To some traditional publishers and information professionals, Wikipedia founding member Larry Sanger is the original agent of chaos and a threat to their existence. His latest vision, Citizendium, as reported exclusively by IWR last month, is a reference service that sounds spookily like the existing book-publishing model. Citizendium takes Wikipedia’s “anyone can contribute” model and adds a traditional publishing twist – experts will edit and judge the content that goes up online for reference use
Sanger is passionate about the difference between an academic expert and an expert on model cars or TV shows – and equally passionate about seeing both types as equal. He describes people’s lives as a life’s work becoming knowledgeable on any subject they chose.
“It would foolish not to consult them, and with the internet it is possible to consult them. There is a potential here now to create a global village of experts who can be consulted on everything. The results could be really useful. A wiki-like project with experts was not possible until now. We needed Wikipedia to show the way.”
Sanger is not anti-establishment or looking to tear down the pillars that have held up the publishing industry for the sake of it. He is passionate about a new way of creating an information repository and the power of the internet to do that.
“I have no desire to put the likes of the Encyclopaedia Britannica out of business. I like Britannica.”
He believes the two publishing models can exist as neighbours. “We are non-profit; most of our contributors will be volunteers.”
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