Wikipedia:
I've spent a bit of time over the last day or so, checking out Wikipedia http://wikipedia.org the online Encyclopedia that is interactive (you can add to it). It has over 500,000 articles in English (and other languages are well represented there too). It looks like an incredible resource. I checked out a few things, and the writing is good, and the information seems factual.
What I can't figure out is the appeal in contributing...anyone help me out?
The draw to contribute in the Wikipedia is similar to appeal for any public works project: reputation, altruism. This could be working at the local food bank or volunteering with the Boy Scouts, or it could be adding your two lines to an open source project or participating as a volunteer in some alpha testing project.
With the Wikipedia, People like to share what they know when they think the information will actually be used. This actually has a nice connection to knowledge management. When do the KM processes and tools work? It's when KM fits into the larger context of how people work and what is driving them and the organization forward.
The Wikipedia itself gives somewhat of an answer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Schools'_FAQ):
"Why do people contribute to open source?
"Few surveys have developed reliable answers to why people contribute to open source works like Wikipedia. Some sort of public interest or community spirit is often part of the motive. Open source projects offer an opportunity to contribute to something that has lasting value and that will continue to grow. Open source publishing allows writers and software developers to apply their skills outside of a strictly business environment. Casual writers and editors sometimes participate as a hobby or as a learning experience. "
Posted by: Jack Vinson | May 12, 2005 at 12:17 PM