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Wikipedia Turns 15

15.wikipedia.org

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Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#31

Post by gmt2027 »

deepnet wrote: post #24

I pay monthly to wikipedia, I use it tens of times a day, it is a fantastic unparalleled resource - a real public good. Wikipedia is a proof of a utopian vision that infused the early web - ensuring public rights wins public contribution. Humanities collective knowledge is better distributed because of Wikipedia, a true wonder of the modern world. IMHO, we must treasure wikipedia as it is not clear it could happen ag…

Wikipedia confirms that "embiggens" is a made up word from the Simpsons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_the_Iconoclast#Embiggen_a...

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#32

Post by MatmaRex »

wodenokoto wrote: post #14
edelans wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find their campaigns rather effective. I have the impression they do a big surge once a year with banners everywhere on the site. I find it very effective at reminding you how wikipedia bring you value everytime you use it. At least it made me donate at each occasions and I don't consider myself as a heavy user (hardly one consultation / week), and I think it is the only project I have donated multiple times.

Is it really only once a year? I feel like I saw it several times last year.

It should be. There are sometimes banners for other things, though, like to announce the Wikimania conference: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/CentralNotice/Calendar >. There are apparently also smaller fundraisers aimed at different languages/countries at different times of the year, so maybe you remember one of them.

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#35

Post by vijayr »

edelans wrote: post #5
bsimpson wrote: post #4

Whoa - Wikipedia has been around more than half my life already? Good on them! It's one of the best things humanity has ever created. Hopefully they'll find a funding strategy that doesn't make them constantly feel like panhandlers. They provide uncountably huge value, yet I suspect with their current marketing, even very heavy readers rarely donate. EDIT: Sounds like they are working on it: https://15.wikipedia.org/…

I find their campaigns rather effective. I have the impression they do a big surge once a year with banners everywhere on the site. I find it very effective at reminding you how wikipedia bring you value everytime you use it. At least it made me donate at each occasions and I don't consider myself as a heavy user (hardly one consultation / week), and I think it is the only project I have donated multiple times.

I think these campaigns work. Kiva started doing it last December, we've been asking them to try for a while now. I believe that was effective too.

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#37

Post by Isamu »

I remember the announcement of the beginning of the project, probably on Slashdot. There was the call for participants.

I felt certain they would fail to achieve critical mass in order to become the large scale success that they have.

Glad to be proven wrong! And congrats.

I have contributed too. Here's hoping they solve the latest set of challenges with the insider community.

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#38

Post by meagain20000 »

gmt2027 wrote: post #31
deepnet wrote: post #24

I pay monthly to wikipedia, I use it tens of times a day, it is a fantastic unparalleled resource - a real public good. Wikipedia is a proof of a utopian vision that infused the early web - ensuring public rights wins public contribution. Humanities collective knowledge is better distributed because of Wikipedia, a true wonder of the modern world. IMHO, we must treasure wikipedia as it is not clear it could happen ag…

Wikipedia confirms that "embiggens" is a made up word from the Simpsons https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_the_Iconoclast#Embiggen_a...

I'm not sure if you are passing judgement but this is how language evolves.

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#39

Post by theklub »

deepnet wrote: post #24

I pay monthly to wikipedia, I use it tens of times a day, it is a fantastic unparalleled resource - a real public good. Wikipedia is a proof of a utopian vision that infused the early web - ensuring public rights wins public contribution. Humanities collective knowledge is better distributed because of Wikipedia, a true wonder of the modern world. IMHO, we must treasure wikipedia as it is not clear it could happen ag…

I feel like wikipedia killed the web in a way. Anytime you search for something 95% of the time wikipedia is the first result and thus 99% of the time it is I go to it for information. What websites or innovations have we missed out on because of this?

Re: Wikipedia Turns 15

#40

Post by JupiterMoon »

theklub wrote: post #39
deepnet wrote: post #24

I pay monthly to wikipedia, I use it tens of times a day, it is a fantastic unparalleled resource - a real public good. Wikipedia is a proof of a utopian vision that infused the early web - ensuring public rights wins public contribution. Humanities collective knowledge is better distributed because of Wikipedia, a true wonder of the modern world. IMHO, we must treasure wikipedia as it is not clear it could happen ag…

I feel like wikipedia killed the web in a way. Anytime you search for something 95% of the time wikipedia is the first result and thus 99% of the time it is I go to it for information. What websites or innovations have we missed out on because of this?

Maybe the encyclopedias would have developed micropayments? Or maybe they would have just gone for a traditional expensive paywall approach and information would have been denied to the masses?
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