Submissions/Obstacles to Wikipedia's Evolution

This is a rejected submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.

30

Title of the submission

Obstacles to Wikipedia's Evolution: an open discussion of editors and developers

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation)

Short talk (5 min) to focus the discussion, followed by an open forum

Author of the submission

Adam Wight

E-mail address

spam(yes,spam!) at ludd.net

Username

Adamw

Country of origin

USA

Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)
Personal homepage or blog
Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal)

How can Wikipedia and the Mediawiki software adapt to a changing digital ecosystem? I am interested in any solutions, practical or radical, techno-structural or cultural. The plateau in editorship is under study, and several excellent responses are being deployed, such as enhanced inter-user feedback, a non-markup visual editor, and mobile offerings. Other Wikimania sessions will engage specific issues, (Submissions/Empowering_the_Wikipedia_community_in_the_face_of_cultural_change, Submissions/Digital_Outreach_and_Physical_Outreach, Submissions/10_women_in_10_minutes, Submissions/Offline_Workshop, surely others). In fact, one could say that all Wikimedia events are, explicitly or not, geared towards recruitment and retention. Good thing!

This session will be a broad inquiry and a challenge to participants who are interested in cultural production belonging to the people, remaining free and open.

Some questions to get things going:

  • Where do you contribute online? Is the experience satisfactory? Could a wiki help?
  • How would you characterize your knowledge production, and does it fit into Wikipedia?
  • Can there be another dimension to Wikipedia's diaspora? Are there ways to expand its mission while maintaining integrity? Or enrich interaction? And could we turn different knobs, if like Alice in Wonderland we became smaller or bigger?

Participants may be asked to take notes or facilitate, and we will post any results online.

Track (Wikis and the Public Sector; GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums); WikiCulture and Community; Research, Analysis, and Education; Technology and Infrastructure)

Technology and Infrastructure; also WikiCulture and Community

Length of presentation/talk (if other than 25 minutes, specify how long)

15-35 Minutes (5 minute talk followed by discussion)

Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?

Yes (depending on other factors)

Slides or further information (optional)
Special request as to time of presentations (for example - can not present on Saturday)


Interested attendees

If you are interested in attending this session, please sign with your username below. This will help reviewers to decide which sessions are of high interest. Sign with four tildes. (~~~~).

  1. CT Cooper · talk 20:56, 14 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  2. Resident Mario 00:27, 16 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  3. Marclaporte (talk) 05:54, 11 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  4. Wikipelli (talk) 15:35, 16 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  5. Carolmooredc (talk) 18:29, 16 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  6. SarahStierch (talk) 17:09, 21 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  7. Add your username here.