Re: Apple II Wikipedia articles

["Gabriel" <usenet@gamoe.net>]

I see that I have yet to win over quite a few Apple II enthusiasts
here. You can do as you like, but I'd like to make some things clear.

First off, PZ, and anyone else who has even a passing interest in what
Apple2Guide.net is all about.-- Please take a look at this:

http://Apple2Guide.net/index.php?title=Writing_Guidelines

I spent last night writing this because of some concerns that were
expressed about Apple2Guide.net's purpose and my own need to clarify
this.

Secondly, thanks for the encouraging words, Warren. I also find it a
bit disappointing and perhaps wasteful when we're dissipating our
efforts like this, but every one's got a right to choose, and choice,
in the end is good. As far as copying content from Apple2Guide.net for
the Wikipedia-- in a way I'm flattered, though I can see how it can be
seen as a "slap in the face".

However, it is a condition of the license I/we chose to write under. On
the other hand, we can just take any Wikipedia article right back-- and
I will as I see fit. However, I won't be copying whole articles over
anymore. I've decided it's not a good idea.

Now PZ, Michael, Mitchell-- you talk about Wikipedia and wiki books as
the end-all be all of encyclopedic sites. You say all the pros, but you
don't seem to see the negatives, and there are negatives. You seem to
have trouble putting your trust in me-- you say you don't know me, PZ.
But do you personally know the people in charge of keeping and
maintaining the Wikipedia? Sure it's big. It's gigantic! And it's a
great site and resource, but I don't see why they're substantially more
secure than Apple2Guide.net for our purposes.

And Mitchell, though it's true I did make a big mistake with the
database, I've learned my lesson and I've been backing up regularly
since then. I would have hoped that my decision to pay up and restore
the database and continue to maintain it would have given you back some
faith in my determination to maintain and continue Apple2Guide.net.

Remember, the Wikipedia is a huge target and it's not invulnerable. In
fact, it's frequently blocked and censored by some because some idiot
disagrees with some political, social or sexual idea expressed within.
An independent Apple II-only site like Apple2Guide.net would never have
those sorts of problems and controversies.

There are other cons too, but I have to desire to get into an even more
lengthy reply right now. I doubt it would do any good anyway. But
consider this-- If only to keep the spirit of the Internet, where
everyone and anyone can have their own site, independent of one
another-- where we don't have to count on only one resource for
everything. If only for that reason, Apple2Guide.net is worthwhile.

Why do I have to count on one specific organization, on some servers I
have no control or say over, for all of my encyclopedic needs? Is it
possible that there is no room for independent Apple II enthusiast
sites of encyclopedic nature? I say "phooey!" to that and I will
defiantly hold my ground on this one-- even if it does cost me money,
time and effort. It's worthwhile to me.

In addition, Apple2Guide.net is beginning to grow and be heard of. We
were recently listed on Woz.org as the "current favorite link"!

And sure Michael, you could see the whole Internet as one big
giga-reference. Except that the load is distributed among many
countless of servers and sites. If one site goes down, the whole
Internet doesn't go down with it.

Mitchell Spector wrote:

> I dislike that other
> people can modify your writings in negative ways (I've had my articles
> vandalized, or in the case of the introduction write up for the Apple II
> series, completely removed and erased). I'm also finding they're overly
> picky with photograph copyrights on Wikipedia, even when you've
> obtained written permission.

And yet these are problems which as of now, do not exist on
Apple2Guide.net. Since I turned off guest editing, the SPAM has stopped
and I'm not like that about photos, because I know for one most people
actually ask permission and I trust people when they say so, because
it's a smaller community with a different feel than the massive
Wikipedia which has to worry about multi-million dollar lawsuits. I
doubt anyone's foolish enough to try to extort money from me, because I
don't have much to be extorted in the first place.

And again I am somewhat mystified as to this enormous doubt about
myself and Apple2Guide.net. I started The Apple II Beginner's Guide in
1999, almost two years before the Wikipedia even existed! Have you
considered that fact? If I ever did for some mysterious, unlikely
reason lose interest in the project or were unable to further maintain
it, I would hand it over to the community before I'd let it go to
waste.