WIKIPEDIA
WIKIPEDIA is a free-content, multilingual online encyclopedia written and maintained by a community of volunteers through a model of open collaboration. It was officially launched on January 15, 2001, by JIMMY-WALES and LARRY-SANGER. The project is hosted and managed by the WIKIMEDIA-FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization headquartered in the United States. According to the official about page, the site aims to provide the sum of all human knowledge to every person on the planet for free.
Content and Governance
The platform operates using MEDIAWIKI software, which allows for version control and collaborative editing. Articles on WIKIPEDIA are expected to adhere to a NEUTRAL-POINT-OF-VIEW policy, ensuring that diverse perspectives are represented fairly. Most content is licensed under the CREATIVE-COMMONS Attribution-ShareAlike License, facilitating widespread redistribution and adaptation. Research cited by Nature has historically compared its accuracy in scientific entries to that of the ENCYCLOPEDIA-BRITANNICA.
Global Impact
With over 60 million articles in more than 300 languages, WIKIPEDIA has become one of the most visited websites globally. It serves as a primary source for DIGITAL-LITERACY and academic research, despite ongoing debates regarding the reliability of user-generated content. The community of WIKIPEDIANS continues to expand the database, covering topics ranging from history and science to pop culture and current events.