How is Wikipedia different from a paper encyclopedia?
This entry was posted on 04-20-2007 and is filed under uncategorized.
According to Wikipedia, one of the attributes of it is a, "low environmental cost (no paper or distribution impact on the environment)." Well duh.
An encyclopedia Al Gore would've invented, if he hadn't expended himself inventing the Internet. I have this image as Jimbo Wales as Eric Idle selling encyclopedias door to door in the Monty Python sketch, "
Burglar/Encyclopaedia Salesman". In the sketch, the salesman gains entrance by claiming to be a burglar, rather than an encyclopedia salesman.
Perhaps there is an analogy here. Bomis preferred over an encyclopedia, and burglary preferred over an encyclopedia salesman.
I think there's something important to consider about the history of encyclopedias. The history of Wikipedia, should include a history of encyclopedias.
