What is LocalWiki, and why is it so much fun? Let's edit it!
*Excerpt
LocalWiki, a very friendly and inclusive cousin of Wikipedia, is a project hosting region-specific open-content wikis where a community can write about local topics in as much detail as they like. I've had a ton of fun with this recently, and I'd like to explain to you why you might like it too! We can work on some first edits together.
Description
Over the past year or so, I’ve been editing LocalWiki for San Francisco and Isla Vista, California, and it’s helped me grow into an increasingly serious amateur local historian. I’m a longtime Wikipedia editor, and it’s been a lot of fun to start writing on a community-oriented open-content (and open source) wiki with fewer restrictions, where I can make articles about less “notable” topics and go into more detail about local things I find interesting.
On LocalWiki, a community can write about the history of all the buildings in the neighborhood, document favorite lost businesses, explain the stories behind murals, make a list of the best places to see cats in shop windows…the more the better. You can write from your personal knowledge, not only based on formal published sources.
I’ll explain some background on LocalWiki itself, and I’ll explain how I established a new LocalWiki region (for Isla Vista) – how I’ve done research for it, how I’ve encouraged other people to get involved, and how I’ve promoted it to local readers. (I’ve written a few updates about this aspect of the Isla Vista LocalWiki in the discussion group for the project if you’re curious.)
Then I’ll show you how to edit LocalWiki, and we can all do some hands-on editing of the Portland LocalWiki or your favorite region. If people are interested, we can also brainstorm together about how to build more interest and activity in the Portland LocalWiki.
Tags
open content, local content, wiki, community building, civic participation
Speaking experience
This is new! Speaking experience:
2014:
* Open Source Bridge, "Civilizing IRC and forums: moderation strategies for mutual respect" - description (http://opensourcebridge.org/sessions/1290) and slides (http://opensourcebridge.org/wiki-raw/images/b/b6/Osbridge_-_britta.pdf).
* Write the Docs, "Strategies to Fight Documentation Inertia" - video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EIj2-n6raA) and text (http://jeweledplatypus.org/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/text/writethedocs-2014.html).
* JailbreakCon, "What is this Reddit thing?" - video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icp0LRg7MwE) and slides (http://jeweledplatypus.org/britta/jailbreak-subreddit.pdf).
2013:
* JailbreakCon, "Why I care about jailbreaking" - video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te-uIolpNqA) and text (http://jeweledplatypus.org/cgi-bin/blosxom.cgi/text/jailbreakcon-2013.html).
* Lightning talks at AdaCamp and Community Leadership Summit.
Speaker
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Britta Gustafson
SaurikIT, LLC- Website: http://jeweledplatypus.org/
- Twitter: brittagus
- Favorites: View Britta's favorites
Biography
I’m a community manager for Cydia (the APT-based alternative to the App Store for jailbroken iOS devices), working on help and documentation for jailbroken iOS. This is an ecosystem of open computing for closed devices, supporting a shift from consuming software to developing a critical and creative relationship with software. I’m a volunteer for OpenHatch, which helps new contributors to free software, and I’m a member of Double Union, a feminist hackerspace in San Francisco. I also contribute to Wikipedia and LocalWiki.
Sessions
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- Title: What is LocalWiki, and why is it so much fun? Let's edit it!
- Track: Culture
- Room: B304
- Time: 2:30 – 3:15pm
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Excerpt:
LocalWiki, a very friendly and inclusive cousin of Wikipedia, is a project hosting region-specific open-content wikis where a community can write about local topics in as much detail as they like. I’ve had a ton of fun with this recently, and I’d like to explain to you why you might like it too! We can work on some first edits together.
- Speakers: Britta Gustafson