Youngsters snub Arabic version of Wikipedia

LANGUAGE BARRIER: Arabic version of Wikipedia is failing to attract youngsters from the Middle East. (Getty Images)

Young people in the Middle East are snubbing the Arabic version of online encyclopedia Wikipedia in favour of the English version because of the shortage of keyboards that are compatible with the language.

While the English version's article base is more than 2.5 million, its Arabic equivalent is struggling to attract more than 65,000 and currently ranks at number 29, just above Serbia and Slovenia, in the world's most popular versions.

This was one of the major debating points as hundreds of Wikimedia volunteers and enthusiasts attended the fourth annual Wikimania conference held for the first time in the Middle East.

Wikimania 2008, the official conference of Wikimedia's free knowledge projects that also includes Wikipedia, took place at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt.

The conference heard that young people in the Arab world find it easier to communicate in English online as not many keyboards are compatible with the Arabic alphabet. Other attendees remarked that it made more sense to contribute to English Wikipedia because of its wider exposure.

The three day conference also addressed topics related to public collaboration, open source initiatives, free knowledge, wiki technology and open education.

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READERS' COMMENTS

This is so true
Posted by Salim, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates on Thursday 24 July 2008 at 18:28 UAE time


This is True.

I usually Refer to Wikipedia.org for any word or any meaning or Any Information i need, and i rarely check it in arabic, because i can't find alot of what im searching for in arabic and mostly found in English so im sticking with English tho im an arab.

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