Wikipedia is one of the most used websites, yet one of the most unreliable at the same time. Personally, I like to use Wikipedia to discover new information, however I then have to check the validity of it since anyone using the internet is able to change the information to whatever they want. Ever since high school, I have always been told not to use Wikipedia for any type of paper I am writing, since it is an open site for anyone to edit. However, its hard not to use it because when someone tells you not to, it makes you want to use it even more. What makes it even harder not to use the website is that generally when you type something into your search engine, Wikipedia is most likely one of your first options to choose. I do like to read Wikipedias to gain some general knowledge of the subject, then find my research elsewhere.
I learned that Wikipedia is ran by a non-profit organization- The Wikimedia Foundation. Wikipedia makes revenue by purchasing new servers to keep it running. The Wikimedia Foundation also relies on public donations, which come from fundraising that happens about three to four times a year. Wikimedia also recieves grants and corporation sponsors. It just amazes me how to site can mantain its stability without the use of advertising, which you rarely ever see. People who write for Wikipedia are called "Wikipedians". Anyone who wants to write for Wikipedia is allowed to, and you can post whatever you want. The number of "named accounts" is currently at 15,518,247; however only a minority of these accounts are accessed frequently to create and edit Wikipedia pages. As if that number isn't big enough already, there is also a large number of unknown , unregistered Wikipedians that contribute to the site. After a conducted survey as to why people contribute to Wikipedia, the main response was simply just a leasurely activity, and are motivated internally by feeling "efficacious and self confident."
Lastly, there are five pillars to Wikipedia which consist of:
Blue Pillar: Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia
Green Pillar: Wikipedia is written from a neutral point of view
Yellow Pillar: Wikipedia is free content that anyone can edit, use, modify, and distribute
Orange Pillar: Editors should interact with each other in a respectful and civil manner
Red Pillar: Wikipedia does not have firm rules
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