Kelly Martin wrote:
On 6/11/06, Robert Scott Horning robert_horning@netzero.net wrote:
Has any thought gone into producing printed materials (either on CD or even dead tree format) for high quality materials derived from Wikimedia project pages?
I fear that printed material like this is of sufficiently low margin as to not be a very effective fundraising activity. The costs involved in producing high-quality printed material are substantial. Sadly, the quality of product produced by the vanity presses (like Lulu) is not very high, and I fear that it would do us a disservice. (I have the same concern regarding the merchandise we sell through Cafe Press.)
Kelly
And that is precisely the risk we are talking about here. And one of the many reasons why it hasn't been done. The difference here is that Wikipedia does have a brand that means something beyond those typical of a vanity press, and a reason why I think there should be at least an exploration of the idea with some test-marketing. As far as Cafe Press is concerned, the up-front costs are sufficiently low enough that it justifies the marginal income that comes in from such an activity. I'm not suggesting that this can completely or even substantially replace the current direct plea for donations, but it could be some minor income to add that extra little bit needed.
And this is something supposedly already covered by some grant money (aka Wikijunior) where supposedly some printed materials were promised but never delivered. I'm suggesting that perhaps we need to deliver on at least that promise, and it would be a good avenue to see if other printed materials might also be attractive.