This is probably better off in "Wikipedia in the Media", but I didn't know if it would get lost in the automatically created threads there, so am plonking it here.
I was wading my way through a (frankly rather lightweight) book called "How they started in the tough times" which examines 25 organisations which started during economic down-turns and how they coped.
Strangely, one of those was Wikipedia. Whilst I won't bore you with a recitation of all of the relevant chapter's contents (although if anyone wants a scanned copy of the chapter for interest's sake then let me know) there were a couple of areas which I knew would be of interest to some of those on this board who hold views on the way in which history has / is being re-written.
Amongst other bits, Bomis.com is described as "a basic search portal ... focusing on pop culture", Jimmy Wales "hired philosopher Larry Sangster (sic) as editor-in-chief", and in early 2008 "Jimmy took on search engine giant Google, with the launch of WikiaSearch, a community-based search engine", but in April 2009 he "took the decision to close down WikiaSearch, even though it has (sic?) established itself as the fifth-fastest growing member community in February 2008, with around just under four million users". I had to chuckle at the narrowly-drawn pool of competitors for that particular award.
Oh, and the article's illustrated with two photos - this one of Jimmy and a coupe of other savoury characters at a conference in 2004, and this one from Jimmy's page on Wikipedia.
Apropos of nothing, but I thought it may be of interest.
Full Version: How they started in the tough times
QUOTE(Push the button @ Mon 23rd August 2010, 7:52am) 
This is probably better off in "Wikipedia in the Media", but I didn't know if it would get lost in the automatically created threads there, so am plonking it here.
I was wading my way through a (frankly rather lightweight) book called "How they started in the tough times" which examines 25 organisations which started during economic down-turns and how they coped.
Strangely, one of those was Wikipedia. Whilst I won't bore you with a recitation of all of the relevant chapter's contents (although if anyone wants a scanned copy of the chapter for interest's sake then let me know) there were a couple of areas which I knew would be of interest to some of those on this board who hold views on the way in which history has / is being re-written.
Amongst other bits, Bomis.com is described as "a basic search portal ... focusing on pop culture", Jimmy Wales "hired philosopher Larry Sangster (sic) as editor-in-chief", and in early 2008 "Jimmy took on search engine giant Google, with the launch of WikiaSearch, a community-based search engine", but in April 2009 he "took the decision to close down WikiaSearch, even though it has (sic?) established itself as the fifth-fastest growing member community in February 2008, with around just under four million users". I had to chuckle at the narrowly-drawn pool of competitors for that particular award.
Oh, and the article's illustrated with two photos - this one of Jimmy and a coupe of other savoury characters at a conference in 2004, and this one from Jimmy's page on Wikipedia.
Apropos of nothing, but I thought it may be of interest.
What is the name of the author and what can you find out about him? Can he be traced to a WP account? If so, he's probably another one of the WIKI-KULT members...
QUOTE(the fieryangel @ Mon 23rd August 2010, 9:08am)
What is the name of the author and what can you find out about him? Can he be traced to a WP account? If so, he's probably another one of the WIKI-KULT members...
Oh, please...if you want to spend your time chasing down someone because they happened to feature Wikipedia as one of 25 organisations profiled in a book they wrote, and look like they swallowed the PR they were given without question, then that's your look-out, but do you have to be so lazy about it?
Google "How they started in tough times" and knock yourself out.
Although, that said, I wouldn't mind asking why exactly the author thinks that Wikipedia "has become a verb in its own right"..."to Wikipedia something"? Erm, no.
QUOTE(Push the button @ Mon 23rd August 2010, 9:35am)
QUOTE(the fieryangel @ Mon 23rd August 2010, 9:08am)
What is the name of the author and what can you find out about him? Can he be traced to a WP account? If so, he's probably another one of the WIKI-KULT members...
Oh, please...if you want to spend your time chasing down someone because they happened to feature Wikipedia as one of 25 organisations profiled in a book they wrote, and look like they swallowed the PR they were given without question, then that's your look-out, but do you have to be so lazy about it?
Google "How they started in tough times" and knock yourself out.
Although, that said, I wouldn't mind asking why exactly the author thinks that Wikipedia "has become a verb in its own right"..."to Wikipedia something"? Erm, no.
Well, there's a David_Lester_(artist,_author,_publisher) (T-H-L-K-D) that looks suspiciously like a vanity piece.
Anybody who's already drunk enough Koolaid to make WP a subject for a chapter in a book like that is most definitely a Kult member. However, we can discuss this in the "301 Klub" if you don't feel comfortable discussing this in public...
Here's "Crimson Publishing". How much you wanna bet that there's a COI somewhere here?...
Better Living Through Book Reading
Well, lessee...
Better living through book reading?
You got a problem with that, Maestro?
Like maybe you wanna write a comic opera that does it better? (Hint, hint.)
QUOTE(the fieryangel @ Mon 23rd August 2010, 8:22am)
Here's "Crimson Publishing". How much you wanna bet that there's a COI somewhere here?...
Well, lessee...
QUOTE(Crimson Publishing)
Welcome to Crimson Publishing
Set up in 2007, we are an ambitious & fast-growing publisher specialising in quality non-fiction titles that improve the way you live. We mean to be different from other publishers in a number of ways, not only with the subjects we publish in, but also going to the heart of how each book is created, from its planning and research to its writing and design. This comes from a belief that books can deliver more than they often do.
Set up in 2007, we are an ambitious & fast-growing publisher specialising in quality non-fiction titles that improve the way you live. We mean to be different from other publishers in a number of ways, not only with the subjects we publish in, but also going to the heart of how each book is created, from its planning and research to its writing and design. This comes from a belief that books can deliver more than they often do.
Better living through book reading?
You got a problem with that, Maestro?
Like maybe you wanna write a comic opera that does it better? (Hint, hint.)
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