Wikipedia Task Force: Reader Conversion

[netmouse]

I have been selected to participate in the Wikipedia task force to increase contributions from readers and under-represented groups. In other words, to convert wikipedia readers to editors.

I have posted a few of my pet theories as to why people are discouraged from or disinterested in editing wikipedia on my wikipedia strategic planning user page. I welcome discussion there or here about why you or people you know choose not to edit wikipedia.

Comments

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

I have gotten the feeling that if you're not part of the secret cabal, then any changes you make will just get dumped. Doesn't matter how useful or not. Or, maybe labeled as irrelevant and not worth having in wikipedia, then dumped.

[(Anonymous)]

It was discouraging to see subject matter cut because someone (who obviously knew less about the subject as well as less about English grammar) thought it made the article too long. I thought the principal of Wikipedia was that links could be given to anything relevant.

It made this article (on C. S. Lewis iirc) seem like the preserve of a clique, and an immature clique at that. This was discussed on alt.books.cs-lewis (while that lived) and the consensus was to stay away, not waste time adding material that would disappear or become distorted.