• Wispy2891@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    I don’t understand this, the employees are few and the pr fallout + fighting this is much more expensive than just agreeing to what they demand

    Plus it’s a foundation and shouldn’t have profit

  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    Was wondering when they were going to enshittify.

    Fuck you, Dimmy.

    EDIT: just realized something. I listen to Cory Doctorow’s podcast and he starts each episode off with a lengthy list of scheduled appearances. He’s been mentioning an upcoming appearance with Jimmy Wales. Looked it up. They’ll be on the same stage on August 17th. Wonder if this will come up.

  • brucethemoose@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    This is bad.

    …But I’m very worried about the future of Wikipedia.

    Questionable leadership or not, it is a lighthouse in the information dystopia of the 2020s, which literally helps hold society together.

    The far right wants it gone, and are not shy about screaming it, because Wikipedia is not compatible with fascism.

    If it becomes hated by the left too, and ignored by the masses because of Big Tech blacklists it, I worry it won’t have the political support to keep its prominence.

    And to be clear, I’m not worried about it dying. Wikipedia will stay where it is for decades.

    I’m worried about it ceasing to be popular.

    It doesn’t function as a uncontrolled source of information if no one sees it. Modern fascist censorship works by simply shifting attention.

    • iocase@lemmy.zipEnglish
      3 months

      The Wikimedia foundation vastly outpaces expenses. Despite doing their best to convince you if you don’t donate $10 right now Wikipedia will literally evaporate 🥺🙏

      They can afford to not pay like shit

      They’re also wasting massive amounts of money on things outside their core mission and scope.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      some entries are already questionable asf. some of them are written like an opinon piece, or a hs essay.

      • Scrollone@feddit.itEnglish
        3 months

        Wikipedia is made by people, like me and you. If you see bias or wrong information, you can either fix it or flag it with an appropriate template.

        • AnBee@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          3 months

          I really would like to, but German Wikipedia for example is something of an inner circle where you can’t do shit. They don’t allow newcomers to touch most of the articles.

    • Allero@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      Even better, do not fracture the already weakening Wikipedia community. Keep fork as a backup, but fight for Wikipedia itself.

      Also, download an offline Wikipedia copy via Kiwix or similar tools. The entire English Wikipedia takes less space than a modern game, and having a snapshot might come in handy.

  • tomkatt@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    Fuck. Yet another company I donate to behaving like shitheels. Fuck. No more donations I guess.

    • Allero@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      My rule of thumb is: donate to small developers, not large established projects.

      Wikimedia Foundation does not run low on funds, and your donation is a drop in the bucket on their balance sheets.

      For small projects and indie devs, your donation will have a much bigger impact.

  • late_pessimistic@slrpnk.netEnglish
    3 months

    Wikimedia please fire whatever consulting firm told you it’s a good idea to do extractive capitalism as a non-profit foundation, reliant on long-term community goodwill and sustainable work ethics with low turnover rate

    • Allero@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      Before then, download and keep and offline Wikipedia copy via Kiwix. It doesn’t take as much space as people imagine - 111 GB for the English one, with pictures, if I recall collectly

  • StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    I was initially 80/20 against/for Wikipedia’s stance. I tentatively agreed with Wales’ criticism of identity tracking for the initial vote, but needed more information to form a solid opinion. Then I saw the mention of their hiring a union busting firm in addition to their current relationship with a known union busting law firm.

    Fuck them, 100%. I immediately cancelled my ongoing monthly donation, which I’ve provided for years. Until the Wikimedia Foundation recognizes their unionized employees and works with them in good faith, they will get not a penny from me

    • man_wtfhappenedtoyou@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3 months

      Yeah I’m cancelling my donation immediately. Not that my $2.30/month will break their budget, but fuck them now.

  • Tyrq@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    3 months

    I knew there was a reason I got a set of actual encyclopedias. Not new, nor as extensive, but it’s in my hands so filthy rich assholes are gonna have to come to my door to stop me from having access to information

    • Allero@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      You can also download Wikipedia for offline use via Kiwix, so that you always have the snapshot that won’t ever change and enshittify.

      The whole English Wikipedia takes up about 110 gigs, and it’s 110 gigs well spent.

  • cabillaud@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    Next headline: Wikipidia sends mobsters beating workers up during an information meeting.

    • Allero@lemmy.todayEnglish
      3 months

      Wikimedia Foundation does not have problems with funds, quite the opposite.

      There was a scandal about it a year or two ago. They have plenty, and this is where it goes.

  • courval@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3 months

    Really?? WTF who sold out?? This can only be some sort of sponsored covert op… The compromised crooks need to be sacked, yesterday!