Whenever you are looking for some information, who do you approach? In ancient times, people used to go to scholarly people to learn about things they weren’t aware of. However, after the digitalization of the world, they browse the internet to get information. People usually turn to websites with online content, such as Wikipedia. They are sure they will find the answer to every question on Wikipedia. But the question is, how does Wikipedia contain all the information? In this blog, we will go through some aspects that can help you get the answer to this question.
Wikipedia contains many articles about almost everything, including animals, history, science, and famous people. This website was founded by Jimmy Wales and later co-founded by Larry Sanger on January 15, 2001. Anyone can read the written content and articles on Wikipedia and add their knowledge to spread the information they have.
The Invention of Wikipedia
It all started with the invention of Nupedia, which aimed to create a free, scholarly encyclopedia. However, it later turned into Wikipedia. One key reason behind this change is that Nupedia had a slow editorial process. Due to this, Sange and Whales were prompted to develop a more collaborative and easily accessible platform, which resulted in the creation of Wikipedia. This free content website gained popularity quickly because it had an open editing model, allowing everyone to share their knowledge. As time passed, Wikipedia grew into one of the largest and most accessible sources of information on the internet, with uncountable articles in multiple languages and a diverse topic range.
Here, we have discussed some significant moments in Wikipedia’s history and can elaborate on its development into one of the primary content platforms.
Before the invention of Wikipedia, some thought had been given to the idea of an openly modifiable, freely available online website from which to share knowledge. The researchers in the field included several past initiatives and encyclopedias, such as Nupedia, an expert-edited web encyclopedia with a slow production process.
Wikipedia was officially hosted on January 15, 2001, with the collection of hard work of Jimmy and Sangar. It was supposed to be an add-on project for Nupedia, making encyclopedia article creation and editing easily accessible.
Founders of Wikipedia: A Dive into the History
The history of Wikipedia is quite interesting. It started with its founder, Larry Sanger. Larry Sanger was an American philosopher and internet entrepreneur who played a vital role in creating Wikipedia. He envisioned developing a platform to help people worldwide contribute their knowledge and expertise to create a comprehensive online encyclopedia.
After a while, Sanger co-founded this website with Jimmy Wales, an internet entrepreneur. They paired up to host a website under the umbrella of the nonprofit organization Wikimedia Foundation. However, Sanger, who provided the initial idea for the project, is the credit for the idea.
Jimmy Wales: The Man Who Founded Wikipedia
Wales is most recognized for its contribution to establishing Wikipedia. This website enabled volunteers worldwide to contribute to Wikipedia. With Wales’s direction and instruction, Wikipedia has expanded into one of the biggest online reference resources, offering knowledge on a variety of subjects and languages.
At that time, he was actively working on some other internet-related projects as well, including Wikimedia Foundation, Wikia, and a wiki-hosting service that eventually changed into Fandom.
Larry Sanger: Wikipedia Co-founder
Larry was an American philosopher and also the co-founder of Wikipedia. Jimmy approached Sanger in 2000 to work with him on Nupedia, an earlier effort to build a free digital encyclopedia. The only drawback of Nupedia was that it used to produce content slowly and followed rigorous editing rules. Larry took the initiative of creating a wiki-based platform enabling contributions from many people. The idea later prompted the invention of Wikipedia.
In addition to serving as Nupedia’s principal editor, Sanger helped shape Wikipedia’s early editorial standards and procedures. However, after leaving Wikipedia in 2002, Sanger started criticizing the site’s policies, especially regarding authenticity and quality. Later, he co-founded the online encyclopedia project Citizendium, which sought to integrate real-name verification, expert oversight, and the open collaboration of wikis.
Accomplishments of Wikipedia
Since its founding, Wikipedia has become the world’s most comprehensive online knowledge resource. Within the last 22 years, Wikipedia has accomplished a great deal. These are a few accomplishments Wikipedia has made during the past 22 years.
Large User Base: In January 2007, Wikipedia had 42.9 million unique visitors. By 2014, the number of monthly page views had reached an incredible eight billion.
Global Ranking: Wikipedia’s global reach is demonstrated by its ranking as the fifth most popular website worldwide in December 2016.
Academic Impact: As of January 2024, over 92,300 scholarly papers had cited English Wikipedia articles, indicating their authority and significance in academic study.
Asteroid Named After Wikipedia: An asteroid known as “274301 Wikipedia” was designated the recipient of Wikipedia’s contribution to worldwide knowledge exchange in 2013.
Wikipedia Monument: In October 2014, a physical monument was erected to celebrate Wikipedia, signifying the platform’s importance in the digital era.
Print Wikipedia: To demonstrate the importance of its information, an initiative launched in July 2015 made 106 of the 700-page volumes of Wikipedia available as “Print Wikipedia.”
Wikipedia on the Moon: In April 2019, a lunar lander sent an English Wikipedia copy to the Moon’s surface, demonstrating Wikipedia’s global reach.
Wikipedia Nowadays:
In recent years, Wikipedia has become a trusted platform for information, with a surge in individuals actively editing existing pages and crafting new ones to reflect current events and developments. This trend has sparked the emergence of numerous Wikipedia page creation services in the US, catering to a diverse array of clients ranging from renowned singers, artists, and authors to prominent brands and businesses.
These online services specialize in meticulously crafting Wikipedia pages that adhere to the platform’s strict guidelines, ensuring accuracy and reliability. As the demand for professional Wikipedia page creation grows, these services play a vital role in helping individuals and entities establish a credible online presence.
David Cravit and Larry Wolf on Super Aging Exclusive Interview(Opens in a new browser tab)
Conclusion:
In summary, the growing reliance on Wikipedia for information dissemination underscores its pivotal role in shaping public knowledge. The surge in user-generated content reflects a collective effort to maintain an up-to-date repository of human knowledge. As Wikipedia continues to evolve, it serves as a testament to the collaborative spirit of the digital age, democratizing access to information on a global scale.