2011-09-18-1136Z


Walked a lot yesterday, first to pick up my tags for the footrace this morning, then out to G & G for some healthy meat (they were out of Estancia! but had Niman Ranch, which is better than factory-farm stuff). Along the way I had an idea. I get lots of unrelated ideas while walking.

What it does relate to is reputation-based systems. Imagine a Wikipedia which shows you pages based on your own viewpoint. Rating authors and editors up or down doesn't change just that one page, it changes the whole encyclopedia: for you. And, to a lesser extent, for others who have rated you up. An invitation being the only way to gain access to the site will help ensure that new visitors have a chance of seeing an encyclopedia (or whatever) that makes the most sense to them. Perhaps an online questionnaire could be an alternative.

Have you noticed how, a year or two after it went viral, Wikipedia was mostly "owned" by the cultural establishment? That could never happen with a system like the one I'm positing. The establishment would have theirs, for sure, but I wouldn't have to see it.

Now, designing and coding the thing could be a nightmare. But I'm reasonably sure it can be done.

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last updated 2011-09-18 07:51:17. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com