Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Historical Atlas

message: Hello, I have dreamed about this kind of project for a while. I tried "atlas of world history" and "centennia" and love them. Here are my idea about the project:
* To be interesting to audience, editing the atlas should be easy and graphical. See OpenStreetMap.org. No scripting and text based coordinates for the historian/user side.
* I see this as having a single database, a server that handles edits/locking etc over internet and a client (preferably browser is enough). My point is that let's not do the actual content by ourselves. Lets have people edit the maps themselves because the amount of material is huge. Lets just design and make the software system for editors to play with.
* Obviously a new software is needed, or a modification of existing software like TimeMap, GMT, ...
* user should be able to "goto" what every time (precision of one day is more that enough). (s)he would then have a view of certain time.
* user could click days/years/many years forward/backward in one click or run it as an animation. Zoomed in or out to any location. Like a common map service but with time dimension.
* At given time (say, 3.5.1203) one would see "political" map of the region viewed. If editor would edit country borders, it would mean that they are changed at 3.5.1203 and would persist until they change later on history.
* areas would be countries,states,tribes i.e. smaller or bigger organizations. Subareas of one area could have similar color theme (e.g. different types of red).
* Borders would have different width/style depending are they between provinces of ancient rome, between sovereigh countries or even between great alliances (western block, eastern block, axis/allies).
* the project itself needs more space than this one huge discussion page where no one can find anything anymore. Maybe a new wiki for that. My dream would be to have some live meetings, it is far more effective than communication over internet. but that's not possible. world is big.
--Skylark (sorry, not registered. I'll do it later)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.233.80.20 (talk) 14:24, 19 September 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Hi Skylark, easy editing is a good idea. Otherwise the project could possibly quit at the start. There are already a lot of maps on Wikipedia, so the historical atlas can only be special if there is some quality control, and a strict format. Maybe a plan could be to have open editing at the start and than try to make something special and of high quality gradually. Nice to have you on board. We could probably start with a group of four.Daanschr (talk) 07:18, 20 September 2008 (UTC)

text: Your new name is très artistique.Daanschr (talk) 12:23, 23 September 2008 (UTC)

text: Your site looks impressive. I will mail Tibor (Tblazko) and speak with Martin about it. Others are probably departed, but we shall see about that.Daanschr (talk) 12:27, 23 September 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  New activity 2008 

message: I have hardly any understanding of programming, so i suggest to make some maps which can be copied into the program, Tibor is making, when he is ready. I presume that the making of maps have issues of their own, like dealing with copyrights, style, historical accuracy, topic.
Suggestion: making some simple world maps as a start-up in one style, covering turn of a century, going back in time to the start of the first countries, 5,000 years ago in Egypt and Iraq.Daanschr (talk) 11:56, 23 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: This project is on a temporary hold.Daanschr (talk) 08:14, 27 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Plans for 2009

message: Please take note of new Wikipedia:WikiProject Historic sites which is starting off very well, knock on wood.  I am, offhand, fascinated by your audacious vision here.  I have been somewhat mesmerized by the Google map link tools, now a routine feature of U.S. NRHP historic sites list-articles (check the Google map link towards top right of, say, List of RHPs in Syracuse ), but I appreciate the importance of historical data and tools which will likely not be developed for commercial/public use without a project like yours.  Perhaps there is potential for cooperation and for wp:HSITES to use and feature the tools proposed here?  I'll watch here, anyhow, and I hope you do find some success!  :) doncram (talk) 13:49, 22 March 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  New wikiproject [[wp:HSITES]] 

message: You've done a great work with the invitation, Coldplay Expert.Daanschr (talk) 14:54, 28 October 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Ill be willing to mape some maps but the animated type. Ill begin work on the Userboxes and possibly a barnstar soon.--Coldplay Expert 18:17, 29 October 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Sorry about that, what I meant was I could make maps but NOT the animated type. I have several atlases at hand to help me as well. Just supply a certain type of map and Ill get it done. (Im really food with post-1800 maps)--Coldplay Expert 20:35, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

text: Well I alredy have a color pattern in my mind for the nations that would appear on the map. Ill wait for you to post a map of the world in oh say. this year and Ill do the same. Then we can work form there.--Coldplay Expert 17:51, 30 October 2009 (UTC)

text: Here's a blank map of the world with rivers. It came form..out of all places. Alternatehistory.com so we may have to get permission form them to use it for any long period of time. THen again, since they posted it on a forum like site, maybe all the maps there are already public domain...--Coldplay Expert 20:29, 30 October 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: That stuff looks great! We can also use it without worying about copyrights! Now we just have to establish a common type of map to use (what it should look like and what colors for the countries)--Coldplay Expert 21:38, 30 October 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: Alright, ill be waiting for you :)--Coldplay Expert 17:15, 31 October 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Great work 

message: Shall we do some regular colours, or shall we design colours?Daanschr (talk) 15:59, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I propose the universal color scheem. (UCS) its form the same site that I got the map form. We dont need permission to use it either becasue its just a group of colors for a nation or nations. Ill show you the colors later.--Coldplay Expert 21:25, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: You know I think that If one of us just asks for permission to use their maps, im sure we could. But like I said, Ill posy the colors once I can get them all on the same page to upload.--Coldplay Expert 11:10, 5 November 2009 (UTC)

text: I got the picture from --Coldplay Expert 22:03, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: colours

message: Very important for a good looking map and the hardest work to accomplish is realistic borders. The best way to get realistic borders is by using existing borders from maps and somehow to try to implement them exactly on our maps. If this doesn't work, than we need to draw borders as realistically as possible. The older the time period, how easier it is to make borders, because they can't be reconstucted very well. But, even than borders can look really clumsy.Daanschr (talk) 15:59, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Land borders

message: My proposal was to make a world map of every turn of the century. We can also make other kind of maps. What do you like to do?Daanschr (talk) 20:36, 6 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: That would be a good idea.--Coldplay Expert 22:03, 6 November 2009 (UTC)

text: Yeah its funny but I suggest that this is the colors that we use. A world map form 2000 will come soon.--Coldplay Expert 22:23, 7 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Plans

message: Should we be aiming to make maps SVG or some bitmap format like PNG?  I'm inclined to think the former if we can.  --Erp (talk) 21:46, 7 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I haven't used SVG yet. I have used PNG, because i could download it on Wikipedia. I don't have much knowledge when it comes to programming.Daanschr (talk) 21:53, 7 November 2009 (UTC)

text: SVG scales better and it is a bit more object oriented (i.e., easier to change text from one language to another).  I've played with it on some wikipedia maps (see :File:Lycia-turkey-ancient.svg) though am by no means expert.  I use Inkscape to manipulate.  --Erp (talk) 06:32, 11 November 2009 (UTC)

text: Well I'm not sure how much time I'll have.  Personally I think concentrating on a particular region/timeframe where maps are needed for articles, doing a good job there and then move on to another.  For instance I"m looking at getting maps for other regions of ancient Turkey.  Admittedly one problem is that geography also changes (see Menderes and note how the shoreline has changed significantly over time) so current outlines sometimes aren't good starting points for ancient maps.  Knowledge can also be fragmented, we don't always know where certain cities were.   The overall view is good for determining where things stood; however, a world map will not reveal much detail.  We may want to have more detailed maps (at least continent by continent) to accompany it.  Also do we stick to the century or do we choose key points in time (e.g., just after WW1, just after WW2, height of the Mongol empire for Eurasia, 1492 for the Americas).  We should keep an eye on stuff at Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps.  One nice feature would be doing animated maps showing boundary/political changes (e.g., capital changing) over time (though that is bleeding edge). --Erp (talk) 04:14, 14 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: The plan of this project is to make an atlas. In my initial proposal three years ago, i planned to make a interactive atlas with maps covering changes every year and also to follow military campaigns day by day. Problem is the lack of manpower to create such an atlas. You make great maps for the articles, so continue doing that. With only the two of us, we can't create the kind of historical atlas that i was thinking about.Daanschr (talk) 07:35, 14 November 2009 (UTC)

text: I will continue with the atlas as long as i'm unemployed. I will have work soon, and than i will wait for new enthusiastic participants.Daanschr (talk) 07:37, 14 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  SVG or bitmap? 

message: We could have some historical investigation in the sources, reading books, to make better maps. With every map, we could show military events for instance.Daanschr (talk) 10:51, 10 November 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I agree--Coldplay Expert 11:59, 10 November 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Historical accuracy

message: Hello there! As you may already know, most WikiProjects here on Wikipedia struggle to stay active after they've been founded. I believe there is a lot of potential for WikiProjects to facilitate collaboration across subject areas, so I have submitted a grant proposal with the Wikimedia Foundation for the "WikiProject X" project. WikiProject X will study what makes WikiProjects succeed in retaining editors and then design a prototype WikiProject system that will recruit contributors to WikiProjects and help them run effectively. Please review the proposal here and leave feedback. If you have any questions, you can ask on the proposal page or leave a message on my talk page. Thank you for your time! (Also, sorry about the posting mistake earlier. If someone already moved my message to the talk page, feel free to remove this posting.) Harej (talk) 22:47, 1 October 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Comment on the WikiProject X proposal 

message: Hello everyone!
You may have received a message from me earlier asking you to comment on my WikiProject X proposal. The good news is that WikiProject X is now live! In our first phase, we are focusing on research. At this time, we are looking for people to share their experiences with WikiProjects: good, bad, or neutral. We are also looking for WikiProjects that may be interested in trying out new tools and layouts that will make participating easier and projects easier to maintain. If you or your WikiProject are interested, check us out! Note that this is an opt-in program; no WikiProject will be required to change anything against its wishes. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!
Note: To receive additional notifications about WikiProject X on this talk page, please add this page to Wikipedia:WikiProject X/Newsletter. Otherwise, this will be the last notification sent about WikiProject X.
Harej (talk) 16:57, 14 January 2015 (UTC)
thread_title:  WikiProject X is live! 

message: The large world map on this page has been nominated for deletion here. Feel free to comment at that discussion. Oiyarbepsy (talk) 17:30, 20 March 2016 (UTC)
thread_title:  image on this page nominated for deletion 

message: Is this project abandoned? Lironcareto (talk) 16:32, 13 February 2018 (UTC)
thread_title:  Activity