Stan's Original (2011) Introduction to Wikidelphia
An Introduction by Stan. [Editor's Note: This page first appeared with the brand-new Wikidelphia website in January 2011.]
Wikidelphia
So now we have the Web, we have blogs, we have Craig's list and Google. We can find just about anything! But, "just about" isn't good enough for me!
- I'm a Philadelphian... and often enough I drive around the Art Museum Circle and discover that there's an event going on or getting ready to happen and I don't know what it is...
- Or, someone asks me where they can get computer training in their neighborhood....
- Or someone wants to know what it's like to live in Manayunk...
- Searching Google brings back info on the enterprises in the area. Searching Wikipedia gives a nice history and description of the place. But not a sense of life there.
So, my answer to this is to open up a process that allows more people to contribute. I want to create Wikidelphia.
My organization "Nonprofit Technology Resources" (replaced by Community Magic) is devoted to helping people in Philadelphia access the information and communication tools they need to succeed. But being well informed and being able to express opinions and news should also be part of the Internet experience, even on a local level.
- Therefore I've obtained the domain names "Wikidelphia.org" and "Wikidelphia.com" so that we can mount an effort to let everyone interested in Philadelphia have a place to write. This should not replace or replicate other Web services... but instead add a new dimension of detail to what's already available on the Web about our great city.
- We're now looking for people who would like to help make this structured Wiki for the people of Philly happen. We'd like to see Wikidelphia become an easily accessible place to find out a great deal more about what's happening, who lives here, and what do they do, and think. It should be an index to the many other Web sites and services but also be a place where more intimate and timely material can be found or linked.
- Would you like to help with this? If you love our city and want to help promote a better internal and external understanding of who we are...
Wikidelphia needs you.
Please join us here and let us know what you think about this wiki and how you might wish to contribute to its evolution.
Thank you,