SCIFIPEDIA vs. Wikipedia February 23, 2007
Posted by showmescifi in jedi, klingon, scifi, SCIFIPEDIA, sith, Star Trek, Star Wars, stargate, stargate atlantis, stargate sg1, startrek, starwars, wikipedia.trackback
SciFi.com is now actively promoting its own SciFi wiki called SciFipedia. It’s an effort to build out a complete ‘encyclopedia’ of SciFi shows, characters, games and other such trivia.
SciFi.com is expecting/hoping that people will freely give up their time and knowledge to help build out the content. Not a bad idea and one that Wikipedia has proven works.
There is a big glaring monstrous problem with it though.
If you look closely at SciFipedia’s pages in particular the Terms of Use it becomes very apparent that Scifipedia is nothing like Wikipedia. First off Scifipedia content is not licensed under any real open content license like Creative Commons or the GNU Free Documentation License. What that means in normal human speak is that you can’t freely use any content from Scifipedia.
USE OF SCIFIPEDIA CONTENT
Except as described in this Terms of Use, you agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, create derivative works from, perform, sell, resell or exploit SCIFIPEDIA or any portion of SCIFIPEDIA (including any promotions and advertisements for SCIFIPEDIA) (collectively “SCIFIPEDIA”), without express written permission from SCIFIPEDIA.
Wikipedia is totally different in that the GNU Free Documentation license and Creative Commons licenses are all about letting information be free. Part of the incentive of contribution is knowing that you’re setting information free for any/all to benefit from.
Speaking of contributions, at Wikipedia anyone can contribute at any time. There is no need to register if you don’t want too. I’ve contributed many hundreds of entries to wikipedia and have never once registered.
With Scifipedia you have to register or you can’t contribute.
The policy for SCIFIPEDIA is that only registered members will be allowed to contribute entries. The registration will be handled though the SCIFI.COM main website, and registered SCIFI.COM members need only log in. A name and email address will be required, and you’ll need to follow an authentication procedure to become a registered member.
Bummer.
Then last but perhaps most importantly is the fact that Scifipedia has only 4,710 entries or 
so. Wikipedia greatly outstrips that already, containing the same and alot more in SciFi than SciFipedia.
So what am I saying?
I’m saying if you’re going to give of your own free time and will to help enrich and educate why not do so in the most free, most collaborative and most used media the world has ever known. Forget about scifipedia – contribute to Wikipedia.
Show Me SciFi 
There’s actually another sci-fi wiki out there called fancruft.net, it’s like scifipedia except for two things, 1. It was made to save articles that are being deleted and cut down from wikipedia and 2.It uses a GNU public license. It also tries to promote other genre wikis. Just FYI.
I am fortunate that I found this blog, just the right information that I was trying to find!
I got what you mean, thanks for posting. I am blissful to find this website via search engines.
stretch mark treatment
SCIFIPEDIA vs. Wikipedia | Show Me SciFi