[Foundation-l] re: Project Wikineur

[Gavin Chait]

When I go to a library, I don't ask for a book.  I ask for books on a
specific subject.  When I go to a university, I don't just ask to do a
degree.  I get one in a specific subject.  The whole basis of education is
"subject-specific works".  That is how universities divide themselves up:
different schools run independently but under the broad "brand" of a single
institution.

The Wiki Foundation is your broad brand.

If Wikibooks is "a place to build just about any non-fiction reference book
with, and this is critical, a finite end size (if you want to explore a
subject area in more detail than that, start other books). The 'finite' part
excludes potentially huge or even practically infinitely-sized things such
as a general quote book, dictionary, or encyclopedia."  There is immediately
an exclusion since there are, potentially, an infinite number of different
types of businesses.  Take a walk down any main street in even the smallest
town and the number of different businesses present runs into the hundreds.

I'm also not too sure about "They have limited potential in terms of both
readers and participation."  In developed countries business owners spend a
vast amount of time networking and studying up on how to run their
businesses.  There are a large number of organisations catering to this
market (Business Network International, Entrepreneur Magazine, for
instance).  In the US 80% of people work for a small business - an
individual or partnership owned concern - as compared to an institution
owned by shareholders.  There are millions of business owners.  Even in
South Africa there are about 10 local magazines catering to the market.

The reference section in your local bookshop seems to be swamped with
business books. And, here's the interesting part, most of them deal with
business only in the most general of terms.  There are very few books on
specific businesses - mainly because most writers are consultants in general
employment.  Publishers are uncomfortable producing specific books for the
general market.  The information does exist.  In the heads of entrepreneurs
and NGO's (such as mine).

Take a search on any of the weblog groups and see just how many are
dedicated to business owners asking each other for advice (e.g.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/entrepreneurs as a tiny sample).

If you would like it to be inside Wikibooks, that is fine - but it does need
a clearly defined entry point; a clear set of "rules" regarding presentation
of information and a definite understanding of what business is (and is
not).

Even the simplest explanation for how to run (for instance) a farm producing
maize is going to be lengthy.

We don't go looking for food, we go looking for something specific.  We
don't want to watch just sport - we want something specific.  Services are
getting more specific, not less.  Only a specialist can offer insight into
the specialised needs of their clients.  A librarian is not a business
consultant.  This doesn't mean that the techniques of libraries can't be
used to present disparate information.

Regards,

Gavin