week3: read Chapter 2 -- LAOXINYI

 1）Summary

      This article discusses the evolution of the dream of a universal encyclopedia from the Enlightenment era to the present. It traces the ideas of thinkers like Paul Otlet and H.G. Wells, who proposed the vision of global knowledge sharing, particularly how new technologies such as microfilm and radio could be used to promote global peace and knowledge dissemination. As technology advanced in the 20th century, digital platforms like Wikipedia became a reality of this knowledge-sharing dream. The article also explores how the internet and digital technology have impacted information storage and management, especially how Wikipedia’s open collaborative model has enabled global knowledge dissemination.


2）Interesting Point

        - Paul Otlet’s Vision: I learned that Paul Otlet, as early as the 20th century, was trying to create a global knowledge database using technologies like index cards and microfilm, which provided an early framework for modern digital databases and Wikipedia’s collaborative model. 

         - H.G. Wells' “World Brain” Concept: Wells’ concept of a global encyclopedia was fascinating, where he envisioned a world resource that could be continuously updated using new technologies like microfilm. This idea is similar to today’s Wikipedia, emphasizing global knowledge sharing.

         - GNUPedia and Stallman’s Proposal: Richard Stallman’s GNUPedia project, which aimed to create a free, open encyclopedia under the GNU free software foundation, was interesting, even though it was eventually overtaken by Wikipedia. It reflected early discussions around decentralized knowledge-sharing models and their application in modern digital projects.


3）Discussion

       Why did Wikipedia's open editing model succeed while other earlier similar projects such as Interpedia did not?

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