When will Wikipedia stop begging anually?

[verb3k]

Canonical aims to make ubuntu self-sustainable. Why don't the guys at the Wikimedia Foundation work on that too instead of begging people every year?

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[jacobw.uk]

Its got a really big overhead, much bigger than Ubuntu. The whole world uses Wikipedia, not so with Ubuntu.

[Ozor Mox]

What's wrong with a community project asking for donations? If you don't think it's worth anything, don't donate. Obviously plenty of people do looking at the current $3.9m of donations.

[Redache]

Canonical aims to make ubuntu self-sustainable. Why don't the guys at the Wikimedia Foundation work on that too instead of begging people every year?

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Because Wikipedia would have to charge hundreds to individal users for using their website, much like what you'd pay for an encyclopedia. They are a Foundation that is committed to offering a free encyclopedia for the whole world to edit and use.

I'd rather give my money to Wikipedia than most Charities to be honest, since Wikipedia is doing something I agree with.

[Skripka]

Canonical aims to make ubuntu self-sustainable. Why don't the guys at the Wikimedia Foundation work on that too instead of begging people every year?

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Because they need lots of money to fund their operations. Just like NPR or public television in the US.

[kellemes]

What's wrong with a community project asking for donations? If you don't think it's worth anything, don't donate. Obviously plenty of people do looking at the current $3.9m of donations.

+1

Nothing wrong with donations indeed.. Also Ubuntu makes it possible to donate, eventhough Shuttleworth has more money then he can handle.

[MaxIBoy]

Every time a byte goes to or from Wikipedia's servers, they are charged money. Every time you view a Wikipedia page, you cost them money. Since they don't serve banner ads, the only way for them to get money to pay this back is by asking for donations.

[linuxguymarshall]

They need to. They are nonprofit

[Erunno]

Canonical aims to make ubuntu self-sustainable. Why don't the guys at the Wikimedia Foundation work on that too instead of begging people every year?

Emphasis mine. Currently Canonical is totally dependent on the goodwill of their founder Mark Shuttleworth.

Wikipedia is one of the most visited sites in the Internet. Judging by that fact it should be easy for them to get the necessary 6 Million dollars for the upkeep of their infrastructure. It's actually very disappointing that they still haven't managed to gain the necessary money. There seems to be a widespread freeloader mentality with the Wikipedia users.

[kellemes]

(..) It's actually very disappointing that they still haven't managed to gain the necessary money. There seems to be a widespread freeloader mentality with the Wikipedia users.

Very true..