Newbie and first post. J I have been feeling rather uncomfortable with the name of our project.

 

1.     If it is a fork of Wikipedia, as it is, it should not give up its parental association by abandoning the root term “wiki” in the new name but *must* retain it in a suitable form.

2.     The name *Citizendium* does not appear appropriate (with apologies to whosoever invented it). We are here not as *Citizens* but as *Experts* (whatever be our field of specialization and level of expertise). The name “Citizendium” appears to connote a *compendium* by citizens (who no doubt have at times questionable knowledge- hence the origin of this fork)

3.     Also, and very importantly, the word “Citizen” invariably brings into question its relationship with “State” (for example, a petition to the State for redressing citizens’ grievances, and citizens’ rights and duties, which are irrelevant to our project). Moreover, *citizen* is specific to a country while our project is, hopefully, global and all-embracing, as an encyclopedia should be.

4.     As such a new name for our project is required which appropriately reflects our efforts and retains the root term *wiki.* This is very important.

5.     *Wikipendium* appears to be a better term. (However, *compendium,* says, COD, is *a collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject.* (emphasis supplied). Thus the limitation of this new name, though better than *Citizendium,* is that it is concerned with a *particular subject* and not with *all the subjects,* as is the case with our project and for that matter with any encyclopedia.

6.     Any other suggestion? Perhaps a day or two on the issue is worth our time as we are still in *pilot* stage.

 

Dr D.C.Misra

Free Lance Scholar and Independent Researcher

New Delhi, India

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