Wikipedia’s Crisis of Identity

Wikipedia depends on its community but now that community may stand in its way. Or is it the other way around and the community is Wikipedia?
Wikipedia’s Crisis of Identity
Wikipedist Pete Forsyth in the Zink Bar, Lower Manhattan, NY, on March 16, 2014. Petr Svab/Epoch Times
Petr Svab
Petr Svab
reporter
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Did you know that the world’s largest encyclopedia, Wikipedia, is written by volunteers? Well, most probably you did–it’s 2015. But did you know Wikipedia used to be run by volunteers?

The sixth most popular website on Earth, Wikipedia is an absolute rarity among Internet projects of its magnitude.

Entrepreneur Jimmy Wales and philosophy doctoral graduate Larry Sanger started the project in 2001 but all they had was the idea, an empty website, and a couple of enthusiasts from their previous (failed) encyclopedia project.

Wikipedia is an absolute rarity among Internet projects of its magnitude.
Petr Svab
Petr Svab
reporter
Petr Svab is a reporter covering New York. Previously, he covered national topics including politics, economy, education, and law enforcement.
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