Feb 10, 2014
Perhaps nothing demonstrates the power of the internet and thereby the power of a democratic approach to problem solving like Wikipedia. In The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created The World’s Greatest Encyclopedia, Andrew Lih lays bare for us the tremendous power of ordinary people to do something truly incredible when they come together. While traditional encyclopedias like Encylopedia Britannica have relied on Nobel Laureates and other highly-respected professionals to write their articles, Wikipedia has placed its faith in ordinary people and the wisdom of the crowds. In just over a decade, the results have been astounding. With over 30 million articles in 287 languages, Wikipedia dwarfs all other encyclopedias and a 2005 investigation by the highly-respected journal Nature found that Wikipedia’s accuracy was almost exactly the same as Encyclopedia Britannica. In this interview, Andrew Lih shares with us how he became fascinated by the site, how the site has developed and what the success of Wikipedia means for everything from government spying to democracy to digital protectionism in China. More than a lens into the world's future, this interview will restore your faith in humanity.The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created The World’s Greatest Encyclopedia is available on Amazon.Andrew Lih’s website is http://www.andrewlih.com and you can follow him on twitter @fuzheado.