Finding Wikipedia in your language

Since yesterday, the www.wikipedia.org portal has a new feature. In addition to the long list of language names linking to the Wikipedia in that language, there is an inputbox right above it where you can enter a language name and it will redirect you to that Wikipedia. It accepts the native name (autonym), name in English, in your browser language and the language code. For example, you can enter "français", "French", "Frans" or "fr" and it will bring you to fr.wikipedia.org.

In case no Wikipedia exists (yet) in that language, it will go to the Wikimedia Incubator test wiki if that is started yet, and else it will show the "info page" inviting you to start that test wiki. For example, entering "Brahui" brings you to the Brahui Wikipedia and entering "Bini" brings you to the relevant info page.

This is still an early version:

• The language names coverage and the search itself will improve in the (near) future, and the Universal Language Selector might be used in the longer term for easier usage.
• The label "Find Wikipedia in language" is also only in English since there is no obvious language-neutral icon to use. A solution could be to add a translation of the label based on the browser language.
• It can probably be added to the other portals as well (i.e. for Wikibooks, Wikinews, ...).

Update: it did not display properly on small screens (mobile phones), it is now (temporarily) hidden there.

Any comments, ideas, problems are welcome,
Thanks,
Robin (SPQRobin)

Making Incubator more user-friendly

I am developing a MediaWiki extension for Wikimedia Incubator. Currently many users complain about prefixes and recent changes not being available for test wikis, ...
It contains a preference where you can enter the test you are working on, see the example here.
When it's ready, I really hope it can be activated at Incubator.

I hope to know what the biggest problems are for users through the new feedback page so I can find a solution using the extension.

New language editions of Wikimedia projects

I love languages. I'm active at Wikimedia projects.
The combination is simple: I help with the process to set up new language editions of Wikimedia projects. In the past, when I didn't even know of Wikipedia, you just had to ask a developer and your wiki was created. Now it takes a very long time, and you're even very lucky if your wiki is created. But that's somehow logical: big languages already have Wikipedias, and now it's time for smaller languages with fewer potential contributors.
So now the process is complicated, and information is on both Meta and Incubator.
I wanted to make one simple "tutorial" that you have to follow and that explains as much as possible, as simple as possible. I created it at the Toolserver.
Meanwhile the first request has been submitted using my tool, and I have the feeling it really helps (though I can't know what people think :p)