Wikipedia has become a household name, synonymous with quick and accessible information. But how did this free online encyclopedia come to be? The journey from its early days as a complement to Nupedia
to becoming the largest and most-read reference work in history is a fascinating tale of innovation, collaboration, and growth.
The Birth of Wikipedia
Wikipedia's story begins with Nupedia, a free online English-language encyclopedia project founded in 2000. Nupedia's articles were written by experts and reviewed under a formal process, but it struggled to grow due to its rigorous editorial standards. Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, the main figures behind Nupedia, sought a more dynamic approach to content creation. On January 10, 2001, Sanger proposed the idea of a wiki as a "feeder" project for Nupedia, which led to the launch of Wikipedia on January 15, 2001.
Initially, Wikipedia was a single English-language edition with few rules and operated independently of Nupedia. The name "Wikipedia" was a blend of "wiki" and "encyclopedia," reflecting its collaborative nature. The project quickly gained contributors from Nupedia, Slashdot postings, and web search engine indexing, leading to the creation of language editions starting in March 2001.
Rapid Growth and Challenges
Wikipedia's growth was exponential in its early years. By the end of 2004, there were 161 language editions. The English Wikipedia reached a significant milestone on September 9, 2007, when it surpassed two million articles, making it the largest encyclopedia ever assembled. This growth was not without challenges. Concerns over commercial advertising led to a fork by Spanish Wikipedia users, resulting in the creation of Enciclopedia Libre in 2002. In response, Wales announced that Wikipedia would not display advertisements and changed its domain from wikipedia.com to wikipedia.org.
Despite its success, Wikipedia faced a decline in the number of active editors around 2007. The reasons included increased coordination and overhead costs, exclusion of newcomers, and resistance to new edits. By 2013, the average number of new articles added daily had decreased significantly.
Wikipedia Today
Today, Wikipedia is a global phenomenon, available in over 340 languages and attracting more than 1.5 billion unique device visits per month. It has been praised for democratizing knowledge and criticized for systemic biases. The Wikimedia Foundation, an American nonprofit organization, hosts Wikipedia and relies on donations to fund its operations.
Wikipedia's journey from a small project to a global encyclopedia is a testament to the power of collaboration and the internet's ability to connect people worldwide. Despite challenges, it continues to evolve, adapting to the changing landscape of information sharing and remaining a vital resource for millions of users.
