As if to address Stan’s concerns one of cofounders of Wikipedia announced of the plan to launch a competitive product – Citizendium (URL below):

 

Though still open to submissions from anyone, the power to authorise articles will be given to editors who can prove their expertise, as well as a group of volunteer “constables”, charged with keeping the peace between warring interests.

…

Asked in an e-mail exchange how such disagreements should be resolved, Mr Wales replied: “With strong support for individual rights, and respect for reason.” His e-mail went on: “It is the fundamental responsibility of every individual to- think-, to- judge-, to-decide-. We must never abdicate that responsibility, not to the collective, not to Britannica, not to Wikipedia, not to anyone.”

 

Note naïve “who can prove their expertise” and volunteer “constables”. Volunteer indeed.

 

It is true that current Wikipedia at least  in some controversial topics became Kinbotopedia. At the same time these modern age cyber controvercies make me pause on “better” in “for better or worse, it is the commentator who has the last word”. Sometimes for better indeed as careful reader of PF will attest. And I doubt that “volunteer constables” will know the difference. It is worth mentioning that VN lended some of his ideas to Kinbote. May be even worth an effort to compare them with what was given to Shade.

 

- George