On 15/10/2010
22:36, MuZemike wrote:
<snip>
That comes to my question regarding whether or
not we are here to build
an online community or an online encyclopedia. Should we focus outwards
toward the reading/viewing audience, or should we focus inwards
towards the
editors?
on 10/16/10 9:01 AM, Charles Matthews at charles.r.matthews(a)ntlworld.com
wrote:
It was settled early on that we are writing an
encyclopedia. Before I
started editing. What has happened since then? Well, we have had some
divas on the site who have thought that we should focus on things that
are basically all about them rather than the encyclopedia. And this has
been a strategy partially successful in its own terms. But fundamentally
I don't think such people have won the argument, however much harder
they may have made it to see the "community" as primarily a working
environment. That's what it remains, a highly interactive place in which
to do voluntary work on an encyclopedia.
No, Charles, an environment alone does not build an encyclopedia; or, for
that matter, any other group project. There are two elements involved: the
effort required to work on the substance and goals of the project, and an
equal effort to build and maintain the group, yes, the "community" of
persons collaborating to achieve the goals of the project.
Think what you like. The actual membership of the "group" has changed
much more than the pages on which matters are discussed, as places to
exchange views and information. You also are misreading what I said.
Where do I imply "alone"?
Charles