Wikipedia's Content Policies Prevent Documentation of PerlMonks Community Site
By
leejo
An everything bagel for the brain. Substantive, layered, well-seasoned.
Summary
The article discusses how Wikipedia's content policies are preventing the preservation of information about PerlMonks, a programming community site that is being shut down. The author argues that Wikipedia's requirement for secondary sources and its 'No Original Research' policy creates a situation where valuable information about niche technical communities cannot be documented unless it appears in approved mainstream publications. The article suggests that getting coverage in publications like The Register is necessary to create the secondary sources Wikipedia requires, highlighting what the author sees as a major failing in Wikipedia's approach to documenting internet culture and technical communities.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThis article is exclusively sourced on primary sources. From a Google search, I wasn't able to find a single usable secondary source about the subject, so it seems clear to me that this doesn't meet WP:NORG No Original Research
In short, Wikipedia has created a situation where they don't have to include things unless it comes from their approved list of sources.
This is a major failing of Wikipedia
The short answer is not playing the Wikipedia game, but getting The Register to publish an article mentioning all the things you want to save.
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