Class system on wikis

Warning: rant.

If there's a class system in normal societies, then surely on an Internet society (like a wiki) there's one too. It looks something like this...

Upper class: Founder, 1st wave contributors

Middle class: 2nd wave contributors

Lower class: New users, or "noobs"

The question is: Is there social mobility?

We could actually conduct a sociological experiment on our own humble wiki.

Inclusionism v. deletionism: an essay by the Telegraph

What Wikipedia would look like if on paper, broken down by qwghlm at Flickr.

Shane Richmond of the Telegraph has decided to address an age-old wiki issue: the battle between inclusionism and deletionism.

The article claims to be about a recently passed music journalist, and how deletionists don't want his page to be kept at Wikipedia. By normal standards this instance is not in the least newsworthy, yet for some reason every so often the mainstream media decide to report this stuff. Stuff that happens every day on Wikipedia.

Whatever, it's as good a reason as any to blast the deletionists. Blast them I say! :)

Deletionists are trapped with an outdated metaphor. They want to make a “quality encyclopaedia”. The notion of quality, like usefulness, is relative. Relevance is a much better measure.

The concept of an encyclopaedia comes from the print age. Limited space meant limited entries, so the notion of ‘notability’ helps when choosing what goes in. Limitations on how often a new edition could be printed meant that accuracy was all important. You don’t want your encyclopaedia to be filled with mistakes.

True, but paper-based encyclopedias took a select group of people years to write. Wikipedia has millions of editors so it's not always possible to police absolutely everything, not least verifiability.

In summary, you journalists should forget Wikipedia and concentrate on Illogicopedia.

(Not) An obvious waste of time

Hopefully by now you have read the title of this blog. Now, you don't really know what to think, do you? Is this blog going to be a waste of my time, or is it going to be the exact opposite? The answer, my Friend, lies in the next few paragraphs. If you wish to continue reading, go right ahead. If you would rather go jump off a bridge into a lake, I highly recommend that you don't; rather you should go pop some popcorn, sit down in your most comfortable chair, and prepare to read this blog.

So, let's get started. This blog has been titled "(Not) An obvious waste of time", which begs the question: Is this blog going to be important? Before we get to that answer, let's look at the indisputable facts. First off, you have chosen to read this far into the blog. In your mind you have seemed to have collected enough brain power to assume this article has some importance/value, or else you would not have read this far. This may lead us to answer the previous question, but that, my friend, would be moving several steps ahead. We have to look at all of the possible angles in this question, and there are many. Let's move on to the next: The content thus far has shown some importance (Or so you think). Now, the previous statement would convince anyone with an IQ lower than 152 that the blog itself serves some sort of importance, but would they be right? Just look back at the statements you have read thus far. Obvious fact, elegant speech (If I don't say so myself), and none other than constant ramblings persisting of the same ideas and concepts. Now, the continue talk of one simple subject may in fact lead you to believe that this blog is a little too focused, but is it really? The answer, my friend, is no; it is really more concerned of answering one simple question: Is this blog going to be important? And you may be thinking after all of the conversing that we should really reach a conclusion of the matter. However, there is more that needs to be said. Most of you are probably thinking something along the lines of "Why doesn't this bastard answer the question?" and I do not blame, mainly because I am asking myself the same. Why don't I stop? Why do I keep typing? I am doing this merely to blind you, to make you feel as though what you are reading serves a purpose. I am convincing you of a falsehood as you continue reading, and each word you read makes you one step closer to becoming brain-washed by my rather unorganized conspiracy. So, as you have asked before, Is this blog going to be important?, the answer is no.

That being stated, let us move on to the next element of which this blog is composed. This blog is trying to entice you to read even more than before, and evermore having you join the group of people who have become one of us. So, you may be thinking that I am writing this as an attempt to make you join a feeble conspiracy, but you would in fact be wrong. I am merely trying to improve your knowledge of why I really wrote this blog. This is not a conspiracy, it is a mere attempt to make you do something you do not want to. That last croup of words would convince the normal person that this is a conspiracy, but as a matter of fact that person is a lot less smart than me or you. That person has come into this place and stated a falsehood; and evil, evil falsehood that should never be mentioned again. The perosn who stated it should be removed, and we should all continue in this informational conversation

If you have read this far, I truly applaud you. Many would have stopped far before this, somewhere near the beginning. Reading this is a great accomplishment, but there is something else you should take into consideration: Imagine writing it. Oh yes, just when you thought this blog couldn't require any more thought, here comes the inevitable question of writing. Writing has a way of doing such things, such evil, menacing things. Yet, every day we use, rely on it, love. To me this makes no more sense than dollar bill printing machine. However, it remains as one of life's big questions that goes unanswered. Now back to the point.

At the beginning of this article, you were debating over yourself whether youu should keep reading, and whether this article would be a waste of time. It has finally come time to reveal these answers... after yet another paragrpah of debate. Now I'm not trying to displease you, in fact, I'm trying quite the opposite. I'm trying to improve your ratioal thinking abilities ina clever, entertaining way, but to many of you thick-minded people this may not be the best method to entertaain. However, in my opinion, this is the best way to get a person to enjoy themselves. You read novels, you get so deeply engaged... but what about blogs? have you ever tried with a mere blog? If you have not, you should attempt now, for this is no less than a golden opportunity to do so. Bond with this blog, enjoy it, and secretly try to take the mysteries of it out of it's back pocket when it's not looking. Yes, I'm am telling you to go further into the blog, further into your thought... but the real question is: What for? This is a good question one should ask themselves as they are reading this. Why do I continue to read? What is in it for me? Will the question ever get answered? And all of those questions, my friend, are about to be answered.

You have asked yourself: Is the blog a waste of time? And the answer is yes, it is a waste of time. I'm glad you read it all the way through.

The Illogicopedian Times - July 2, 09

Readmesoon has taken it upon himself to produce a brand new version of the Illogicopedian Times. It works just like the Uncyclo Times... in fact it's a blatant rip-off, but who cares? Whaddaya gonna do, sue me?

Just click the image below to view the first issue.


You can sign up to receive the latest issues of the IllogiTimes before everyone else here, or just check the Illogiblog for updates. Microsoft Paint rules!

Why, we have a new blogger!

Has IllogiBlog been running slow as of late? Is there a lack of consistent bloggers? Do you think this blog needs more activity? Well for not! Because....

READMESOON IS NOW AN ILLOGIBLOGGER!!

So. Yes. Now that Readmsoon is here all of your problems are solved. Huzzah, and have a good day. Sort of.

Readmesoon

Hey, I just noticed something.

It can only be a coincidence, surely?

Welcome, noobs!

And yes, according to those people that make up dictionaries, that is a legitimate word. At least in their insane little brains.

I would like to personally welcome everyone finding Illogicopedia for the first time this month. We seem to have had a massive influx of users of late, and we have certain long-term Illogicopedians to thank for directing them this way. You know who you are and you shall be rewarded in time.

Meanwhile, Jumbly is almost upon us and I still haven't booked my summer holiday. Be sure to secure yours now!

Elsewhere, stuff is happening, like a hi-tech front page revamp. It's received mixed reviews so far, but you shall not argue with the penguin or ye shall be sat upon! In other words, the pop-up CSS front page continues to be trialled. I think it's pretty jazzy but a bit experimental as of yet.

The podcast is on hiatus. Well, I knew this would happen, but other things have got in the way, and besides, we needs more content for it. Send me stuff and Illogicast #2 can be released sometime before Ergust 2020. I'll be blowed if I can think of another gimmick to make up 10-15 mins of the podcast.

Whisper it quietly, but Illogico is rapidly catching Wikipedia.

Illogicopedia.org status report 15th June 2009

Date: 15/6/09
Months active: 30
Users: approx 50 active, actual number over 100
Main page views: Since independence - 32,000
Articles: 5,700
Casualties: Too many to count
Cheese sandwiches made: Over nine thousand
Alexa Ranking: Top 600,000

Previous status report:

Date: 20/3/07
Months active: 2 and a half
Users: approx 35
Main page views: 3,500
Articles: 428
Casualties: 32
Cheese sandwiches made: Loads
Alexa Ranking: N/A

Wow, it's been more than two years since the last report. Meh.