The New Encyclopedia Salesmen

Industry Standard, The, Nov 27, 2000 by Mark Frauenfelder

Oostendorp thrives on such testimonials. "The romance of the idea is an important aspect," he says. "There are a lot of entries on Everything2 about how cool it is. We had an idea that content would be the important thing, but we've found out people care a lot more about their friends on the site and reading the celebrity-written nodes than being able to look up facts for their homework."

It's this personal element that gives these encyclopedias their idiosyncratic appeal. And so far, there seems to be no shortage of contributors, desiring nothing in return for their entries except ego strokes and an opportunity to participate in a group activity.

But the primary difference between the communitarian projects of the early Internet and these volunteer-produced encyclopedias is what could destroy them: the need to make money. While the grassroots model can at least help build these encyclopedias, it's not enough to keep the efforts of thousands from fading away if the companies don't make a profit. Nupedia depends on the notoriously shaky banner-ad revenue model. H2g2's Stamp admits the company's biggest challenge is securing additional funding. And Everything2 is hoping the encyclopedia will serve as marketing tool for the software they developed to build the site.

Years from now, these sites may be remembered as relics of a pivotal moment in the commercialization of the Net, when communitarianism and commerce briefly overlapped. In fact, Oostendorp professes a worry that is utterly contrary to the original, utopian plan of Everything2: The very contributors he hoped to attract are becoming a liability. More people contributing to the site, he says, "just increases our bandwidth bills."

Mark Frauenfelder is a writer and illustrator in Los Angeles.