sinodefence.com slowing down?

it's either fixed now or i never had the problem because as of now, i can get in the site no problem, didn't check a few hours ago tho.

Good, it's back on for me as well now.:rofl:

@_@ Just a thought... I'd love to see our web site converted to use Mediawiki software.

It's free, runs on PHP & MySQL, and its' the same software that Wikipedia runs on.

I'd love to see the sinodefense site turn into wikipedia-like format, but with restricted editing rights. i.e. only few admins will have the right to make changes, while registered users can only submit changes for approval.

adeptitus said:

@_@ Just a thought... I'd love to see our web site converted to use Mediawiki software.

It's free, runs on PHP & MySQL, and its' the same software that Wikipedia runs on.

I'd love to see the sinodefense site turn into wikipedia-like format, but with restricted editing rights. i.e. only few admins will have the right to make changes, while registered users can only submit changes for approval.

Click to expand...

I second that. Although Dongfeng would need to put a lot of initial work for the conversion, he won't be burdened later as the sole maintainer of the content. The only issue that I see is copyright. I'm not sure if Dongfeng would be willing to adopt a creative-commons sort of copyright, since he would be accepting content updates from the public.

oringo said:

I second that. Although Dongfeng would need to put a lot of initial work for the conversion, he won't be burdened later as the sole maintainer of the content. The only issue that I see is copyright. I'm not sure if Dongfeng would be willing to adopt a creative-commons sort of copyright, since he would be accepting content updates from the public.

Click to expand...

There's quite a few of us here, I think if we all chip in to help it'd only take a few days. But since the site is DF's baby, it's really up to him.

I'd also like to see more effort put in to credit source of information, as well as images posted. It'd make the web site look a lot more professional.

===============

This might sound far-fetched, but what does everyone think about the possibility that we may be able to publish annual document on Chinese military, similiar to (but shorter than) RAND corp's reports in the future? I mean we have all these people here who spend hours reading about Chinese military stuff. If we put our collective heads together, I can't imagine we'd be any less informed than the researchers sitting at RAND Corp's Santa Monica office sipping tea?

I think there's so much misunderstanding and mis-information out there, it'd be nice to produce an article or report to dispell the rumors. It can also serve to educate on topics such as why the Type 99 tank is also called ZTZ 99 or WZ-123, and so on.

adeptitus said:

This might sound far-fetched, but what does everyone think about the possibility that we may be able to publish annual document on Chinese military, similiar to (but shorter than) RAND corp's reports in the future? I mean we have all these people here who spend hours reading about Chinese military stuff. If we put our collective heads together, I can't imagine we'd be any less informed than the researchers sitting at RAND Corp's Santa Monica office sipping tea?

Click to expand...

What makes you think "we" have access to the same information that RAND does? A lot of what I read here is speculation, even if it is interesting.

There's no reason people couldn't try, but it would be an awful lot of work. Unless you have personal experience working inside RAND on these sorts of projects, I think you shouldn't be discounting their personnel like that.

This might sound far-fetched, but what does everyone think about the possibility that we may be able to publish annual document on Chinese military, similiar to (but shorter than) RAND corp's reports in the future? I mean we have all these people here who spend hours reading about Chinese military stuff. If we put our collective heads together, I can't imagine we'd be any less informed than the researchers sitting at RAND Corp's Santa Monica office sipping tea

Click to expand...

The idea itself is good and quite interesting by it's nature, but extremely difficoult. It's true that there is many of us that could form the team and some of us even have enough own experince to look the matters towards far more greater retrospect than "just any forumlinger". Still, however the task is almoust inpossiple for few obvious reasons...

First the plague of all "joint ventures", agreeing. The whole idea of internet forums is to discuss and even depate over matter of intress. There are just too many wievs among us that anything deep could be printed. Most of the time would propaply go for the squarelling and depating over matter between ourselfs what to put there and what words to use...ever wonder why in democratic systmes the decicion making and new laws take just huge ammount of time?

Seccondly, time. Past expereince have showed me that the idea and enthusiasm is one thing, devotion and actually sacrificing time is another. There might be few that are so keen to this task that they go on but most of the guys will lost their interest in no time.

But regardless of these downsides, the idea itself is good enough to not to be sidepass so easily. I have had an idea (which i'm about the offer to Dongfeng) of enlarging the "vip-member" croup with members, perhaps not having military service but have showed enough knowlidge and manners to be considered as "better posters". Perhaps this Adeptitus idea can be linked to that...so by all means don't hesitate to tell us what you think about this project or if you have something to improve the forum in general...

Gollevainen said:

I have had an idea (which i'm about the offer to Dongfeng) of enlarging the "vip-member" croup with members, perhaps not having military service but have showed enough knowlidge and manners to be considered as "better posters".

Click to expand...

I think that would be a good idea. Some people might have a fair or even good understanding of their own country's military, but no one here has ever served (if I remember correctly) with the PLA. On the other hand there are a few people that I can think of who are quite on-the-ball when it comes to the Chinese military (yet not necessarily ex-military men), so I certainly think they should contribute to those "professional discussions" - especially the ones with good manners. :china: