Business plans:MyWikicities/Village pump discussion


 * From Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Village pump (proposals), 02:31, 22 May 2005 (UTC)

A proposal for another revenue stream for Wikipedia
Apologies if this has been discussed before.

I am not a html programmer, nor do I have any skills in creating web pages. I have skills as a writer, and I also am experienced in how to make and edit Wikipedia pages. The problem is that my User Page has essentially become my home page. Realising this about 4-5 months ago, I purchased my own web domain with the intention of using Wikimedia as the way to create my own web pages. Problems ensued - my ISP doesn't support LAMP for hosting and another hosting organisation were willing to do it, but I would be responsible for setting up and maintaining the Wikimedia software. Easy for some, but too much work for me.

And then the idea came to me this morning - why don't I approach Wikipedia and ASK if I can purchase my own home page? It would mean that I would be using the Wikimedia engine already running and being maintained by Wikipedia, but would have my own space to "do my own thing", including the posting of copyrighted information.

And then of course the idea went out further. Wikihome - a wiki-based home page organisation, or even Wikiblog. The idea being that anyone, especially Wikipedia contributors, can have their own little "space" on Wikipedia that they can call theirs. I, for one, would be more than willing to pay for it. Many people pay for their own websites, so they would be happy to pay Wikipedia for the right to have their own wikispace - a page that can ONLY be modified by the user and anyone that he/she has given the password to. Obviously there would be limits, including Mb, but there naturally would be a pricing system that would cope with it.

And the great thing is that this system can be used as a potential revenue stream for Wikipedia. Wikipedia is so big now, and has so many contributors, that "Economies of scale" could make it very profitable - which, of course, is channeled back into Wikipedia.

The advantages for people like me (and others who might be interested) are as follows:
 * A page editing system that is identical to Wikipedia editing.
 * A homepage that is hosted by a very large, well known and (supposedly) trustworthy internet phenomenon.
 * The satisfaction of paying fees for a service that is used to support a charitable organisation.
 * The satisfaction of NOT having to deal with local ISP and hosting services that don't understand LAMP or are unwilling to support Wikimedia.

Advertising is simple. A small ad would appear on every page of Wikipedia, including the front page. Since the advert is for a Wikipedia-based activity, it should not be classed as "corporate advertising" as such. Users would then click on it and find out about Wikipedia's hosting services. Stern-but-friendly messages would also be sent to users like myself who have gobbled up a bit too much of Wikipedia's space for their own ends, telling them to either reduce the size of the user page or purchase space on wikihome/wikiblog for a very competitive price.

The cost for Wikipedia itself would be minimal. Essentially the exact same software is used, although users would have security measures in place to prevent others from modifying their wikihome/wikiblog page.

I would, for one, be willing to pay Wikipedia for my own "Wikihome" page. Anyone else?

--One Salient Oversight 00:54, 10 May 2005 (UTC)


 * You're confusing Wikimedia with MediaWiki. MediaWiki might be the software you want to use, but that doesn't make Wikimedia a suitable host, since the Foundation have the goal of providing free educational content and reference materials, not home pages. Since you want "a page that can ONLY be modified by the user", what is the advantage of using wiki software for this? Angela. 22:50, May 13, 2005 (UTC)


 * See Wikicities.-gadfium 01:17, 10 May 2005 (UTC)


 * Wikicities doesn't meet the critieria; it is still publically editable and subject to the GNU license. What I would like is a protected version where only trusted members can edit (and perhaps only trust members can view) and I own the copyright.  I actually suggested this to Google at their suggestions box as a logical extension of Google-groups.  I didn't think to suggest that here.  Samw 00:11, 12 May 2005 (UTC)


 * I just checked Wikicities and yes, my desire for a personal homepage would not fit their criteria. Moreover I can't see any section that seems to indicate pricing either. My idea is not to charge nothing for a heavily regulated something, but to charge something for a fairly secure and "owned" something. --One Salient Oversight 08:30, 12 May 2005 (UTC)


 * There isn't any section that indicates pricing because all the wikis hosted there are free. Angela. 22:50, May 13, 2005 (UTC)


 * There essentially needs to be another wiki created - Mywiki. Each person purchasing a Mywiki contract has to pay x amount for a certain mb size, with extra charges each time they exceed a certain limit. Only the owner of the contract can modify and change the text (and anyone he gives the password to). There will also be protected pages that only a correct password will allow entry for. Unless specified, all information provided by the owner will not be subject to the GNUFDL. I would be happy to pay Wikicities a yearly sum if I could have my own personal Wiki Page there. --One Salient Oversight 08:37, 12 May 2005 (UTC)


 * I've started a proposal at http://scratchpad.wikicities.com/wiki/Business_plans:MyWikicities and notified the Wikicities administrator. Samw 21:48, 13 May 2005 (UTC)


 * Wikicities aims to support communities, not provide web hosting for individuals or small groups. I don't really see the point in a wiki that isn't editable. If it's locked, why use a wiki at all, and if it's not, who is going to manage the spam and vandalism it will attract if there is no community behind it to monitor the site? Angela. 22:50, May 13, 2005 (UTC)