Wikicamp on

The conference kick starts with Kiruba speaking about the basic rules of unconference.

• This is not a conference, it is not hallways but the main floors that are the most interesting place in an unconference.
• No speakers but a discussion leader. If you are the so called audience feel free to be rude , interrupt the discussion if you want to.
• Two feet rule, if you are uncomfortable use your feet to be more comfortable

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Nick from Underdog pictures doing a documentary on Jimmy Wales and wikipedia, gave a quick introduction. Another quick introduction from Ganesh K , an admin in wikipedia who posts a lot of content related to India.

Presenetation from Jimmy Wales on wikipedia

History

First had looked at Open source

• Improvements in fundamental way.
• Exposes bugs.
• Anyone can contribute.

So why not open content.

So in 1999 – the idea of a freely licensed encyclopedia called nupedia

• it had thousand of volunteers
• in many languages

But that idea was a failure, Some of the reasons of how/why we falied –

• because of the tight academeic nupedia process.

It included the following steps

• assignment
• lead reviewer
• a lead review
• open review
• lead copyediting
• open copyediting
• final approval and markup

What I learend

• A priori thinking is bad
• community is good
• people are basically good
• guided chaos is unstoppable
• a simple vision is good

Wikpedia

pretty cool, for a small encyleopedia

Wikia

• Primary lessons from my work so far
• Trust people
• Avoid a priori thnking
• Guide the chaos to a simple vision.

Example of other kinds of wikia

• topic encyclopedia
• magazines (ArmchairGM)
• social community ( fannon, furry)
• hybrid ( campaign, and all to some extent)

Search is a fundamental part of the infrastructure of the internet and therefore of human society as a whole. Thus open source search is very important, transparent, all algorithms published, testable, researchable.

Dozens of questions of great questions fielded with great clarity & humility, I just could not keep up with the pace of the questions.