On Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 2:26 AM, MZMcBride <z...@mzmcbride.com> wrote:
> Ryan Kaldari wrote: > > On 3/28/11 5:20 PM, MZMcBride wrote: > >> There's a theory that doing something like editing a free online > >> encyclopedia is a niche activity, with a finite amount of people who > will > >> ever be willing to participate. If we accept this theory, it makes the > very > >> strong focus on increased participation look rather silly. > > > > So we should just be satisfied with our Pokemon articles and leave it at > > that? > > > > I for one would like to one day see a Wikipedia that isn't obviously > > written by people like us, i.e. white male American geeks. Maybe it > > would include better articles on children's literature, cooking, > > hip-hop, knitting, sharia law, wine, and African dance. Maybe it would > > have more featured articles on books than video games. Maybe it's > > article on sexism would be about more than just the Men's Rights > > Movement. Maybe it would include statistics from places like Brazil and > > Mozambique instead of just the United States and Texas. > > > > Now that I think about it, I believe it would actually be a pretty > > awesome website. Too bad we'll never let that happen. > > I wonder, has any other part of the Internet followed this seemingly > mythical trend that the Wikimedia Foundation is putting forward, where > increased participation magically leads to better content? > > When I look around to other parts of the Internet with high levels of > participation and very low barriers to entry, I don't hear much signal in > the noise. For examples, look at the content of YouTube comments, Facebook > Wall posts and comments, tweets, etc. Increased participation might build a > bigger "movement," but a niche activity is still a niche activity, no > matter > how many strategic plans, consultants, and buzzwords are thrown at it. > > MZMcBride > > > > _______________________________________________ > foundation-l mailing list > foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org > Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l > I absolutely agree with MZMcBride. Wikimedia content is build by millions of edits, uploads, and other contributions by millions of people around the world. To become a truly established user, however, is entirely different. It takes a certain personality to participate an remain a long-term contributor. There is no amount of software upgrades/extensions/bugs/gadgets or policies/discussions/projects/surveys/mailing lists that will change that. Our content will always be built upon those with the goal in mind, always insurmountable, of any Wikimedia project. -- ~Keegan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Keegan _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l@lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l