News Byte

Greenpeace Head Ana Toni Joins Wikimedia Foundation Board

The Wikimedia Foundation, parent of Wikipedia, said today that Ana Toni, chair of Greenpeace International, is joining its board of trustees. Toni is also CEO of Rio de Janeiro-based GIP, a consultancy to non-profits and businesses on social and environmental issues.

Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo: We’re Playing a Long-Term Game

“I have a view that if you build something that’s good, and you keep making it better, it lasts,” says D’Angelo.

Dear Wikipedia Editors

Not all of you, just the ones who decided that it was a good idea to start removing women from the category “American Novelists” and putting them into a new category: ‘American Women Novelists.’ You guys. What the hell, man? What’s wrong with you?

— From Amy Letter and Brian Spears, addressing the gradual removal of women from the category of “American Novelists” on Wikipedia

Edtech App Learnist Aims for Personalization, Growth With Latest Update

A new take on user growth from an edtech startup eliminates the sign-up process up front.

Wikimedia Head Sue Gardner Says She Will Step Down

Gardner explained that she would pursue advocacy efforts to combat corporate and government control of the Internet.

Among Big Properties, Apple and Amazon Have Greatest Portions of Mobile-Only Users

The folks who measure how many people visit websites have been slow to count up mobile Web, smartphone and tablet users. But comScore is catching up, with its new “Multi-Platform” rankings.

Moon Shot: Earthbound Investor Milner Talks About Origins of the Universe at SXSW

Well-known Russian digital dude thinks the big thoughts.

Happy Internet Freedom Day, Y’all

It’s the first anniversary of the online protests against SOPA and PIPA.

An Expensive Hoax

And for just $20, you can buy a hard copy.

The Daily Dot’s Kevin Morris, on a fictitious article that fooled Wikipedia’s editors for more than five years. Thanks to Wikipedia’s Creative Commons license, the hoax still lives elsewhere on the Web and in print.

News Byte

Wikimedia Raised $25M So Far in Annual Wikipedia Fundraiser

The Wikimedia Foundation said it had raised $25 million “in record time” during its ninth annual yearly Wikipedia fundraiser, with 1.2 million users donating. The San Francisco non-profit operates Wikipedia online encyclopedia and uses the funds to keep it ad-free, as well as “maintain server infrastructure, support global projects to increase the number of editors, improve and simplify the software that supports our projects, and make Wikipedia accessible globally to billions of people who are just beginning to access the Internet. The campaign runs through the end of 2012.