[WikiEN-l] Advertising on Wikipedia

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

Anthony wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 11:45 AM, Steve Summit <scs at eskimo.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Anthony wrote:
>>     
>>> On Mon, Aug 18, 2008 at 6:59 PM, George Herbert <
>>>       
>> george.herbert at gmail.com>wrote:
>>     
>>>> But the community would rip itself apart and a large portion of those
>>>> involved would leave, forking and never coming back.
>>>>         
>>> I think there's a very good chance that you're right, but this strikes me
>>> as so incredibly irrational that I have trouble accepting that it's the
>>> only possible scenario.
>>>       
>> You're entitled to your POV, but please don't make it sound as if
>> those who don't share it are irrational.
>>
>>     
>
> It's not my intention to claim that anyone who doesn't share "my POV"
> (whatever that means) is irrational, but I do believe that *if* the
> community ripped itself apart over the introduction of ads that this would
> be based on the irrational.
>   

For the record, I disagree that this is a given.

*Some* justifications that misguided, and ideologically
hide-bound individuals would quite likely use in the course
of the community's disintegration (to the extent that it
would happen) would quite likely be even highly irrational.
I have no trouble stipulating that.

But not necessarily all. And on some level, such irrational
ways of humans behaving is one factor that rationally
acting people do take into account. Wikipedia has ever
been a testament to rational people learning ways to
deal with those who are less so.

And no, I will not say what those rational basis for
individuals to not find advertisements a rational basis
for wikipedia to operate on are, in addition to the
rational wish to avoid making wikipedia vulnerable
to the fomentings of those who are less than rational.
There is absolutely no reason to play with beans up
ones nose. I remember having to actually go to a
doctor as a child with that particular complaint.
I would be ready to discuss this matter off list, but
since I do not trust communications held off-list to
have a genuine expectation to be held confidential,
I would rather not.

Personally speaking I have no ideological
objection to advertisements, merely pragmatic ones.
But my pragmatic objections to advertisements are
adamantine strong.


Yours,

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen