It is always interesting that once I start reading or learning about something I tend to see various instantiations of the topic across the spectrum of reading I do. I guess that is how it works for everyone but I've forever been amazed by it.

My latest hobby-horse is to subscribe to various Wiki{m|p}edia related mailing lists and learn about it. A frank confession would be in place here. Although I've always used Wikipedia to check up or, learn about stuff; possess a Wikireader which I use very frequently; have been terribly pleased when a few of my CC-licensed pictures have been used as adjoining content in Wikipedia articles, I am totally clueless about the groups of folks who contribute to, edit or in general are Wikipedia Ambassadors. The lists and especially the India centric list is a fascinating way to learn about how things are.

A set of discussions around encouraging more content in native languages, checking up the rendering properties of various mobile browsers etc got me thinking about what stops me from contributing to the Wikipedia. And the answer is simple - I don't know where to begin. Contributing to localization for FOSS projects seems like a much easier task. In short, the following things seem very puzzling to me:

• what kind of content can I contribute ? I could perhaps begin with translations of existing English pages but I'm certain that doesn't fit into the scheme of usage that Wikipedia perceives the regional language versions to have
• how do I begin to write ? Wikipedia seems to have a different tone and tenor for content and, understanding the innards of citations and references would take some time
• how can I get some hand-holding and "let us do this together" kind of sessions that can help me going ? I guess I am looking for some jamming sessions with the old hands to understand what can be a good contributions
• and, finally, can I just concentrate on photographing and suggest appropriate photographs to be added to Wikipedia articles ?

I hope that once Wikipedia does set up the office infrastructure in India it would be focusing on extending the momentum already in place and, undertaking such Wikicamp (?) like activities across few cities. That would be a good place to begin learning about the Wikipedia stuff.