New release of free Wikipedia encyclopedia; English version:185 Mb / 18,0000 articles

SirOops · 12-16-03, 04:37 PM

The English version of the Wikipedia is easily the worlds largest free encyclopedia. Since 2001 over 180,000 articles have been written, discussed, extended and corrected by thousands of contributors. Sister projects in over 40 languages have started since then.

The English, German, French, Dutch and Esperanto Wikipedias can also be browsed on a handheld or Windows PC with TomeRaider as viewer (shareware).

For handhelds you will need a memory card. The TomeRaider file for the English Wikipedia measures roughly 185 Mb, but contains more than 390 Mb text.

December 14, 2003: New versions are available, for three handheld platforms (PPC, Palm, EPOC) & Windows.

More at http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia

Howard2k · 12-16-03, 05:21 PM

Wow!

MrKlaatu · 12-16-03, 06:03 PM

What he said...............BUT:

You gotta know PERL to get it to work?

How's 'bout someone making an Easy-to-Follow step-by-step tutorial for those of us who may not have got beyond MSW Logo, "Turtle Basic" Programming.

SirOops · 12-16-03, 06:05 PM

You gotta know Perl ???

Read again, ready made files are available for download.

MrKlaatu · 12-16-03, 06:10 PM

Maybe not know PERL, but you gotta use it.

At any rate, this is not a simple DL/Install/Use procedure:

Code:

Procedure

Download two evaluation copies of TomeRaider: one for Windows, one for your handheld.

Download and install a perl interpreter.
I used ActivePerl 5.8 (free). Do not use version 5.6.1 ;
it is buggy (memory leaks).
If you want to make changes to the perl script: also download and install an IDE
(Integrated Development Environment).
I use Open Perl IDE for Windows (open source), which I find quite satisfactory.

Download the sql dump file (link "cur") from the Wikipedia download site.
(English version 145 Mb!)

Unzip file with bunzip2 (download Windows version from this site) as follows:
in a DOS box run "bzunip2 xxx" where xxx is the zipped file

Download the perl scripts from this site.

Rename the downloaded SQL dump file: The perl script expects file "cur_table_xx.sql" file,
where xx is language code: en, de, fr, nl or eo

Start a DOS box and run the following command: "perl WikiToTome.pl xx yy"
replace xx by language code, yy by platform (PALM, EPOC, none=(P)PC)

The perl script produces file "WP_xx_yy.tab"
(where xx is language code and yy is platform),
which can be imported in TomeRaider as follows:

Click menu File, entry Import.
In the dialog box choose 'tab separated files'.
Now select the .tab file you have just produced.
Choose a file name for the TomeRaider file (extension should be .tr) and click Import
(leave option Sort unchecked).
Take a coffee break (English Wikipedia only). Ignore the progress bar.
On completion TomeRaider should report
the number of articles processed and sorted status "Yes".
The resulting TomeRaider file should now be ready for inspection in TomeRaider PC.
Download the file to your handheld device.
TomeRaider Pocket PC seems to be a bit picky about the location.
I suggest you put it in a top level folder.
The conversion process

The perl script execution took 50 minutes on my 1.2 GHz Pentium PC
for the English Wikipedia (unzipped 600 Mb).
For more about the perl script see: script functionality and log.

See also: limitations or missing features of TomeRaider and perl script.

SirOops · 12-16-03, 06:17 PM

Ok, you read that part probably twice now.
That section is aptly called
"Convert the Wikipedia to TomeRaider yourself"

So how about the section above the one you quote?
It is called
"Download ready made Wikipedia database"

http://members.chello.nl/epzachte/Wikipedia/#Download

Shows how downloading is easy as pie.
Yes, you can do it too.

MrKlaatu · 12-16-03, 06:24 PM

I claim information overload............that and my being in somewhat of a nihilistic mood today.

SirOops · 12-16-03, 06:34 PM

Disclaimer: Read Wikipedia on your own risk. It may aggravate symptoms of information overload.

On the bright side: Wikipedia, postmodern as it is, may provide an antidote to nihilism:

from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism

"Nihilism in most of its forms can be contrasted with postmodernism in that nihilism tends toward defeatism, while postmodernism finds strength and reason for celebration in the varied and unique human relationships it explores."

:)

Magicmonger · 12-16-03, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SirOops
Disclaimer: Read Wikipedia on your own risk. It may aggravate symptoms of information overload.

On the bright side: Wikipedia, postmodern as it is, may provide an antidote to nihilism:

from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism

"Nihilism in most of its forms can be contrasted with postmodernism in that nihilism tends toward defeatism, while postmodernism finds strength and reason for celebration in the varied and unique human relationships it explores."

:)

Yeah, what he said. I'll think I'll still with my ebook MS Encarta Dictionary for now. No Encyclopedias are necessary at this time.

MrKlaatu · 12-16-03, 07:50 PM

I strive to be an Übermensch.

.....am rarely successful.

If I wanted to put Wikipedia and TomeRaider on one SD card, what would be the minimum size I would need? 256MB?

We're looking at ~$25 for TomeRaider + the cost of an SD Card.

But besides the Überstriving to overcome the nihilism..........I am also an ÜberInfoFreak and as long as I wouldn't have to fork over Überbucks for a 512MB card, i'll probably go for it.

SirOops · 12-16-03, 07:58 PM

256 Mb would be the minimum, but keep in mind next edition will be yet another 50-70% larger in a half years time

July ed. was 110 Mb

see growth figures of wikipedia at
http://download.wikimedia.org/wikist...tabaseSize.htm

(size mentioned there is even larger than text in TomeRaider file which does not include article discussion pages)

I have a 1GB card. Luckily compact flash is much cheaper (eh less unaffordable) than other cards.