Product development activities at meta wikipedia
Links and discussion regarding Product Development It would be nice if active projects eventually have a single link to their workspace here along with local brainstorming and discussion links/notes.
Active Projects
Wikipedia+T-shirts w:Wikipedia+T-shirts
Note to future editors, delete redundant link after relocation from Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Wild ideas to condsider
A commercial free book/database. Content of database usefully adds or uses existing content at wikipedia, paper book is sold for profit. Lot of potential synergy. See next idea.
Perhaps we could define a specific free book or project with near term commercial possibilities with O'Reilly or other publishers and develop it swiftly while working here on filling in pieces of the Encyclopedia. Proceeds to help fund Wikipedia or other foundation to begin defraying expenses.
Reasons I think this might work:
- O'Reilly is highly successful at collaboration with open/free developers.
- We have an excellent start at a large pool of experts and editers.
- A carefully chosen subject could aid our recruiting drive.
After noting that I propose our own new project, not taking over her project, see w:user:-- April's Introductory Science Text project for an example of what I am visualizing. Please do not forget to contribute a tidbit or too if the muse speaks .... it is the wiki way. User:mirwin
Meta.Wikipedia's Professional Writing Wiki working title, got a snazzy or different one? Please jot it here. Waste not want not.
Consider implementing the features necessary to allow professional authors to work in a derived database which a one button download, upload, synchronize process supports. The author has easy access to FDL research, can make their money on a fixed instantaneous snapshot of the subject, then at the close of the project upload the database for volunteers to merge into the Wikipedia as appropriate.
How does Wikipedia make money? Needs discussion. A method that occurs to me is to provide an information needed request page for these types of projects and a small (fractional, very small, miniscule .... think of star trek's spock eludication of [w:Star Trek/A Piece of the Action] prenegotiated percentage of the gross sales. Note the gross keeps the publisher honest .... cannot eat our piece with overhead.
Lots of authors around so if the above is practical at all we should implement it before our competitors. Authors of all stripes do a lot of research. This would also expand our viral commons at an accelerating pace if successful. User:mirwin