Welcome to blog.wikipediareview.com!


This is our first so-called blog entry. Some of us (well, me) prefer the term “editorial,” simply because it sounds nicer than “blog,” which sounds more like something that someone might do as a result of severe indigestion.


At the time of this writing, Wikipedia Review has existed for about 17 months. During that time, Wikipedia has grown into one of the most popular and extensive websites in the world, with global reach, versions in dozens of languages, tens of thousands of regular contributors, near-constant media attention, and literally hundreds of other websites using, or “scraping,” its content. (To be fair, it was already quite popular and extensive when we started.)


Wikipedia is a self-directed, self-policing organization operated by people who are mostly anonymous and unknown. It is, all at the same time, an oligarchy, a meritocracy, and an anarchy. It lacks strong leadership, and yet key aspects of policy are controlled by a so-called “cabal” of fewer than two-dozen people. Until recently, it has had little regard for the problems of people or organizations affected by it, or the damage it causes to various aspects of world culture, despite a rising tide of voices both inside and outside the user base demanding reform.


If you’re concerned about these things, feel free to register an account on the forum. Much to the chagrin of Wikipedia’s “ruling class,” ours is currently the only website that is both devoted to Wikipedia criticism and encourages public participation, although we do ask that you register with a non-free e-mail address.


Thanks, and we hope you enjoy your visit!




http://wikipediareview.com/blog/?p=1

Wow we have a blog! And we are reviewing our own blog! LOL.

How come it doesn't let me log in?

Jonny

You must've missed the bit about how I can't integrate the two packages so that there's "single sign-on." There are various reasons for that... let's just say it might be possible someday, using an external authentication scheme, but then everybody would have to be assigned a new password via e-mail or whatever, and that would just get really messy.

Anyway, click on "Register," do the usual rigamarole, and once you're in I'll promote you to "Author."

Okay, the Register line wasn't there the last time that I tried that. It is now.

On that other question, somewhere, I would put a higher priority on getting the old board back, and leave the Ebony & Ivory bit for a rainy day.

Jonny

From Wayne's World: "We fear change"

I actually hated it when we had the green as opposed to the dull blue (I think it was) when we moved from ProBoards. You tend to get used to things. But this one now, with not quite so bright white, is a good compromise. Its good to change things every now and then.

Ch-ch-ch-changes ...

Some changes are inevitable, like what happens to your eyes as you grow older. You try explaining e-geriatrics to the 8-year olds than run Wikipedia, but they all got wiki-poop in their ears.

What's your excuse?

Jonny

"Until recently, it has had little regard for the problems of people or organizations affected by it, or the damage it causes to various aspects of world culture, despite a rising tide of voices both inside and outside the user base demanding reform."

What happened recently to make Wikipedia have more regard for people or organizations?

Various events made them conscious, just barely and despite vociferous denials, that they were an organization, just barely, made up of people, just barely.

They can't quite bare it yet, but there it is ...

Jonny

Well, this, for one thing.

Also, recent developments at the Foundation level suggest that they're more concerned with the legal ramifications of their activities than they have been in the past. That's not to say the Foundation intends to actually take responsibility for the site's content, of course - it would be silly to infer that - and really, most of it is just talk, at least for now. We'll just have to see what they do...

Mind you, there are still plenty of Wikipedians who want to use it as a revenge platform. That's always been the case and always will be, probably... It's just that more of them are admitting that that's true.