On 11/03/2008, Jimmy Wales jwales@wikia.com wrote:
Having said that, the issue of public perception is absolutely vital, and you do make a perfectly good point.
How many outsiders seriously think Wikipedia is of better quality because it doesn't have ads like every other site?
I hope the idea of a dispassionate discussion can allow me to suggest that the influential editors within wikipedia have a certain viewpoint which is not representative of the actual readership who don't get involved in this issues. The net has come as far as it has because of advertising, not because of fundraising drives. That is a fact, not an NPOV opinion.
Peter