[WikiEN-l] BestThinking: A new collaborative knowledge site

[BobButler]

There will always be debate about the best model to fund open access efforts,
but our approach intended to give people a choice, not to have any
surprises. The choice is for BestThinking to be either completely free with
advertising, or require a small subscription without advertising (similar to
the model used for example at Ning.com).

Therefore, access, participation, and the ID verification are always
completely free for everyone, with non-intrusive advertising (required by ad
policy).  Likewise, credentials appear openly and without charge for
everyone who enters them.

There is an optional credentials verification check feature (which most
people will not feel the need to do) that has a cost (because it is very
expensive to actually check degrees, licenses, awards, etc.). But having a
credential check is not required and doesn't give any more access, features,
or capability on the site.  You simply get a logo that tells others the
credentials you listed are presumably more reliable.

The only other charge is for high bandwidth and storage. Charging for larger
bandwidth and storage is quite common where people are allowed to upload and
download their own content (or absolute limits are set).  We'll keep an open
mind about the right level (we studied what others were doing and felt we
were in line), but the intention is only to use this charge to address edge
cases where high uses are contemplated.

Bob Butler
BestThinking.com


David Gerard-2 wrote:
> 
> http://www.bestthinking.com/information/about
> 
> A collaboration site for new idea and information creation.
> 
> Downside (not clear on that page): they charge to show verified
> credentials ($5/mo, $50/yr).
> 
> Interesting idea apart from that.
> 
> MetaFilter reactions:
> http://www.metafilter.com/79989/New-type-of-Wikipedia-BestThinkingcom
> 
> 
> - d.
> 
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