[WikiEN-l] How to start a viable competitor to Wikipedia?

[Ray Saintonge]

On 04/07/11 9:05 PM, Stephanie Daugherty wrote:
> IMO, the "next best thing" will be whatever can come along and solve
> our social and community problems technologically, while being easier
> to edit.

Social and community problems cannot be solved technologically.

> Treat assholes like bugs in the software - code around them, figure
> out how you can make the experience downright painful for them while
> making it easier for the sort of people that you really want to
> attract. Build the software to guide people in the direction of
> correct behavior, and to inherently track sourcing, etc.

If you approach an asshole directly you just get shit on your face.  We 
do better by encouraging good behaviour than by spending time dealing 
with a handful if problem people.

> Do this right, and wikipedia will be pretty much dead, do it wrong,
> and we'll be laughing at you here in 6 months. :P

Sure enough,

Ec