Jimmy Wales just tweeted: Ask me anything http://formspring.me/jwales
He's answering questions on that linked site. I figure people here probably have more interesting questions than the fanboy crowd is likely to supply... whether he'd actually answer any of you guys' questions is another story...
Full Version: Ask Jimmy Wales Anything!
QUOTE(dtobias @ Sun 30th May 2010, 4:33pm) 
Jimmy Wales just tweeted: Ask me anything http://formspring.me/jwales
He's answering questions on that linked site. I figure people here probably have more interesting questions than the fanboy crowd is likely to supply... whether he'd actually answer any of you guys' questions is another story...
When are we going to see the BLP of Carolyn Doran? Don't say she'd be "embarrassed." That doesn't stop you with anybody else who is notable.
I think that fits in a TWEET.
The far-reaching goal he sets in this answer is so awe inspiring that it should be the new tagline - Wikipedia, the psuedo-encyclopedia that is mostly pretty good (but be careful using it).
QUOTE
What would you tell to someone that comes in with this "I can't trust a source where everyone is able to make mistakes" prejudice so that he can start trusting a bit more in shared knowledge? Elevator-pitch would be nice 
by k0001
I usually try to explain that, yes, Wikipedia is always a work in progress, that you do need to be careful with it, but that it is mostly pretty good and a great starting point.
by k0001I usually try to explain that, yes, Wikipedia is always a work in progress, that you do need to be careful with it, but that it is mostly pretty good and a great starting point.
QUOTE
If you could have the starring role in one movie what would it be?
The Usual Suspects
The Usual Suspects
The protagonist in that movie is noted for his twisted, convoluted story, made up on the spot while under interrogation.
Perfect for Jimbo.
He answered my question! HE ANSWERED MY QUESTION!
The great Jimmy Wales answered my question! ! ! ! !
The great Jimmy Wales answered my question! ! ! ! !
QUOTE
Which banned user on Wikipedia gave you the most trouble?
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Mon 31st May 2010, 3:28pm)
He answered my question! HE ANSWERED MY QUESTION!
The great Jimmy Wales answered my question! ! ! ! !
QUOTE
Which banned user on Wikipedia gave you the most trouble?
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
You mean he evaded your question.
So now Greg has become "he who shall not be named."
Hey, if Jimmy can do this FormSpring stuff, then so can I!
I am available to answer any and all questions that come to your mind.
I am available to answer any and all questions that come to your mind.
QUOTE(thekohser @ Mon 31st May 2010, 5:10pm)
Hey, if Jimmy can do this FormSpring stuff, then so can I!
I am available to answer any and all questions that come to your mind.
This is working out quite nicely.
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 11:29am)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Mon 31st May 2010, 5:10pm)
Hey, if Jimmy can do this FormSpring stuff, then so can I!
I am available to answer any and all questions that come to your mind.
This is working out quite nicely.
I'll say!
QUOTE
Which babe has the biggest va-va-vooms on Wikipedia? (Hee hee, Greg will never guess who asked this question!)
Depends what you mean by "on" Wikipedia. Do you mean with an article about them? (Pandora Peaks) Or do you mean an active editor? (Raul654)
Depends what you mean by "on" Wikipedia. Do you mean with an article about them? (Pandora Peaks) Or do you mean an active editor? (Raul654)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Mon 31st May 2010, 7:28pm)
The great Jimmy Wales answered my question! ! ! ! !
QUOTE
Which banned user on Wikipedia gave you the most trouble?
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I'm a little bit confused here. Did you in fact want him to name your name?
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 1:47pm)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Mon 31st May 2010, 7:28pm)
The great Jimmy Wales answered my question! ! ! ! !
QUOTE
Which banned user on Wikipedia gave you the most trouble?
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I think it important not to give negative attention to people who have been disruptive, so I'd rather not name names. :-)
I'm a little bit confused here. Did you in fact want him to name your name?
It didn't matter! He could either name names, or he could be an evasive coward. It's a win-win question!
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 5:59pm)
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 1:47pm)
I'm a little bit confused here. Did you in fact want him to name your name?
It didn't matter! He could either name names, or he could be an evasive coward. It's a win-win question!
That's kind of an evasive response.
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 4:06pm)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 5:59pm)
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 1:47pm)
I'm a little bit confused here. Did you in fact want him to name your name?
It didn't matter! He could either name names, or he could be an evasive coward. It's a win-win question!
That's kind of an evasive response.
Well, depending on how you define "want", I guess you could say that I "wanted" him to name my name. But, in a similar sense, I will "want" a turkey sandwich at some point in the next 30 days.
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 1:10pm)
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 4:06pm)
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 5:59pm)
QUOTE(CharlotteWebb @ Tue 1st June 2010, 1:47pm)
I'm a little bit confused here. Did you in fact want him to name your name?
It didn't matter! He could either name names, or he could be an evasive coward. It's a win-win question!
That's kind of an evasive response.
Well, depending on how you define "want", I guess you could say that I "wanted" him to name my name. But, in a similar sense, I will "want" a turkey sandwich at some point in the next 30 days.
Gosh you sure like turkey, don't you?
Gosh Jimbo hates the trailer park address, doesn't he?
So much info, so few BLPs to put it in. But give it time.
So my question (which I will not be asking on formspring) is, why is Jimmy Wales doing this? He doesn't get paid for answering the questions (unless he has some special relationship with formspring that isn't disclosed). Nor does he need the social networking boost or the publicity boost. So why would he participate in such an endeavour? I don't see the upside for him.
QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 4:22pm)
So my question (which I will not be asking on formspring) is, why is Jimmy Wales doing this? He doesn't get paid for answering the questions (unless he has some special relationship with formspring that isn't disclosed). Nor does he need the social networking boost or the publicity boost. So why would he participate in such an endeavour? I don't see the upside for him.
It adds to his "in touch with the people", "I'm very accessible" persona. And, I'll bet that he and the boys in the Wikia Lab have been talking about implementing an identical feature on their WikiaNswers sub-site or similar, so this could be a field trial of some sort.
Nah, that's too deliberate for a man of Jimbo's limited capacity.
Maybe he's hoping for a cute woman to ask him about his favorite Dunedin restaurant.
QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 4:22pm)
So my question (which I will not be asking on formspring) is, why is Jimmy Wales doing this? He doesn't get paid for answering the questions (unless he has some special relationship with formspring that isn't disclosed). Nor does he need the social networking boost or the publicity boost. So why would he participate in such an endeavour? I don't see the upside for him.
Isn't that a little bit like asking why Mandrake is always making those mysterious gestures?
Jon
QUOTE(thekohser @ Tue 1st June 2010, 3:41pm)
It adds to his "in touch with the people", "I'm very accessible" persona. And, I'll bet that he and the boys in the Wikia Lab have been talking about implementing an identical feature on their WikiaNswers sub-site or similar, so this could be a field trial of some sort.
Nah, that's too deliberate for a man of Jimbo's limited capacity.
Formspring appears to be run out of Indianapolis. Has Jimmy been to Indy lately? The only reason that makes sense to me is that he signed up on the site to help them get more buzz ("As used by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales!"). I'd look to see where Formspring's money is coming from, except I'm not that great at that sort of thing; maybe one of you Internet junkies can figure it out. Nah, that's too deliberate for a man of Jimbo's limited capacity.
Addendum: Maybe he signed up to help defend them from Fox News, who is calling them an enabler of cyberbullying. We all know that Jimmy cares deeply about cyberbullying.
QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 9:26pm)
Formspring appears to be run out of Indianapolis. Has Jimmy been to Indy lately? The only reason that makes sense to me is that he signed up on the site to help them get more buzz ("As used by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales!"). I'd look to see where Formspring's money is coming from, except I'm not that great at that sort of thing; maybe one of you Internet junkies can figure it out.
Formspring.me was founded by Ade Olonoh. He raised $2.5 million last year and moved to San Francisco this spring. Before founding the predecessor company formspring.com, Ade worked for the Indianapolis Star.
QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 3:22pm)
. . . (unless he has some special relationship with formspring that isn't disclosed). . . .
"In your heart, you know that's right."
QUOTE(tarantino @ Tue 1st June 2010, 5:22pm)
Formspring.me was founded by Ade Olonoh. He raised $2.5 million last year and moved to San Francisco this spring. Before founding the predecessor company formspring.com, Ade worked for the Indianapolis Star.
Probably someone Jimbo met at a cocktail party, then. QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 8:22pm)
So my question (which I will not be asking on formspring) is, why is Jimmy Wales doing this?
"The site itself appears to be unhelpful when dealing with abuse."
QUOTE(anthony @ Wed 2nd June 2010, 12:41am)
QUOTE(Kelly Martin @ Tue 1st June 2010, 8:22pm)
So my question (which I will not be asking on formspring) is, why is Jimmy Wales doing this?
"The site itself appears to be unhelpful when dealing with abuse."
There's a long list of parents complaining that their kids are being impersonated and cyber-bullied on mindspring.me here.
http://formspringme.zendesk.com/entries/113007-abuse-issue
This seems like just the sort of thing that Jimbo and Andrea were campaigning against at Civilination.
QUOTE
Our mission is to foster an online culture where every person can freely participate in a democratic, open, rational and truth-based exchange of ideas and information, without fear or threat of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment, or lies.
I think I've got it...
"The new company, formspring.me, is looking for space in the SOMA neighborhood..."
I understand that Wikia, Inc. had a bit of extra space that the Wikimedia Usability/Stanton Fund team recently vacated. I'll bet you a dollar to doughnuts that at least a couple of Formspring developers are tapping away in Wikia's back room.
"The new company, formspring.me, is looking for space in the SOMA neighborhood..."
I understand that Wikia, Inc. had a bit of extra space that the Wikimedia Usability/Stanton Fund team recently vacated. I'll bet you a dollar to doughnuts that at least a couple of Formspring developers are tapping away in Wikia's back room.
What about this?
So they don't mind targeting school kids, with their porn laden and abusive environment ... but it one bites back they snitch to their school!?!
Ditto ... wikipedia @formspring.me
WikipediaAbuseQUOTE
Why do you call schools?
We're tasked with contacting ISPs about abuse. If abuse comes from a school, they will be contacted.
So they don't mind targeting school kids, with their porn laden and abusive environment ... but it one bites back they snitch to their school!?!
Ditto ... wikipedia @formspring.me
QUOTE(Cock-up-over-conspiracy @ Wed 2nd June 2010, 5:34am)
"Wikipedia hasn't answered any questions yet."
Do you ever edit your own Wikipedia page?
No, I don't.
jwales answered dylmen, one week ago
Good to know
No, I don't.
jwales answered dylmen, one week ago
Good to know
A more meaningful question would be to ask him if he ever directs, cajoles, or otherwise requests others to edit it for him.
Looks like the bloom is off the Formspring rose.
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