I don't think I can agree that a wiki is not suitable for a next class of encyclopedia project.
Wikipedia, with verified identification for "approved editors", with moderated updates still retaining "anyone can edit", and with author credit for the top [say five] contributors to any article, I think would go a long way to that next model.
You are approved as an editor merely by verifying your identification, not by credential. This is the way Knol does it, and I like that. It neatly cuts off, right at the head, any desire by editors to vandalize.
Anyone can edit, still allows any reader/writer to feel special and needed. They should be able to view the approved-article with their new changes right away, people won't like needing to wait a day to follow their own line-of-thought further.
Author credit tempts professional writers to stay and contribute, as opposed to drifting over to Knol. I wonder if Brittanica will adopt an author-credit model on moderated edits? That would be interesting.
Will Johnson