[WikiEN-l] Differentiators from Wikipedia (was CZ fork: Tendrl)

[Fred Bauder]

> On 24 November 2010 08:40, Charles Matthews
> <charles.r.matthews at ntlworld.com> wrote:
>> On 23/11/2010 11:15, David Gerard wrote:
>
>>> I meant, of course, a fork of Citizendium. Buh.
>
>> The knives seem to be out for the fork of (fork of WP). As you say, if
>> Tendrl is CC-by-SA it's all good, in terms of spooning content around.
>> Apart from noting that social dynamics of the uneasy kind is not
>> confined to our own shores, is there anything to do here?
>
>
> I've pointed out they'll need more differentiation than another
> slightly-tweaked set of rules.
>
> As such, I declare it: time for the "differentiation from Wikipedia"
> thread again! What could a general encyclopedia project do to
> differentiate itself from Wikipedia and gain a niche?
>
> * Put data in in such a way that it can be easily manipulated and
> redisplayed. (Semantic MediaWiki or similar.)
> * University affiliation such that an "expert" policy doesn't result
> in the cranks flooding in waving pieces of paper. The result might end
> up just a Wikipedia feeder in effect, but it may provide a good
> environment for the writers that might actually produce something.
>
> What else? Pick a problem with Wikipedia and a solution to it that
> hasn't already failed.
>
>
> - d.

It is not the specific variation which is central. Anything that
successfully incorporates social media can succeed, as some Wikia wikis
have such as Lostpedia: http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Enthusiasm is what makes the difference. Why does FourLoko succeed where
root beer fails?

Fred Bauder