Page 12 - AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2016

12This survey aims to provide an overview of the project as of 2015 – an undertaking which, I should point out, triggers a con ict of interests in this author, as my track record as of today includes 10,000 Wikipedia edits and 23,000 for the projects of the Wikimedia Foundation. I have also headed my country’s Wikimedia chapter since 2011.The ve pillarsWikipedia has ve main rules that apply to its current editions in 288 di erent languages. They are called the ‘ ve pillars’, in allusionto the structural elements that supportan edi ce. There are hundreds of policies, recommendations, guidelines and essays that regulate the encyclopaedia, but only ve basic rules. Wikipedians use these ve rules to argue their case and there is seldom consensus when, as in legal practice, they consider one to be more valid than another.These ve rules, as published in English, are:1. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia: It combines many features of general and specialized encyclopaedias, almanacs, and gazetteers. Wikipedia is not a soapbox, an advertising platform, a vanity press, an experiment in anarchy or democracy, an indiscriminate collection of information, or a web directory. It is not a dictionary, a newspaper, or a collection of source documents, although some of its fellow Wikimedia projects are.2. Wikipedia is written from a neutral pointof view: We strive for articles that documentand explain major points of view, giving due weight with respect to their prominence inan impartial tone. We avoid advocacy and we characterize information and issues rather than debate them. In some areas there may be justone well-recognized point of view; in others, we describe multiple points of view, presenting each accurately and in context rather than as “the truth” or “the best view”. All articles must strive for veri able accuracy, citing reliable, authoritative sources, especially when the topic is controversialor is on living persons. Editors’ personal experiences, interpretations, or opinions do not belong.3. Wikipedia is free content that anyone canuse, edit, and distribute: Since all editors freely license their work to the public, no editorowns an article and any contributions can and will be mercilessly edited and redistributed. Respect copyright laws, and never plagiarize from sources. Borrowing non-free media is sometimes allowed as fair use, but strive to nd free alternatives rst.4. Wikipedia editors should treat each otherwith respect and civility: Respect your fellow Wikipedians, even when you disagree. Apply Wikipedia etiquette, and don’t engage in personal attacks. Seek consensus, avoid edit wars, and never disrupt Wikipedia to illustrate a point. Act in good faith, and assume good faith on the part of others. Be open and welcoming to newcomers. Should con icts arise, discuss them calmly on the appropriate talk pages, follow dispute resolution procedures, and consider that there are 5,060,896 articles on the English Wikipedia to improve and discuss.5. Wikipedia has no rm rules: Wikipedia has policies and guidelines, but they are not carved in stone; their content and interpretation can evolve over time. The principles and spirit matter more than literal wording, and sometimes improving Wikipedia requires making exceptions. Be bold but not reckless in updating articles. And do not agonize over making mistakes: every past version of a page is saved, so mistakes can be easily corrected.It is striking that in connection with thispillar Wikipedia should provide an additional explanation of ‘What Wikipedia is not’. Notability and neutrality are two of the points that tendto be interpreted most diversely by those who nd that these policies are applied to their modi cations.THE WIKIPEDIA PHENOMENON IN TODAY’S SOCIETY: FIFTEEN YEARS ON · IVÁN MARTÍNEZSmart Culture: Impact of the Internet on Artistic Creation