of a KNOL
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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#12
Quote:Unlike Wikipedia, Knol wants article written by people who are an authority on a subject.

Oh brilliant. And when, pray tell Mr Google Sir, have there ever been scientific fields where all experts agree on a theory? :twisted:
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#13
The article Mike Bishop wrote for Wikipedia would stay Mike Bishop's article, for example. The Economist can get away without attribution, but my preference is for signed authorship, even if 'amateurs'.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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#14
Quote:The article Mike Bishop wrote for Wikipedia would stay Mike Bishop's article, for example. The Economist can get away without attribution, but my preference is for signed authorship, even if 'amateurs'.
Mine is too Rich, but my point was - which author is to be selected as 'the' authority for any article. Other authors may very well have problems with the choice of 'just one' author. This is how list wars start, and it may do nothing for the credibility of a source to have accredited authors shy away from it because of the exclusion of multiple voices.

Besides, many accredited authors and scholars may well feel they have better things to do, since accredited papers with references cost a lot of time to produce. Also, they may want to receive a fee for the publication of their work.
And are these articles to be free of copyright?
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
Reply
#15
You'll have to check with Google on that, as it's still in beta. As to objections as to which author to pick, other encyclopediae don't seem to worry too much about it since the publishers take responsibility for choosing the author. Google may allow for comments to be published taking exception to whatever the stand is of the primary writer. Might be worth commenting to them. Remember, whatever Google produces will show up on Google searches before anything from Wikipedia.
Richard Campbell
Legio XX - Alexandria, Virginia
RAT member #6?
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