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Nupedia: Announcing a new online encyclopedia (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 09 May 2000 04:53:31 -0500
From: "Dr. Munawar A. Anees" <dranees@compuserve.com>
To: KnowSys <knowsys@usa.net>
Subject: Nupedia: Announcing a new online encyclopedia
Greetings:
A global brain is at work in "building the finest encyclopedia in the
history of humankind!" Nupedia. As a major online undertaking, Nupedia
promises a world of knowledge to the world, free. A statement from Dr.
Larry Sanger, Nupedia Editor-in-Chief, describes at some length what this
ambitious project is all about.
In my capacity as Interim Editor for the Religion section of Nupedia, I
have great pleasure in extending this personal invitation to you to visit
our website: www.nupedia.com for more information about this exciting venture.
Through this announcement, I am soliciting proposals, submissions,
suggestions for potential peer reviewers, writers and copyeditors with a
focus on religion in all its aspects. Please join us and share and
distribute knowledge to a worldwide audience. As Nupedia unfolds,
experience the finest moments in knowledge creation and dissemination.
Blessings of peace.
Dr. Munwar A. Anees
Interim Editor, Religion
Nupedia
<dranees@compuserve.com>
>http://www.nupedia.com/about.html
>Nupedia
>The open content encyclopedia.
>
>
> About Nupedia
>
>Latest Nupedia news is now available <news.htm>here.
>
>What is Nupedia?
>Nupedia is a new online encyclopedia. It will be searchable, and also
>organized hierarchically and alphabetically. Nupedia is "open content";
>we want the contents of the encyclopedia to receive the widest possible
>distribution.
>
>What does it mean to say that Nupedia is "open content"?
>It means that you will be able to use any part of the contents of
>Nupedia.com in any way you see fit, with our compliments. There are just
>two conditions: (1) you must give Nupedia.com prominent mention as the
>source of your material, and (2) you must not attempt to stop anyone else
>from using the material. Those familiar with the "open source" movement
>in software development may immediately understand the tremendous
>implications this has. For more information on this, or if you do intend
>to use materials from Nupedia, please consult the Nupedia
><license.htm>license.
>
>Why a new encyclopedia?
>Our goal is to grow Nupedia indefinitely, to set a new standard for
>breadth, depth, timeliness, and lack of bias, and in the fullness of time
>to become the most comprehensive encyclopedia in the history of
>humankind. Obviously, we're ambitious, but we're also smart, innovative,
>and hard-working. And we have serious, committed, long-term financial
>backing from our parent company and the help of several full-time, paid
>employees.
>
>This is an international effort -- so will you translate articles into
>French, German, etc.?
>Yes, if we can recruit competent volunteer translators for this (as it
>appears we can). We intend to set up our system so that translations into
>any number of different languages are possible.
>
>Who are your editors and writers?
>Most of our subject editors and writers will be experts on the subjects
>they oversee and write about, who have volunteered their time. We
>believe there are three main reasons our contributors will get involved:
>first, they wish to be involved in an encyclopedia project that is, in a
>very real sense, a public and worldwide endeavor; second, they believe
>that their work on the encyclopedia will, very probably, receive very wide
>distribution online and offline (in no small part because Nupedia is open
>content); and, third, they believe the editorial direction and mechanisms
>established by the Nupedia management to be excellent. If there is a
>subject about which you are qualified to write, or you are interested in
>composing brief articles that any articulate person with research skills
>can write, please <join.htm>join us!
>
>We are still looking for highly-qualified experts for a variety of
>steering committees. If you are interested in helping to get Nupedia off
>the ground, please see <steering.htm>this page.
>
>Who directs Nupedia?
>The full-time, paid position of editor-in-chief is held by Larry Sanger,
>who expects his Ph.D. in philosophy from Ohio State in spring
>2000. Larry's specialization is epistemology (the theory of
>knowledge). Nupedia is owned by Bomis, Inc., located in San Diego,
>California. To contact Nupedia please see our <contact.htm>contact page.
>
>How is Nupedia funded?
>Bomis, Inc., which owns Nupedia, is a very profitable Internet portal.
>Fortunately, Bomis has very adequate resources to plow into this project
>without getting any initial return. Eventually, when traffic is built up,
>Nupedia will be self-funded by banner ads.
>
>What sort of editorial policies will Nupedia follow?
>On this please see our <policy.htm>statement of Nupedia.com editorial policy.
>
>For further answers to commonly-asked questions, click through to our
><interview.htm>Q & A about Nupedia. Receive an encyclopedia article in
>your mailbox every morning!
>Just enter your e-mail address.
Nupedia.com building the finest encyclopedia in the history of humankind!
I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against
every form of tyranny upon the mind of man. Thomas Jefferson
