[Wikipedia-l] Experts, software, and community

[Mark Christensen]

I've given some thought to what Larry, Lee, Jimbo, Karl, and others have
said about the need for experts in the free encyclopedia movement, and
I'd like to try to synthesize some of that info, and throw in a couple
of thoughts of my own. 

It seems to me that there is some disagreement about a number of issues.


First, the need for experts. IT seems to me that Larry's statement that
we need more expert input in the "free encyclopedia movement" elicited
three responses.  

1) The kind of expertise needed to write good encyclopedia articles on
the subject of economics is different than the kind of expertise needed
to get a PhD in economics. 
2) Motivated and reasonably well educated armatures can become "experts"
at writing encyclopedia articles. 
3) It would be easy to drive away motivated armatures by courting
"experts" in the wrong way.

I don't know whether or not Larry agrees with these three caveats.  But
I suppose it doesn't matter as he's left the decision making process in
our hands.  I certainly think the above three points are all true, and
it seems like we have some consensus on this.  That said, I also agree
with Larry that we should work hard to gather subject matter experts
into the "free encyclopedia movement," as long as we take the above the
above caveats into consideration. 

To that end I think we really should consider some ways to help make the
free encyclopedia movement expert friendly.  Larry's suggestion that we
work hard at reviving an Nupedia like project, which would be open to
experts only, so the experts can be protected from the trials and
tribulations of the wikipedia process -- is only one proposal and I
think we should explore a wider variety of options.   

Basically, what I'm saying here is that if Larry's basic thesis is, "We
need to DO SOMETHING to attract experts," we're stuck debating side
issues.  The real question (and I do think it is an open question) is:
"Do we need to do something to attract experts?"  As I said earlier, I
tend to think the answer is: "Yes, but we need to be careful not to do
the wrong thing."  

I'd suggest that we start out with some very basic things: inviting
experts to get involved, intentionally looking for experts who do get
involved and working hard to make their entrance into the wikipedia
community enjoyable, cultivating an atmosphere of congeniality and
respect for experts and motivated amateurs alike.  

Perhaps just doing that regularly for a couple of years will be enough,
but perhaps not...

-- Mark Christensen