Sorry for the lack of updates, oh, and North Korea Pedia! (Update)
Update: The wiki has been installed, and will give this a whirl. Chances are pretty slim it will be successful due to the underlying issues. With that said, some tweaking needs to be done before any content can be implemented.
In the meantime, while I am messing around with it, updates will be slow. However, some news down the pike, South Korea is talking of a shakeup in the North Korean government. On what level or what departments are unclear, and as Lankov suggested, such movements should be taken with a grain of salt basically. Talk of succession is in the air, but no evidence exists of anything of that nature.
With that said, I have been sitting here thinking of a few things. I would like to get some feedback, and may ask other Korea/not-so-Korea centric people what they think of these ideas.
One of the things I would like to try is a North Korea-Pedia. Like Wikipedia, only North Korea, obviously. However, there are some issues. I would like to get some well-known, trusted people (or the trusted people who know trusted people) to make a one-stop shop for everything North Korea, from the Korean War (oops, The Victorious Fatherland Liberation War), random facts, the leadership, possible cabinet, and all sorts of topics.
Yes, some of it may be guessing, conjecture and the like, but I would really like your feedback on this idea.No, I cannot do all of this on my own, but together, I think much can be accomplished.
Yes, it may never come about, but maybe it can.
Related posts:
Hi,
I think that better idea might be the expansion of current Wikipedia articles – they might be the perfect basis for the most of NK stuff. There are some issues though – not everything about North Korea might be regarded as wiki-friendly, as for example trip accounts don’t fit there.
There are many ways to start that type of website – from using already-known services, as wikia.com or wikidot.com to hosting your own MediaWiki/similar server. First question we gotta ask is who will write there and how much material can be obtained and used. I personally would love to read more data on transport and communication systems in the DPRK on the Web, but most of the information stays in North Korea and isn’t available freely outside.
Hello, and thank you for your suggestions and input. Also, I would like to thank you for visiting DPRK Forum.
Yes, the issues you laid out do present some challenges, especially the copyright issue. Hmm, something to consider, definitely.
I really like this idea and would like to help you out!
Yes I agree that creating some user-edited material about North Korea, such as a Wiki, is a great idea. If you could get it to take off it would be a hit among with DPRK watchers as well as anyone else seeking information.
One of the things that makes North Korea so fascinating is the scarcity of information readily available (compared with information on other countries).
If lots of different people contribute their piece of the puzzle it would be an amazing repository of information.
It seems to me there must be quite a lot of aid workers and nuclear facility inspectors out there who have seen “the real” North Korea by now. (As opposed to the guided tours with their standard itinieries).
If somebody like that stumbled across the wiki and decided to add something it would be jackpot!
Not to mention all the knowledgeable people in the blogosphere.
Worth a try I think!
Maybe this idea may work if enough people are interested. Obviously, this will not be a one man operation. This is simply in the idea phase, and I will have to see how Media Wiki (or some other thing) works.
Again, this idea may never see the light of day, but I really think a one stop area for everything North Korea will be interesting. Also, if I do start something like that, I know I would not be able to run a blog and some Wiki at the same time unless I have some help running and setting up the thing.
Lastly, as stated before, it cannot have anonymous editing because of the obvious problems that stem from that, but on the other hand, restrictions hinder people wanting to register and make contributions.
So there are a lot of other issues as well on top of that. I do not know. I will have to wait and see what other idea and/or potential contributors have to say.
It is easier said than done; no doubt about it.
Installing a Wiki (eg. MediaWiki) software on a server isn’t hard, actually. Much more demanding would be filling the site with accurate data. Of course the software can be adjusted allowing only registered users to write articles, but registration would possibly be automatic and free for anybody to join. It does at the same time give possibility to write anonymously, as only the nick registered would be visible for non-registered.
And, regarding copyright issues, if services like Wikileaks ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikileaks ), I don’t think there would be much issues with using the information people have about North Korea. Much information is already available from organizations like Good Friends or DailyNK, maybe they would like to cooperate with a good- and professional-looking project.
Correction – if services like Wikileaks exist*
Jack,
Happy New Year!
A North Korea wiki is a great idea, but, for a few reasons, difficult to successfully implement. Technically, and as others have noted, I think it is not so hard as far as software is concerned.
I am turned off to such “collaborative” environments after my tangle with a control freak at Wikipedia – a “Wiki-Nazi” seems to an accurate term in usage – which you may recall. And no support from the rest of Wikipedians interested in North Korea, perhaps due to their left-leaning politics. Eventually those types will embed themselves in the system; they are drawn too it. I just don’t have the time to deal with such foolishness these days. If someone trusted was riding herd over the project, it could be possible. But such folks, for various reasons, can’t do so forever.
It’s still a good idea and can be accomplished. One way to repel the control freak trolls (Wiki-Nazis) would be to lock entries, in which case it would not really be a wiki.
My 2 jeon (전)
V/R,
Richardson
I do recall the issues you had on Wikipedia. Wow, do I remember it. Yeah, there are serious issues that stem from that, and also, protecting the pages do not make it a Wiki.
I never edited on Wikipedia before, and if you do notice, I do shy away from Wikipedia as a source. I am more inclined to use Hanky as a source. The most I use it for is the references in the links.
With that said, the idea I had was to have some level of control over the content, but as you suggest, as it gets bigger, it will be impossible to police. While I do not care if somebody is left or right leaning in politics, a Wiki should have both sides of the divide, ESPECIALLY when it comes to North Korea because it is so mired in conjecture and mystery anyway. It is an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in Juche.
Also Jake and I decided a Korea Wiki might be better because I am also very interested in the culture and older history as well. That is way beyond the little I know already, but that is something considered.
Lastly, this thing has been installed, and Jake was nice enough to set it up. There is a lot of tweaking to do. Again, it may work, then it may never work. Oh yes, and I cannot see serious scholars such as say Lankov, Noland or others wasting time on it.
I shall see how it works.
Jack,
It could work, I suppose, if you vetted authors. Yeah, easier said than done.
Richardson,
I agree. Some others I talked to are skeptical as well.