These are the Frequently Answered Questions for the book project 5000 concepts for Europe.

1: How can I help?

You can help in several ways. To begin with, please participate to the poll yourself. Second, please make as many people as you can read this page, so they too can participate. It is essential to get contribution from all Europe, and all social groups. The more answers, the better (and more balanced…) the result will be.

Last but not least… if you like this idea, please make a donation (How? See question 8). Any amount is OK. Why? Because, even if it is “just” a semi-automatic collection of existing texts, this project will consume a non-negligible amount of time. The more concrete support I get, the better the result (i.e. excerpts instead of integral copies of very long articles, better polling system, more frequent and better formatted updates, support to similar initiatives and so on).

2. Wikipedia? Why Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is far from perfect, has biases, edit wars and so on. But as far as I can tell is the least inadequate source there is for a work like this, and the only one I know that I can technically and legally use as above.

3. Google forms? Why Google forms?

Using Google to ask questions to people means helping Google to profile those people even better. I do know that, that’s why I am an advocate of personal clouds. Besides, the user interface is far from optimal for a project like this. However, Google forms are the only tool I could quickly set up for the first iteration of what is, for the moment at least, just a toy project.

4. What about privacy?

Google will use your answers in the form as they use any other data they are already gathering about you anyway. Sorry, that can’t be helped for now, see above. Personally, I will not collect any personal data. If you choose to provide your email address in the form, I will use it only to inform you about updates of this project, and not share it with anyone, period.

5. How will you select the terms to include in the book?

I’ll select them from the poll answers myself, using common sense, and my very own personal judgment. I will make the complete list of raw answers available, though. That’s all I can offer, sorry. As said above, this is basically a toy project, or more exactly a provocation, and proof of concept, for something that others, more qualified people may do quite better than me.

6. Will I be able to translate the book, or reuse it in other ways?

Yes, under the same conditions as Wikipedia. Give credit where credit is due, and please let me know if you reuse or translate the book.

7. Will you prepare books like this in other languages too?

I believe every country should have a book like this. Personally, I am also working on a “5000 concepts for Italy” book, because Italy is my home country. I could not do the same for other languages, but you are welcome to do it. Just give due credit where credit is due, and point your readers to this page.

8. You can donate… by sending money via Paypal to mfioretti@nexaima.net for “Donation for: 5000 concepts for Europe”, or email me if you prefer to use other channels. Thanks!

If you have other questions, just email me.