Zamboanga City, Philippines

>From :  jam@croftj.net <jam@croftj.net> 
Reply-To :  jam@croftj.net 
Sent :  Saturday, June 10, 2006 8:34 PM 
To :  webmaster@zamboanga.com 
Subject :  wikipedia locator map on Zamboanga City 
  
  |  |  | Inbox 
 
 
Dear Webmaster,

Greetings.

As a Wikipedian (and a Zamboangeño), I am one of those who
contribute, edit and write articles on Wikipedia including
that article on Zamboanga City. As you probably know,
Wikipedia is a free and open online encyclopedia that anyone
can edit. However, Wikipedia has guidelines and rules that
we follow to see to it that only correct, of good quality and of
the neutral point of view articles are written. Wikipedia also
has rules that can be enforced against notorious contributors.

Being a Zamboangeño, I have fought (from day 1) for Zamboanga Hermosa
against the
misrepresentation, misinformation and disinformation regarding
our independent chartered city, and the incorrect continuing associations
with
Zamboanga del Sur and vice-versa. 

Your website, www.zamboanga.com has been critical regarding the
locator map that has been used on the Zamboanga City article.
Please allow me to further explain developments regarding
that article that I believe www.zamboanga.com needs to be informed.
I guess, there is lack of communication simply because
www.zamboanga.com does not engage in our discussion over at Wikipedia.
There has been a debate and discussion regarding this issue because
we take your criticism seriously.

First, the people working behind the article and locator maps of the
different
cities and provinces of the Philippines are not solely people from
Zamboanga del Sur. I doubt if the contributors who create and edit the
locator
maps are from Zamboanga del Sur. Hence, the allegation that Zamboanga del
Sur is desperately trying to own Zamboanga City is false and unfair to the
people of Zamboanga del Sur. Makuhuya siempre con el maga de Zamboanga del
Sur.

Second, people from Wikipedia think that www.zamboanga.com is over reacting
with the "terrorism" allegation.

Third, the errors of the old locator map was basically because of the
ignorance
of some contributors regarding our Ciudad de Flores. Because of this, I
have been
participating on the discussions correcting their ignorance on our
chartered city.

Fourth, the incorrect locator maps for Zamboanga City and Zamboanga del Sur
have been edited. If you look at the locator maps of Zamboanga City and
Zamboanga del Sur, they are now correct and they are no longer associating
Zamboanga City to Zamboanga del Sur or vice-versa whatsoever. The colors
have been edited and the lines are no longer tracing to anything except
that the lines are now only serving to show the borders of the city and the
provinces within the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Fifth, what is a locator map? A locator map on Wikipedia is NOT a map of a
certain city or a province. A locator map is also NOT a map to represent a
certain city or a province.
A locator map is a map showing where the exact location of an area is
(Zamboanga City for example) on a regional perspective. You might ask why
on a regional perspective? Why show the Zamboanga Peninsula? Because it is
the least that we can do to show the location of Zamboanga City. Of course
we can put a national map or a world map to show where Zamboanga City is,
but this Zamboanga Peninsula map is the least we can put to show where
Zamboanga City is.

6th, This locator map is not a map of Zamboanga City. I have edited the
caption of the locator map from: 

Map of Zamboanga City showing its location within the Zamboanga Peninsula
region 

to:

Location of the City of Zamboanga within the Zamboanga Peninsula region

See the difference. We do not put an exact map of a certain city or
province on the Infobox. The Infobox as a Wikipedia template (the template
also affects other articles where the template is used) provides a place to
put a locator map and NOT an exact representation map. If we put the exact
representation map of Zamboanga City, its title should be "map of Zamboanga
City" but the template's title on locator maps is "Location" and not map of
a city or province.

If we put the exact representation map of Zamboanga City and change its
title
to "Map of Zamboanga City" then all other locator maps of other cities and
provinces on Wikipedia will show on their infobox the title of their
locator maps as "Map of Zamboanga City" That would be a general error
affecting all other articles on cities and provinces. Again, this infobox
template affects other articles where this template is being used.

7th, the infobox and the locator map is not asserting that Zamboanga City
is an image of
Zamboanga Peninsula or vice-versa as alleged by www.zamboanga.com. Again,
the locator map is simply a map to show where Zamboanga City is, at least
on a regional perspective (in this case, the Zamboanga Peninsula). The
intention of putting a locator map
of the Zamboanga Peninsula is simply to show where Zamboanga City is and
NOT to misrepresent the city or vice-versa as www.zamboanga.com alleges.

8th, the map that you think is an exact representation of Zamboanga City
cannot be placed on the Infobox. This map of Zamboanga City is a map
showing the different barangays and therefore, should be placed on the
barangay section of the article.

9th, Indeed there are misconceptions about Zamboanga City and yours truly
has been correcting and educating (in my own small way) people over at
Wikipedia regarding our independent, chartered, and sovereign Zamboanga
Hermosa.

Please kindly read and join our discussions:

here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Howard_the_Duck#Map_of_Zamboanga_City
_on_the_City.27s_infobox

Through here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Zamboanga_City

To here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Cities_of_the_Philippines

I personally think that this is just lack of communication between
www.zamboanga.com and people at Wikipedia. While we appreciate your
comments on your website, we encourage you to join our discussions because
that way all of us will understand each other's point of views and opinions
without one side accusing the other side of cyber terrorism and such. This
way, you and I and Zamboangeños (instead of being so proud and unkind to
others) will just help one another in the dessimination of correct
information regarding our Zamboanga Hermosa. Muchas Gracias.


kind regards,

Weekeejames @en.wikipedia.org