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Wikimedia Proposes Advertising [Updated]

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the good-idea-bad-idea dept.

user9918277462 writes "The Board of the Wikimedia Foundation has announced a new partnership with the Answers Corporation, which provides the content for Google Definitions links. There is also a lengthy discussion, wiki-style for those who wish to participate." Update 10/25 18:42 by SM: An announcement has been posted on Wikipedia to help clarify the original submission (which thankfully was patently false and has since been cleaned up a bit, our apologies to Wikimedia). Answers.com will be creating their own co-branded version which will show ads and no ads will be shown on wikipedia.

3 of 274 comments (clear)

  1. Here's the deal by elfguygmail.com · · Score: 5, Informative

    Before everyone starts inventing stuff about wikipedia having banner ads, here's what the deal is: - A link will be added in the left side bar on Wikipedia to the WP:TOOLS page. - That page lists software that can be used to improve the user experience of the Wikimedia projects, such as toolbars and other web helpers. - On that page the 1-Click toolbar will be listed on top. - People using this toolbar and seeing the ads will bring revenue to both 1-Click Answers and the Wikimedia Foundation.

  2. Re:Some issues really need to be clairified. by Talrias · · Score: 5, Informative
    You're right. The press release (as written by both Answers.com and the Wikimedia Board of Trustees) was not exactly what they were trying to say. There's already been a long discussion about exactly what the deal involves one of the mailing lists. I'll try and summarise the facts:

    • Downloading of the tool is optional, and advertising only appears to people who are using the tool.
    • The tool will be listed on an existing Wikipedia page, [[Wikipedia:Tools]].
    • The link can be removed by any Wikipedian if they so choose (but of course this works both ways).
    • Answers.com did not pay the Wikimedia Foundation to get the tool placed on Wikipedia.
    • The Foundation will receive a unspecified percentage of all profits Answers.com gain from advertising using the tool.

    Unfortunately the situation was not helped by a rather badly worded press release which led the community to a false sense of what the deal actually was. The above is what will occur, according to Jimbo Wales and the other members of the Board.

    Chris
    --
    aterr - an open source threaded discussion board.
  3. Article wrong by smeenz · · Score: 5, Informative
    As is so often the case, the slashdot headline is wrong.

    From the page:

    Welcome to visitors from Slashdot. Please be aware that the Slashdot story is completely wrong. There is no proposal to have advertising on Wikipedia. There are numerous errors of fact on this page. (See below if you're interested.) --Jimbo Wales 19:12, 24 October 2005 (UTC)

    P.S. I originally posted this as AC so as not to be seen to be hording karma, but then I realised it wouldn't be seen if I posted it that way, so here goes again.

    (Wouldn't it be nice if you could EDIT your posts on slashdot)