http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Donate
How much do we spend on latte or little things that we could skip once in a while? Yet, how often do we resort to Wikipedia? As far as I am concerned, I look at Wikipedia quite frequently. So this year, I felt that I should make a donation. They launched their annual giving campaign last week. To know all about it:
http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Press_releases/2008-9_Annual_Giving_Campain_Launch
As conscientious scholars (or former scholars), we may be inclined to say that not all the articles are reliable. This is a legitimate concern. I have a somewhat heavy-duty University background myself, and there was a time when I did not feel that I had the right of writing anything before getting into hours/days/months of verifications. Did I avoid inaccuracies? Certainly not. Can we always be certain that the resources for which we pay are 100 percent dependable? Certainly not either, especially on topics where propaganda can easily sneak in.
We are always right to be cautious. Yet, Wikipedia is a phenomenal body of knowledge that is accessible to everybody and a great springboard for further research.
I am not a fundraising consultant for Wikipedia. This post was only triggered by an informal conversation with my friend Cynthia Typaldos.
Marylene Delbourg-Delphis
4 responses so far ↓
1 Guillaume // Nov 10, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Funny. I happen to have donated to them just yesterday!
2 Gregory Kohs // Nov 11, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Here’s a question for you “scholars”. How is Wikipedia inherently different than it was in 2004? Answer: It’s not any different, other than number of pages and number of visitors. Guess what? Site servers and hosting are relatively cheap commodities.
So, why has the Wikimedia Foundation budget skyrocketed from $300,000 to $6,000,000?
Answer: To pay for Sue Gardner’s hefty salary (estimated to be at least $185,000) and those of her pals in the Foundation office.
Is THAT what you’re seeking to reinforce with your dollars? I pity your gullibility.
3 Dominique // Dec 3, 2008 at 11:41 am
My, my, my.
After reading the trash in http://www.mywikibiz.com/Wikipedia I am so happy to have contributed $100 to Wikipedia (the real one).
Isn’t it interesting that anybody against any “liberal commie corrupting the youth” organization feels compelled to copy it to spit out right-wing venom?
By the way, regarding the “…It had been rumored that Wikipedia had been overrun by the Wikimafia, who use it as a front for their children kidnapping and smuggling operation…” (http://www.mywikibiz.com/Wikipedia)
The source is quoted as http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Wikipedia
which itself refers to http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Fair_use which itself… uh, does not relate in any form or shape to the subject being referred!
In the 2oth century, life for right-wingers was simple, just mention that someone was “…pink right down to her underwear…” (http://www.google.com/search?q=pink+right+down+to+her+underwear) and that was it.
Today, this rings a little bit amusing. So, to “evilize” someone, the same right-wingers have to go for the jugular “Pervert!”. I guess ValleyWag is adept of this.
Gregory to take a cold shower, it’s being said it helps in some Wikipedia entries. Also, you might to double-check your sources because “çà fait un peu bordel” your Wiki thing.
4 Gregory Kohs // Dec 14, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Dominique, I’m glad you fell for our search engine traffic magnet, that page about Wikipedia on MyWikiBiz. I figure, all the garbage and lies Wikipedians have published about me on their site, deserved a little tit-for-tat.
Meanwhile, MyWikiBiz is paying its editors for their efforts, while Wikipedia is begging its editors to pay them. Why is that? How much did Sue Gardner’s and Jimbo Wales’ airline tickets to India cost this week? Was their work there SO important that it couldn’t have been handled via web-conference?
Keep ignoring the simple questions, and your wallet shall be lighter, while Jimbo’s grows plump.
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