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The '''Citizendium''' ([http://www.citizendium.org/cit.mp3 sit-ih-ZEN-dee-um]), a "citizens' compendium of everything", is an experimental new wiki project.  The project, started by a founder of Wikipedia, aims to improve on that model by adding "gentle expert oversight" and requiring contributors to use their real names.
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{{Image|Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium front page 2016-07-01 17-41-54.png|right|400px|Citizendium home page in July 2016.}}
[https://en.citizendium.org/ The '''Citizendium'''] (''si-tih-ZEN-dee-um'', "a citizens' compendium") is a [[wiki]]-based free [[encyclopedia]] project founded in 2007 by [[Larry Sanger]], who also co-founded [[Wikipedia]]It allows users to write and edit articles on many subjects, as long as they register and edit under their real, verified name.  Citizendium articles are released under a [[Creative Commons]] license that allows acknowledged duplication.  We allow material from other wikis to be used with attribution.  The project currently has {{PAGESINCAT:CZ Live}} articles in varying stages of development.


==History==
<big>A better summary is probably to be had '''[[CZ:Introduction_to_CZ_for_Wikipedians#Why Citizendium?|here]]'''.  We no longer are following the "expert guidance" model used in prior years.</big>


Larry Sanger announced the concept for Citizendium on September 15, 2006 at Berlin's Wizards of OS 4 conference. The project moved on to a pilot phase in October, and formally launched on March 25, 2007.
==Structure==
The Citizendium is run according to a set of [[CZ:Policies|policies]]. The community itself, through consensus and discussion, is responsible for shaping the content of articles, as well as funding, appointments, and other administrative matters. In the past, members were elected or appointed to represent the project, make interim decisions and mediate disputes.  At present, the wiki is operated by a small, dedicated group of volunteers.  


==Founding Principles==
Members of the project used to be called "Citizens" and were, at one time, divided into "Authors", who were regular project members, and "Editors", who were recognized experts.  This model of operation was not successful, and now, all contributors are equal.  Other roles include: the [[CZ:Technical Team|technical staff]], who maintain the [[software]] and [[server]]s of the wiki; the Treasurer, who administers the project's finances; and the Editor in Chief and Assistant Editor, who may arbitrate controversies if it becomes necessary.


The fundamental goal of Citizendium is to create the largest and most reliable encyclopedia in the world. To that end, the project was founded on the following organizational principles:
===Open collaboration===
Citizendium is similar to Wikipedia in that it is an open wiki: the public is invited to participate and edit most pages. Anonymous edits are not allowed, but in principle members can edit most pages.


===Open Collaboration===
===Real names===
Citizendium requires that all contributors be logged in and edit under their real name, as this is thought to reduced vandalism, encourage a civil atmosphere, and help readers to judge how accurate an article may be. Any applicant must not only declare that the name they have submitted is their own, but must submit evidence that verifies this. Common verification methods include use of a non-free e-mail address, such as one used at an educational institution or company, or the submission of scanned identity documents such as a driver's license (information other than the applicant's name may be blacked out). Minors are asked to provide less personal information. All contributors must also maintain at least a short public biography about themselves, to give readers some idea of the knowledge or abilities the Citizen has brought to their edits.


Citizendium is similar to Wikipedia in that it is an open wiki: the public is invited to participate and edit most pages.
In contrast to the [[pseudonym]]s common on Wikipedia, Citizendium contributors believe the use of real names adds to the credibility and accuracy of Citizendium articles and that real names lead to the likelihood of more courteous interactions among contributors.


===Room for Experts===
===Citable articles===
Some years ago, a (then) Editor could declare a version of an article essentially complete and of reasonably good quality. A copy of this approved version was made available, locked to further editing, on a subpage of the main article. The article itself remains freely editable and can later be re-approved and replace the citable version.


As Sanger has put it, "people who know a great deal about a subject, who are recognized by various societal mechanisms for that knowledge, can add a great of value to Web 2.0 projects, if they are given special roles that recognize their expertise." <ref>Sanger (2006) ''Why Make Room for Experts in Web 2.0'' Keynote delivered at SDForum, San Jose, California, Oct. 24, 2006, retrieved from [http://www.citizendium.org/roomforexperts.html http://www.citizendium.org/roomforexperts.html] on May 7, 2007.</ref> This principle envisions most edits happening in a bottom-up fashion but certain specific decisions being placed in the hands of subject experts.
===Article inclusion policy===
Citizendium has the following [[CZ:Content_Policy|content policy]].  There is no requirement that article topics be "notable", which means Citizendium does not exclude topics solely on the ground that their topics have not been covered extensively in the media or reliable online websites. Citizendium asserts that what may be completely trivial to one person might in fact be quite important to another, and our content policy allows you, for example, to write an article about a small, obscure local park.  


A metaphor often cited to describe the project is an extension of [[Eric S. Raymond|Eric S. Raymond's]] story about [[The Cathedral and the Bazaar]]. Sanger suggests that we "Think of editors as the village elders wandering the bazaar and occasionally dispensing advice and reining in the waywardTheir presence is merely a moderating, civilizing influence.  They don't stop the bazaar from being a bazaar." <ref>Sanger (2006) ''The Citizendium FAQ'', retrieved from [http://www.citizendium.org/faq.html#editors http://www.citizendium.org/faq.html#editors] on May 7, 2007.</ref>
However, the wiki does not allow articles that involve [[CZ:Policy_on_Self-Promotion|self-promotion]] or advocacy of causesDebates about inclusion generally belong in [[Forum_Talk:Content]] but may also occur on the Discussion page of specific articles.


===Real Names Policy===
==Footnotes==
 
{{reflist|2}}
Contributors are required to login, and to do so under their real names. This may be a hurdle to participation (see Criticisms section) but it's seen as a necessary step for fostering a culture of accountability and professionalism and thus attracting experts to the project. A significant part of the rationale for this is the theory that people act in a much more responsible manner when their good name is on the line.
 
===Article Approval===
 
Citizendium implements an article approval process where particularly good articles may be nominated for approval, pending a review by subject experts. Articles thus approved become the default article served to readers (though people are encouraged to keep improving the article on a "draft" page).
 
===Online Republic===
 
Sanger has repeatedly stressed that he envisions Citizendium as a new sort of internet community, one that contains all the elements of a traditional democratic republic: a constitution, inclusive participatory governance, and an executive, legislative, and judicial branch.
 
==Reception==
 
==Criticism==
 
==Citations and Notes==
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<references />
</div>
 
 
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[[Category:Computers Workgroup]]
[[Category:CZ Live]]

Revision as of 10:20, 16 November 2023

This article is developing and not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.
(CC) Screenshot: Citizendium
Citizendium home page in July 2016.

The Citizendium (si-tih-ZEN-dee-um, "a citizens' compendium") is a wiki-based free encyclopedia project founded in 2007 by Larry Sanger, who also co-founded Wikipedia. It allows users to write and edit articles on many subjects, as long as they register and edit under their real, verified name. Citizendium articles are released under a Creative Commons license that allows acknowledged duplication. We allow material from other wikis to be used with attribution. The project currently has 16,484 articles in varying stages of development.

A better summary is probably to be had here. We no longer are following the "expert guidance" model used in prior years.

Structure

The Citizendium is run according to a set of policies. The community itself, through consensus and discussion, is responsible for shaping the content of articles, as well as funding, appointments, and other administrative matters. In the past, members were elected or appointed to represent the project, make interim decisions and mediate disputes. At present, the wiki is operated by a small, dedicated group of volunteers.

Members of the project used to be called "Citizens" and were, at one time, divided into "Authors", who were regular project members, and "Editors", who were recognized experts. This model of operation was not successful, and now, all contributors are equal. Other roles include: the technical staff, who maintain the software and servers of the wiki; the Treasurer, who administers the project's finances; and the Editor in Chief and Assistant Editor, who may arbitrate controversies if it becomes necessary.

Open collaboration

Citizendium is similar to Wikipedia in that it is an open wiki: the public is invited to participate and edit most pages. Anonymous edits are not allowed, but in principle members can edit most pages.

Real names

Citizendium requires that all contributors be logged in and edit under their real name, as this is thought to reduced vandalism, encourage a civil atmosphere, and help readers to judge how accurate an article may be. Any applicant must not only declare that the name they have submitted is their own, but must submit evidence that verifies this. Common verification methods include use of a non-free e-mail address, such as one used at an educational institution or company, or the submission of scanned identity documents such as a driver's license (information other than the applicant's name may be blacked out). Minors are asked to provide less personal information. All contributors must also maintain at least a short public biography about themselves, to give readers some idea of the knowledge or abilities the Citizen has brought to their edits.

In contrast to the pseudonyms common on Wikipedia, Citizendium contributors believe the use of real names adds to the credibility and accuracy of Citizendium articles and that real names lead to the likelihood of more courteous interactions among contributors.

Citable articles

Some years ago, a (then) Editor could declare a version of an article essentially complete and of reasonably good quality. A copy of this approved version was made available, locked to further editing, on a subpage of the main article. The article itself remains freely editable and can later be re-approved and replace the citable version.

Article inclusion policy

Citizendium has the following content policy. There is no requirement that article topics be "notable", which means Citizendium does not exclude topics solely on the ground that their topics have not been covered extensively in the media or reliable online websites. Citizendium asserts that what may be completely trivial to one person might in fact be quite important to another, and our content policy allows you, for example, to write an article about a small, obscure local park.

However, the wiki does not allow articles that involve self-promotion or advocacy of causes. Debates about inclusion generally belong in Forum_Talk:Content but may also occur on the Discussion page of specific articles.

Footnotes