Archive:Stories: Difference between revisions

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+{{cquote|To me, three aspects of Wikipedia are particularly mind-blowing:
+) It's perhaps the greatest amalgamation of information, in terms of scope, quality and organization, available to the public, yet it's written by unpaid volunteers and it's free. F-R-E-E.
+) Not only is it free, Wikipedia has also resisted the allure of big-time money. There are no ads, no "platinum-members only" links. Wikipedia isn't secretly importing spamware to my computer. Jimmy Wales could be diving, Scrooge McDuck style, into a gold-filled vault. Instead, he's (unobtrusively) asking for small donations.
+) The fact that "wikipedia'd" has become a ubiquitous colloquialism speaks to this site's effect on the world. I think Wikipedia has become almost too successful for it's own financial good. For my generation, Wikipedia is an immutable institution. It's an unquestioned fact of life that answers for almost any question can be found on Wikipedia. I've stopped thinking about how this site functions, about the fact that the content is user research, generated and maintained. That there are no pop-ups. That it's donations, not fees or ads, that keep the servers humming.
+It's almost absurd to think of Wikipedia as a mortal entity, but it is. We, the users, need to sustain the site, through both our intellectual and financial contributions. This site is worth a lot more to me than I was able to donate. Still, I'm proud that I donated. Next time I'm browsing Wikipedia, I'll know that my small contribution helped keep this truly awesome site running. }}
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 {{cquote|Wikipedia is my first source to go to for well researched and unbiased information.  Thank you for the wealth of information, history and links that you offer when I need to understand a subject matter better or want to make wiser choices in my future searches.  You have not let me down and, in my professional and private life, access to trustworthy sources of information is important.  I have made a donation because I count on you and if you need to count on me, I'll do my part.  Thank you for your service!! }}