[WikiEN-l] Citizendium vs. Wikipedia

[wjhonson at aol.com]

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