User:Hindustanilanguage/Response Khalid Mahmood
Dear Muzzamildin Syed,
Here are the answers you asked for in the last letter. Khalid Mahmood Islamabad.
1. You first started editing on Urdu Wikipedia. How did you reach Punjabi Wikipedia? 1- Apart from UW, I also edited and made many new pages at English Wikipedia. I even tried to write on German Wikipedia too but due to poor command on German, I stopped. Punjabi is my mother tongue and starting its wikipedia was natural. On Urdu Wikipedia in my opinion an artificial language was in use, it was full of Arabic and Persian words. I was in favour of a simple and easy to understand language. Finding the situation difficult I left Urdu Wikipedia.
2. Why did you decide you must contribute to Punjabi wikipedia? 2- Punjabi is world's 12th largest language and it had no wikipedia. It is my mother tongue and a matter of shame for me that it has no wikipedia. So I started it. I'm a professor of English at college level and I understand well students' problems in learning English and Urdu languages. I think someday Punjabi will be the medium of instructions. Keeping this point in view I am shaping the Punjabi Wikipedia that can help in replacing these languages. I'm happy that I've done something for my mother tongue.
3. What is the primary difference you find in the editing cultures on Punjabi and Urdu Wikipedia?
3- As compared to Urdu Wikipedia, at Punjabi Wikipedia, there is much freedom.
4. As an admin (presumably lone admin as of now), how do you find fellow editors? Are there conflicts? 4- Once apart from me, Mr. Danish was also admin for an year perhaps, but since its start I am the only admin. There are only 7 to 8 active members, as people don't know how to write Punjabi so it is difficult to find new writers. We have few writers so I do my utmost to care the feelings of others and there should not be a conflict.
5. Indian Wikipedians joined hands for various editathons such as http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Lilavati's_Daughters_Edit-a-thon . Has there been such events on Pnb Wikipedia? 5- No.
6. Where are most of the Pnb Wikipedians located (geographically, if you’ve done some analysis)? 6- Almost all our Wikipedians are in Punjab.
7. Have you attended or organized Pnb Wikipedia community meet-ups? Please share the details, if any. 7- We have not such experience yet but we know each other well and once we 5 punjabi wikipedians together went to meet Dr. Shahbaz Malik, from Head of the department of Punjabi in Lahore.
8. Are there any institutions that are either promoting or likely to promote Pnb Wikipedia? 8- Well, almost all institutions are aware of our Wikipedia. I've sent in the last 5 years, to all notable Punjabi writers introductory information. I'm using Facebook for ots promotion. And we have daily 23000 to 27000 clicks and this makes our site perhaps the largest site in our language.
9. What has been your experience in adding content or encouraging content on specific topics with fellow editors? 9- It is a good experience. I care for good Punjabi and quality of content. I wish that what we write people trust. I set higher standards and request others to follow them too.
10. How are the technical challenges/issues been for your language? Now, is it easy for a new user to start contributing in wiki easily? 10- We are dealing with technical challenges gradually. We learn from our own experience and from other wikis too. But I think there should be a desk Wikimedia from where small wikis could get help.
11. How about interface translation and other things? 11- I did it and if I see a mistake later correct it. We are doing and improving.
12. What is your view on Indian contributors on Pnb Wikipedia such as user:Hunnjazal and user:Satdeep gill. 12- Indian contribution in our wikipedia is very small.
13. Congratulations on your edits of Hindi Wikipedia articles such as the article on Ranjit Singh (https://hi.wikipedia.org/s/k1v) and Jhelum river (https://hi.wikipedia.org/s/6g8i). What other Indian languages would you like to11 target in future. 13- Perhaps you have some misunderstanding, I never edited in Hindi Wikipedia.
14. Are you aware of any software/ online website to convert Gurmukhi to Shahmukhi and vice-versa? 14- No. Once our one editor tried to convert pages from Gurmukhi to Shahmukhi and paste it in our Wikipedia. It was so bad we requested him not to do it again.
15. What are the prevalence/ knowledge levels of Gurmukhi script in Pakistan? 15- Only those who need it can learn Gurmukhi otherwise very poor.
16. Do you foresee or would like to be part of any collaboration / friendly association with Gurmukhi (pa.wikipedia.org) Wikipedians? 16- Yes, I wish a friendly collaboration with them.
17. What is your view about the stub class articles on Pnb Wikipedia? 17- The important ones will be gradually improved.
18. I greatly appreciate your efforts in connection with Punjabi Wiktionary (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User_talk:MF-Warburg/Archive3#Punjabi_Wiktionary). But as far as I know there is no admin on the Wiki. Would it not be appropriate if a responsible person like you takes the mantle? Also, did you try to start Pnb Wikiquote and Wikisource projects? 18- Writing Wiktionary is a very serious work that there are very few editors there. I am the regular contributer. I remained admin there but now I'm working there normally. I've started Punjabi Wikiqoute and it has 531 pages. It is in incubator and it should be normal now.
19. Could you share any and all ideas - small or big, successful & not-so-successful - that you think can help drive Punjabi and other language projects? 19- I think there should be articles in newspapers so more people should be aware of it.
20. Could you give us a personal introduction of yourself? 20- I'm an assistant professor of English in a college in Rawalpindi/Islamabad area. Have lot of hobbies, passion to read. For the last 6 years Punjabi Wikipedia remained a passion for me. Wikimedia also rewarded me by inviting me first in 2012 Wikimania in Washigton DC and now in 2014 in Lodon. I want to see Punjabi Wikipedia as a reliable source of information, a cultura center for Punjabi people and amatter of pride for them.