Funding Wikipedia

[synthesize]

I notice that in the past Wikipedia used to place Google Adsense ads (or other similar adsense ads?) on the webpages. But now I cannot find any ads on the website. So how does the owner fund the website?

[Harry]

Originally Posted by synthesize

I notice that in the past Wikipedia used to place Google Adsense ads (or other similar adsense ads?) on the webpages. But now I cannot find any ads on the website. So how does the owner fund the website?

Being an nonprofit organization, the Wikimedia Foundation relies on the expertise & generosity of thousands of people all around the world, Funds are raised through donations.
If you want you can contribute to Support Wikipedia/en - Wikimedia Foundation

[paul]

Big corporates are also funding wikipedia foundation through donation like ( Google donated $2 million to Wikipedia in 2007 ), in addition as a part of the fundraiser few companies are providing discounts on products purchased by the wikimedia foundation like Dell Computers is providing good discounts to them on hardware purchase.

[synthesize]

Thanks for the information. And wow, Google donated $2 million?! That's a huge amount of money. Hey, you reminds me of Wikimedia's fund raising some months ago. I think they could make like $7.5 million or so.

[WH-Ken]

Hello,

Wikipedia has also done a lot of increase in the resources in order to develop the fund raising. Most of the donations are utilized to improve the encyclopedia, As it acts as a free knowledge planet.

Regards,
Ken.

[paul]

Originally Posted by synthesize

Thanks for the information. And wow, Google donated $2 million?! That's a huge amount of money. Hey, you reminds me of Wikimedia's fund raising some months ago. I think they could make like $7.5 million or so.

Yes that's kind of collaborative relationship between Google and wikipedia, wiki get 60 to 70% traffic from google search only and Google get high quality content in return for their users.

[craveo]

Does anyone actually remember when Wikipedia first started out and how new it was? This not even counting the flak that others gave for trying something like this, and look how awesome its done.

[paul]

Originally Posted by craveo

Does anyone actually remember when Wikipedia first started out and how new it was? This not even counting the flak that others gave for trying something like this, and look how awesome its done.

History of Wikipedia: History of Wikipedia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Archived Results, Sept 2001: http://web.archive.org/web/200110102...wikipedia.com/

[Dan]

I think it's important for people to donate to / support Wikipedia, even if it's not that much - money adds up. It's a website which very rarely anybody thinks about the operating costs, and everybody takes it for granted.

I wonder what the internet world would be like should Wikipedia disappear?

[synthesize]

That's true Dan. I am amazed that I can find any information about almost anything in Wikipedia. Yes, the content there is contributed-generated which is published without approval process, so it should not be the only place to go when it comes to finding legitimate information about things. Still, it's a great place to start.

[craveo]

Dan, totally agreement. I have no issues myself with donating when I can but I do have issues when I get random spam (not saying wiki does or anything) from places that I do donate to.

[Grahman]

Thanks for sharing.