[WikiEN-l] Why Academics are Useful to Wikipedia

Tue Sep 14 16:02:29 UTC 2004

Jens Ropers wrote:

>> A minimally cheap newly built computer system these days can be easily
>> had for under $500
>
>
> Which is COMPLETELY out of reach for probably well over 90% of the 
> world population. They just can't spare $500. Nevermind electricity 
> (good point).

You seem to either not be reading the email, or entirely missing the 
point.  My point is that they CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A 20-VOLUME 
ENCYCLOPEDIA SET EITHER.  Bold that or underline it or something.

So, we have to buy it for them either way.  My argument is that buying 
them computers, and mailing out periodic CD-ROM updates, is a better 
approach than printing up mailing out periodic encyclopedia sets.  The 
sole caveat is that this applies to places with electricity, as I 
mentioned when I originally suggested the matter.

To summarize what I said 10 posts ago:
In places with electricity, we ought to investigate whether it is 
cheaper to distribute information digitally (including distributing the 
means to read it) than it is to distribute information in paper form.

Does anyone have any objections to that other than the ones I already 
mentioned when I first proposed it?

-Mark