[Foundation-l] Possibility of a git-based fully distributed Wikipedia

[Gerard Meijssen]

Hoi,
The first thing to consider are the implications of a peer to peer based
system to distribute the content and the changes. These implications are
big. How you are to deal with vandalism in a peer network. How do you
distribute content, how do you deal with an increased need for a specific
article that came into demand.

Once you have a clue about these things, you can start thinking about
tooling. It may mean that GIT provides a basis, it may not. What I do know
is that the University of Amsterdam is researching this issue; how to
provide Wikipedia content and management in a peer to peer environment.
Thanks,
     GerardM

On Feb 18, 2008 9:44 AM, mingli yuan <mingli.yuan at gmail.com> wrote:

> Recently a git based wiki system git-wiki(
> http://github.com/sr/git-wiki/tree/master ) was published on GitHub.
> This triggered my thoughts on a fully distributed Wikipedia clone.
>
> Git( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git_%28software%29 ) is a
> distributed revision control project created by Linus Torvalds,
> initially for the Linux kernel development. Just as mentioned by
> apenwarr in the article "Git is the next Unix" (
> http://www.advogato.org/person/apenwarr/diary/371.html ), git can be
> used as a distributed platform potentially. He also pointed out a git
> based wiki system.
>
> By my understanding, one of the key points for these kind of possible
> Wikipedia clone is the changing of current collaboration model.
>
> Currently Wikipedia is based on a centered wiki site fully shared
> (readable and writable) by everyone, a group of trusted users monitor
> recent changes to avoid trolls and vandalism, and also conflict
> resolving method is needed. As an user of Wikipedia projects, I know
> the heavy load for some administrators to fight with the trolls and
> vandalism, and full of conflicts in the community.
>
> My friends, Isaac Mao, have pointed out: a layer of trustness is
> missing in the design of current Wikipedia software system.
>
> Then how about a fully distributed Wikipedia based on git?
>
> Everybody have their own clone of the whole project, and maybe part of
> them.
>
> A contributor pull/push changes from/to people they trusted.
>
> Some hub will formed to receive changes by many ones, and will share
> their revision to many ones.
>
> A hub network will formed, and maybe the Foundation will own some
> nodes of the network, and declare them as official nodes.
>
> The hub network is based on the trustiness among different groups of
> people.
>
> This is just my imagination. The relationship between the new
> collaboration model and the core value of Wikimedia Foundation (
> http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Values )is still a question.
>
> Thanks.
>
> User:Mountain
>
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