Week9 -- Class Discussion-CUI ZAN
Learning to Say Thanks on Wikipedia
1）Summary
This week, I tried something a bit different during class—I used the WikiLove feature for the first time. I’d seen other Wikipedians send each other cute icons and little thank-you notes before, and I always thought it was fun, but I never really knew how to do it myself. Most of the time, editing on Wikipedia feels pretty serious and factual, so being able to interact with someone by sending a silly little picture actually made the platform feel a bit more human.
2) Interesting points
It made me think—maybe Wikipedia isn’t just about getting the facts right. Yes, accuracy matters, but so does the experience of editing together, even if we don’t talk to each other directly. WikiLove is such a small feature, but it made me feel more connected to the community. I’m starting to realize that even though we’re all just usernames on a page, there are real people behind each one, quietly building something together. That’s something I didn’t really feel at the beginning, but now I do.
3）Question
For a long time after I started editing Wikipedia, I thought WikiLove was something only used by editors who already knew each other—like a feature for people in the same circle. I just didn’t feel like I was part of that group. But it turns out it’s simply a way to say, “Hey, I saw what you did,” even if it’s something really small. I think that’s kind of cool—because even people you’ve never met can notice your contributions, and that kind of recognition makes you feel a little less alone.
At first, I also thought WikiLove was something only used between people who already knew each other — like a feature for insiders. So I never really considered using it myself. But later I realized it’s just a way to say, “I noticed what you did,” even if it’s something small. Even strangers can use it to show appreciation, and that kind of recognition feels really warm — it makes you feel less alone.
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