Wikipedia: Powered by Open Source

 

 




With over 6 million articles and more than 500 million unique visitors a month, Wikipedia is undoubtedly one of the most valuable resources on the internet. But have you ever wondered what makes this online encyclopedia possible? While its volunteer editors play a significant role in creating and maintaining its content, it’s largely thanks to open source software that Wikipedia is able to operate efficiently.

Open source refers to any software whose code can be accessed, modified, and distributed freely among users. This approach stands in contrast to proprietary software where access to the code is restricted. The advantages of using open source go beyond just cost savings; it also promotes transparency, security, innovation, collaboration and community development.

Perhaps the most notable example of how Wikimedia (the organization behind Wikipedia) uses open source technology dates back all away from when Jimmy Wales founded Nupedia – an attempted predecessor website for collaboratively editing encyclopedic articles - only for them realize they encountered serious issues with their assigned review process as well as getting experts interested or even submitting articles at all despite attracting many highly educated volunteers around general polishing tasks such as copyediting). In response Wales began developing WikiWikiWeb – which allowed anyone with web access could edit pages quickly without requiring prior authorization- using two pieces of open source software: the wiki engine and the web server.

Today, Wikipedia uses a variety of open source tools such as:

1. MediaWiki – A free and open-source software package used to power Wikipedia’s website. Built on top of PHP language it is constantly updated by its large community which helps improve its functionality.

2. Apache - An HTTP server that runs in 65% of all websites including Wikimedia Foundation sites like Wikipedia.org or Wiktionary.org

3. MySQL – The most popular database management system out there with an estimated 44% market share among users worldwide (as per db-engines.com) -used to store, retrieve, edit data from Wikimedia projects databases

4. Linux operating system- Used for all servers running on over thousands machines providing storage as well application services internally at WMF offices alongside developers boards/ personal desktops thus keeping operations near entirely centralized.


The use of these technologies ensures that the platform remains accessible to anyone who wishes to contribute information or knowledge without any restrictions while maintaining quality control measures through editors’ interventions similar backbones and automations.
 
It's not just about reducing costs; using open source technology promotes transparency, security innovation collaboration within communities supporting different missions around various areas - In fact some estimates suggest these initiatives are typically steered by people passionate about the cause, rather than just a profit motive. Wikimedia continues to follow this philosophy in their mission as an open source organization and community.

Moreover, one of the key benefits of using open-source software is that it enables customization based on specific needs. This helps WMF achieve its objectives with more ease and flexibility without being constrained by limitations imposed by proprietary technologies.

The use of Open Source Software allows for far greater transparency and trust towards Wikipedia’s content repositories; all changes can be easily tracked down following log trails thereby ensuring full accountability at every stage while also providing a chance for users/developers working within different areas around subject matter knowledge or said domain fields thus greatly expanding Wiki's breadth across languages/cultures too!

In conclusion, Open Source technology plays a crucial role in powering Wikipedia - from enabling fast editing to maintaining security features – it has helped transform Wikimedia into what we know today: A vast online repository filled with accurate information available for free anytime/anywhere!

Popular posts from this blog

Open Source Street Names

Image
  I really didn't know how to title this one. Maybe it should've been "Street Names named after Open Source Projects". Maybe this is unconscious clickbait thing. Anyways, as some of you may know, I am the Chairperson of the Geographic Naming Committee in our Ward (23) at Thembisile Municipality. Actually we don't only do street names, we name other places too. A friend reminded me that with great power comes great responsibility. What has this have to do with Open Source? A friend (Eric Mabena) suggested we name some of the streets after Open Source Projects in order to raise awareness on Open Source Software. We have reached out to the community but not all of it, we still need to do some more selling to this idea but the Committee is on board. We must also look into legality around using trademarked names, Firefox and Red Hat for example. Some of the Street Names suggestions that came out from different people we spoke to that we liked and shortlisted are: 1. Li...
Read more

Unveiling the Backbone of Technology: The Role of Open Source Software in Server Environments

Image
In today's digital age, it is hard to imagine a world without servers. Servers are an integral part of the technology ecosystem and are responsible for storing data, running applications and facilitating communication between devices. What many people may not realize is that most servers use open source software. Open source refers to software that is free to use, modify and distribute. It allows users access to the underlying code which they can then customize as per their needs. The benefits of using open source software in server environments are numerous: Cost-effectiveness: One of the primary advantages of open-source solutions like Linux operating systems or Apache web server is its cost-effective nature. Without any upfront costs associated with licensing fees or vendor lock-in requirements, organizations can easily implement these solutions on top-quality hardware at relatively minimal expense compared to proprietary alternatives. Flexibility: Since anyone has access to the...
Read more

Unveiling KDE Karbon

Image
KDE Karbon is an open-source vector graphics editor that provides users with the ability to create and manipulate various types of graphical content. It was first introduced back in 2003 as part of the KDE Project, which aimed to develop a desktop environment for Linux-based operating systems. Over the years, KDE Karbon has undergone numerous updates and improvements, making it one of the most popular tools among graphic designers and digital artists today. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide on what makes this software so great. A Brief History As mentioned earlier, KDE Karbon was initially released in 2003 under version number 1.0. Since then, several versions have been launched featuring new functionality enhancements including support for SVG files (Scalable Vector Graphics), multi-page documents creation capabilities along with improved layer management functionalities such as grouping layers into folders or hiding them from view when not needed. Features of K...
Read more