Wiki-to-print function active on German Wikipedia

January 27 2009:

A few weeks ago, a new feature has been rolled out on Wikipedia’s smaller sister project Wikibooks, to allow users to generate PDF files, OpenDocument word processor files, and on-demand printed books. The same technology has now also been experimentally enabled on the German Wikipedia website.

Erik Möller (Deputy Director, Wikimedia Foundation) writes on the Wikimedia blog:

“The reason this is being tested on the German Wikipedia, in case you were wondering, is that PediaPress is a German company, and they will be able to respond quickly to feedback directly from the German Wikipedia community. (…)

It should go without saying that all the code developed through this partnership is open source. In other words, if you want to set up your own wiki with PDF support, OpenDocument support, or connectivity to the PediaPress on-demand printing service, you can install the Collection Extension and enable it on your wiki. When we say free, we mean it.”

A printed book ordered through PediaPress.com
A printed book ordered through PediaPress.com

Links:
The Collection Extension for MediaWiki
• News announcement on PediaPress blog