Wikipedia paved the way for online encyclopedias, showing how it’s possible to build a huge database of shared knowledge online without the need for hundreds of dedicated researchers. But the reliance on the public now means the site has major issues. Could the Enyclopedia Britannica’s methods prove more fruitful?

The Encyclopedia Britannica was at one time the pinnacle of a human knowledge database, allowing ordinary people access to a wealth of information. But the Web changed everything, giving those same ordinary people a chance to access an inordinate amount of information without the need for a hefty bookshelf.

Wikipedia is the online equivalent of the Britannica, providing a central depository for all that wisdom about people, places, and events. But the Encyclopedia Britannica is gradually moving on to the Web and bringing its huge experience and knowledge base with it.

We’ve already seen that there are now over a billion people online, and that huge number of Web citizens are a valuable tool to those that choose to use them. Wikipedia already does this, allowing anyone and everyone to add their input to a page dedicated to a certain subject. Although the free-for-all mentality could soon be rescinded.

April, 2008 saw the introduction of Britannica Webshare, a way of allowing people with the most need for it, access to the Britannica. There is now a free version and a premium paid version of the site, which is why the completely free Wikipedia is maintaining its stranglehold on visitors.

But the Encyclopedia Britannica is trying to mimic Wikipedia in some ways, recently announcing plans to allow more people to contribute to the articles on the site. According to The Times, the 2,500 to 4,500 experts who currently write the bulk of the content will be retained but in an effort to embrace Web 2.0, users will now be able to submit revisions for review.

Importantly, unlike Wikipedia’s efforts to be open source, the Encyclopedia Britannica will still maintain a vice-like grip on all additions to the site. Each proposed edit will be fact-checked and vetted before making it anywhere near the public domain.

There have been calls for Wikipedia to take a similar course of action for awhile now, and it finally looks like it’s about to do just that. But it could find it has serious competition from the increasingly useful Encyclopedia Britannica online.

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Entry was posted on Saturday, January 24th, 2009 at 10:13 pm under Internet, Opinion, Technology.

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