DeclinetoState
05-07-2008, 12:02 AM
It seems a debate is brewing in the "Wikipedia-sphere" surrounding the commercialization and the soon-to-be-made profit from the voluntarily written and edited online encyclopedia web site. For the first time, a major publisher has made plans to print out and sell popular articles from the site, leaving many wondering if the content's writers are being scammed out of royalties to which they are due. Wikipedia, the Print Edition
A major German publisher, Bertelsmann (http://www.bertelsmann.de/), has announced plans to print a book called "The One-Volume Wikipedia Encyclopedia," which goes on sale this September for 19.95 euros (around $32 U.S.). The book will feature some of the year's most popular articles. Says Dr. Varnhorn, the editor in charge of Bertelsmann's reference works, in a recent NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/business/media/23wiki.html?ex=1366689600&en=0b9d088ca6cf8569&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink), "We think of it as an online encyclopedic yearbook." A statement that foreshadows the possibility of this book becoming the first of many annually printed editions.
Is this legal? Yes. Apparently, the material on the Wikipedia site is free for use given that you cite Wikipedia as the source. In addition, Bertelsmann will pay the foundation one euro for every copy sold.
But where does this leave the scores of writers who voluntarily gave their time to help in the creation of an online reference, something which they had believed to be a noble effort? Mark O'Neill of Now Sourcing (http://nowsourcing.com/blog/2008/05/06/german-wikipedia-rip-off/) believes he knows exactly where this leaves those writers: ripped off. More (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/wikipedia_gets_published_should_writers_get_paid.p hp)
A major German publisher, Bertelsmann (http://www.bertelsmann.de/), has announced plans to print a book called "The One-Volume Wikipedia Encyclopedia," which goes on sale this September for 19.95 euros (around $32 U.S.). The book will feature some of the year's most popular articles. Says Dr. Varnhorn, the editor in charge of Bertelsmann's reference works, in a recent NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/business/media/23wiki.html?ex=1366689600&en=0b9d088ca6cf8569&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink), "We think of it as an online encyclopedic yearbook." A statement that foreshadows the possibility of this book becoming the first of many annually printed editions.
Is this legal? Yes. Apparently, the material on the Wikipedia site is free for use given that you cite Wikipedia as the source. In addition, Bertelsmann will pay the foundation one euro for every copy sold.
But where does this leave the scores of writers who voluntarily gave their time to help in the creation of an online reference, something which they had believed to be a noble effort? Mark O'Neill of Now Sourcing (http://nowsourcing.com/blog/2008/05/06/german-wikipedia-rip-off/) believes he knows exactly where this leaves those writers: ripped off. More (http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/wikipedia_gets_published_should_writers_get_paid.p hp)