Sorry, I just realized that "decentralize" was a bad word to use. I meant, "ask universities to donate server resources". No, tough to fully decentralize something like Wikipedia, but you can definitely spread the server resources around. And I could be wrong, but I'm assuming MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and 1000s of unis across the globe would be happy to donate some of their data center resources to Wikipedia.
Wikipedia, stick some banner ads on your site and stop begging!
- Thread starter avatar33
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"The other thing is, I've been giving them $10 a month (paypal subscription) since they first launched their begging campaign a few years ago, and yet they're STILL asking me for more. So not only is this whole campaign pathetic to begin with, but on top of it they are pissing off existing donors like me by asking them for more."
Maybe if you donated some more money, they'd be able to afford a CRM system.
Maybe if you donated some more money, they'd be able to afford a CRM system.
Gottcha, we are on the same page now. I couldnt agree more with the idea of them spreading the server load around, hell they would have gay webmasters all over the world giving them server space if they asked.
As to the decentralization i was thinking about was the WIKI being controlled by Wikipedia itself. I would love to see a wikipedia where it's spread out on servers all over the world (completely open source) something like tor, bitcoin. To have the worlds encyclopedia not subject to the manipulation. Right now if you go put true, but negative info about Obama in his wiki, it will be edited almost immediately. Try it again the next day and the same will happen. How could that be avoided? I dont know if it could.
But they are already "deleting" or "re-writing" history every day. If you can delete the past, you can control the future. I have no idea if my version of decentralization is even possible.
I noticed a related article at that site from a few days ago :
Wikipedia won't stop BEGGING for cash - despite sitting on $60m
I know! We should really go back to libraries and the dewey decimal system.
Who's old enough here to remember using those bad boys? heh, then a teacher would make you write a report on some topic, so everyone would rush like hell to the local public library after school. All books regarding that subject were gone within an hour of school getting out, so then you're stuck hoping your copy of the encyclopedia Britannica at home will have enough info for your paper:
heh, good times. Gotta say, I think Wikipedia is quite useful to a lot of people.
I know! We should really go back to libraries and the dewey decimal system.
Who's old enough here to remember using those bad boys? heh, then a teacher would make you write a report on some topic, so everyone would rush like hell to the local public library after school. All books regarding that subject were gone within an hour of school getting out, so then you're stuck hoping your copy of the encyclopedia Britannica at home will have enough info for your paper:
heh, good times. Gotta say, I think Wikipedia is quite useful to a lot of people.
i've gotten my microfiche on.
To see if I get this right. You (op) would rather pay a donation and then have all the donation offers be removed (assuming you're signed in)? Personally I think that's a good idea too. I think if someone donates and is signed in they should have something dumb like "certified donor".
Seems like a simple change on their end. Asking for donation/showing the same ads for someone who already donates is alienating to them.
Seems like a simple change on their end. Asking for donation/showing the same ads for someone who already donates is alienating to them.
They have it every year. I donate to them regularly - they host a lot of great stuff, plus it's one of my money-making tools.
Yea that's a solid point, but who wants a beggar who just keeps their palm out. I don't know their current model well but if there was a monthly donate along with maybe a once in awhile pop up like "we noticed you've been donating so-and-so each month and we're very appreciative. Blah blah we need more". That seems less annoying and possible to get even more donations from treating the people who are donating in a better way.
You know guys, when i was making crazy thousands on Twitter accounts and followers 2-3-4 years ago, i really felt bad sometimes because Twitter was doing this for free and their accounts were (and still are) free and nobody knew how they could get any money, there was not so much ad back then, if any... But still i was like a parasite who successfully was making good cash on them.
And now, with Wikipedia, it's the same... Folks are doing this for free or begging for donations, and still some guys use them and sell Wiki pages for damn 5 grands.
Amazing? What a twist on the capitalism/idealism border...
:food-smiley-010:
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And now, with Wikipedia, it's the same... Folks are doing this for free or begging for donations, and still some guys use them and sell Wiki pages for damn 5 grands.
Amazing? What a twist on the capitalism/idealism border...
:food-smiley-010:
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It's an amazing starting point for digging almost any info. If i want to quickly get an idea what is... "competitive edge" for example, i go look in Wiki. And then i can already go researching deeper.
.
Maybe if Wikipedia stuck to being an encyclopaedia instead of trying to become a programming giant then they might get more sympathy. I remember when these appeals for money only happened once in a while, now every time you visit wikipedia there is a large banner begging for donations at the top, which won't go away even if you do donate.
They have got enough money to keep the site online for ten years or more, yet keep splashing out more money just for the sake of spending it. Looks like the power trip went to Jimmy Wales head a long time ago.
They have got enough money to keep the site online for ten years or more, yet keep splashing out more money just for the sake of spending it. Looks like the power trip went to Jimmy Wales head a long time ago.
I know! We should really go back to libraries and the dewey decimal system.
Who's old enough here to remember using those bad boys? heh, then a teacher would make you write a report on some topic, so everyone would rush like hell to the local public library after school. All books regarding that subject were gone within an hour of school getting out, so then you're stuck hoping your copy of the encyclopedia Britannica at home will have enough info for your paper:
heh, good times. Gotta say, I think Wikipedia is quite useful to a lot of people.
The whole world moves forward, but if not for the All Holy Wikipedia, we'd all be back a the library card catalog .....Ridiculous.
I do not know how to describe how their begging offends me, but it does. If an organization can easily make the money necessary, they should not take and crowd out other organizations that need funding and cannot figure out how to make it, say, feeding people/providing medical/housing/mental health service / or whatever.