PediaPress, VDM Publishing, Making money off Wikipedians' work? Options Rating

[HRIP7]

Interesting thread on the Foundation list.

What with about 150,000 Wikipedia books out by the Alphascript and Betasricpt imprints of VDM Publishing (nudging towards 10% of the 2 million book titles that amazon offers), Pediapress keeping 90% of the proceeds they make off the Wikipedia book feature in the left sidebar, the issue of who makes money off Wikipedians' work (while the Foundation asks the public for donations) will no doubt gain in importance over the coming years.

Isn't it funny that all these companies are German? I wonder who in Wikimedia Germany has a finger in those pies.

This issue has a greater potential for killing Wikipedia than poor administration, porn scandals and BLP disasters taken together. The moment "teh community" realises they work their butts off to make some fat cat fatter, the air will go out of the balloon.

[EricBarbour]

As SlimVirgin asked:

Wikipedians who have been paid for writing articles (including policy-compliant ones) have been
blocked or ostracized. They've not been offered sidebar access by the Foundation.

Can the Foundation please explain how Brainbot/Pediapress was chosen?

I, too, would like to hear the answer to those little questions........

This post has been edited by EricBarbour:

[Milton Roe]

As SlimVirgin asked:

Wikipedians who have been paid for writing articles (including policy-compliant ones) have been
blocked or ostracized. They've not been offered sidebar access by the Foundation.

Can the Foundation please explain how Brainbot/Pediapress was chosen?

I, too, would like to hear the answer to those little questions........

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/ohmy.gif) Slim is vaguely alluding to the mistreatment of the Unkohser One Who Must Not Be Named. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/wtf.gif)

If she actually names Kohs, and pushes his case, my head may explode.

(IMG:http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll191/Shrlocc/headexplode.jpg)

[thekohser]

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/ohmy.gif) Slim is vaguely alluding to the mistreatment of the Unkohser One Who Must Not Be Named. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/wtf.gif)

If she actually names Kohs, and pushes his case, my head may explode.

If Slim keeps going on like this, we may one day see a sidebar link for "Ask Wikipedia Review to create this article" whenever you land on a red-link page.

[Jon Awbrey]

(IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/ohmy.gif) Slim is vaguely alluding to the mistreatment of the Unkohser One Who Must Not Be Named. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/wtf.gif)

If she actually names Kohs, and pushes his case, my head may explode.

If Slim keeps going on like this, we may one day see a sidebar link for “Ask Wikipedia Review to create this article” whenever you land on a red-link page.

No doubt they'll sent out a RFP and take competitive bids.

Jon (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/tongue.gif)