Wikapedia is a Great Free Information Resource

Wikapedia is a remarkable information source. The work is done by numerous people without pay, writing these articles simply out of interest. The checks and balances of numerous people double checking and working to keep bias out of the articles works pretty well, except for very contentious issues.


Wikapedia has been asking for money to help. They do provide great information.  I will send them some money. 

Wikapedia could pay for the service with one line advertising, which is what I predict they will eventually do. The issue is a little like Public Television, which tries to operate without advertisements by getting donations. But Public TV commercials to get donations become annoying. I would rather see a clever advertisement then a constant clamor for donations.


Hey, Wikapedia, why don't you make a deal with http://www.groupon.com/, the great company that makes lots of money putting out coupons for discounted purchases. A groupon coupon on the top of each wiki search page would bring lots of revenue to you.


Thanks, Wikapedia.
____________________

From Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales

I'm a volunteer.

I don't get paid a cent for my work at Wikipedia, and neither do our thousands of other volunteer authors and editors. When I founded Wikipedia, I could have made it into a for-profit company with advertising banners, but I decided to do something different.

Commerce is fine. Advertising is not evil. But it doesn't belong here. Not in Wikipedia.

Wikipedia is something special. It is like a library or a public park. It is like a temple for the mind. It is a place we can all go to think, to learn, to share our knowledge with others. It is a unique human project, the first of its kind in history. It is a humanitarian project to bring a free encyclopedia to every single person on the planet.

Every single person.

If all of Wikipedia's 400 million users would donate $1 each, we would have 20 times the amount of money we need. We're a small organization, and I've worked hard over the years to keep us lean and tight. We fulfill our mission, and leave waste to others.

To do this without resorting to advertising, we need you. It is you who keep this dream alive. It is you who have created Wikipedia. It is you who believe that a place of calm reflection and learning is worth having.

This year, please consider making a donation of $20, $35, $50 or whatever you can to protect and sustain Wikipedia.

Thanks,

Jimmy Wales 

Wikipedia Founder

http://www.wikipedia.org/