Wikibooks-Can it be constrained to a timeline?

This TED talk by Jimmy Wales was informative on why the approach of Wikipedia’s organization is managed by social policies. His “Neutral-Point-of-View policy” being the core principle creates a place of neutrality. From this video, I learned that only about 18% of edits made are by anonymous users. The rest of the edits are from the community of 600-1,000 semi-professional volunteers who gather in cyberspace to “write an encyclopedia for fun.” 

Open-ended software allows the social method of the human touch to rule. What's interesting about this community is that these people are only regulated by the passion for the quality of the work, not the process; even though their governance model is so confusing that not even Wales can explain it! Community-elected officials, aristocracy and monarchy all play their part in the authority of Wikipedia. My overall impression of this quality control process is that it cannot be constrained to a realistic timeline. Wales mentions that journalists have remarked on how quickly their vandalism of Wikipedia was corrected, but is a system of volunteers reliable when attempting to reach a deadline? This is the main reason why Wikibooks will most likely take over 20 years to complete. 

Their quality control process is not yet accepted in an academic setting, but according to Wales, “we’re really interested in all the issues of the digital divide, poverty worldwide, empowering people everywhere to have the information that they need to make good decisions.” I was most interested in the last minute of the video when he began to speak more on freely licensed textbooks, because this is where I personally think that Wikipedia can support a broader use. The knowledge-base of the wiki-community is not currently utilized by the academic community, but the birth of a project like Wikibooks could create broad availability of instructional books, utilizing the chaotic governance of Wikipedia for a more structured product if it can stick to a schedule. 

I do think that Wikipedia can contribute to the academic community, but I am not sure of the scope of such a project. Wales mentioned at 5:26 that a German magazine performed a fact-finding comparison of German Wikipedia to traditional sources. The results: "It isn't perfect, but much better that what you would expect... Wikipedia is generally superior, though weak in some areas." Those are vague results from a casual study by a magazine, but if Wikipedia commissioned regular, fact-comparison studies by an academic third party whom had access to a university library, this could be a start of a regular auditing process. There are, however, many pages on Wikipedia that are not academic subjects. This is why I think WikiBooks is a more structured idea with constraints to content, which could result in measurable results. 

In project management jargon, everything that Wales explained could be communicated with: a charter, scope statement, WBS, RAM, Assumptions, risk management plan, project quality plan, monitoring plan, and change control procedures. The questionable obstacles would be: cost/labor/duration estimates, and a schedule since any estimations would be based off of past work.

A coffee tasting!

Coffee brings us together. In this video, Will and I taste the delicious cup that is Starbucks Caffe Verona. This well-balanced blend is one of my favorites! Grab a cup and sip along with us, and don't mind the hum of the ice machine in the background :)

Ok Go has done it again!

Known for their creative music videos, Ok Go has released a new one that is sure to make you smile!

Directed by frontman Damian Kulash and his sister, Trish Sie, this video will probably leave you in awe, and also wondering "how'd they do that?!" Inspired by a ride on the vomit comet in Cape Canaveral, this impressive feat is a complete choreographed event versus a montage. According to an interview with RedBull, Kulash shares, "We also came up for a system for doing a single take over eight parabolas. In each flight you have 15 parabolas and in each parabola you have 20 seconds of double gravity, then 50 seconds of weightlessness and few minutes of settling it all up again. So to make it in one take, we took eight of these in a row over 40-45 minutes." More of the interview can be found here.

Videos like this one (along with Ok Go's other videos) inspire me to consider what new forms of entertainment, self-expression, or art in general will come to be as companies like Space X and Blue Origin continue to make privately-funded space travel possible. If you haven't had the opportunity to view Ok Go's other music videos, I highly recommend it! See below...

Artist highlight

Need a daily dose of inspiration? Artist Mica Angela Hendricks frequently collaborates with her 6-year old...creating some stunning, adorable, and imaginative creatures. She posts frequently, follow her on instagram @busymockingbird

I have to say, I enjoyed this interview session so much, I watched it twice! President Obama is questioned by three well-known YouTube "creators". Their questions revealed a different side to our President. I can appreciate the opportunity this created for the three young personalities...all because of their YouTube following! Publishers and professional reporters are no longer deciding the news content and delivery channels, we are! 

You're never weird on the Internet (Almost)

I could not author a blog sharing stories of humanity using technology without at least mentioning

Felicia Day! 

Felicia is an actress, model, comedian and currently creative chief officer of her production company Knights of Good. She is an absolute idol of mine for the same reason as the title of her memoir: You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost).  In every project she takes on, Felicia has dived head-first bringing her unforgettable personality and zest for new, fun ideas. She is one of the most approachable people on the web, is unfathomably genuine (in fact, her industry is based on it) and is a positive role model for future generations (female and male) challenged by entering a new professional media.

Her web video "The Guild" started as a small project starring her and her friends, premiering on YouTube in July 2007. It grew in popularity and grew to be available on Microsoft's XBox Live Marketplace, Zune Marketplace, and MSN video. The webisodes were later made available on ITunes. After Microsoft's business model changed during Season 5, she wanted to maintain ownership of the series and moved it to her YouTube channel Geek & Sundry. Today, the series is available on DVD, Netflix and Hulu.

At the bottom of the page I'm including one of my favorite videos by Felicia, a mock music-video titled "I'm the one that's cool". I think it is a fun take on how the age of information has turned the tables on social stigmas.

Here's an "about me" snippet from her website:

Felicia is best known for her work in the web video world, behind and in front of the camera. She co-starred in Joss Whedon’s Internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” which was ranked in the “Top 10 Best TV of 2008” by Time Magazine, Entertainment Weekly and People Magazine and won an Emmy in 2009. She also created and stars in the hit web series “The Guild,” which is currently in its sixth season. “The Guild” has won numerous awards for web video excellence, most recently garnering a PGA nomination for best web series in 2011. She has expanded the brand into numerous merchandizing opportunities, including a hit comic book series with Dark Horse Comics.

Her production company Knights of Good produced the innovative web series “Dragon Age” in conjunction with EA/Bioware in 2011 and in 2012 she launched a funded YouTube channel called Geek & Sundry. Since launching in April 2012, the channel has garnered over one million subscribers and over 200 million views. In 2014, the company was sold to Legendary Entertainment. Felicia continues to work as creative chief officer with her company, as well as develop television and web projects for her to write, produce and star in.

Smartphone Etiquette

They're all around you. They're on the bus. They're in the local grocery store. At the little league ballpark. In your Doctor's office. At the table next to you in your favorite restaurant. Driving in the next lane. They're smart phone addicts, and they're everywhere. WebMD shares 

"According to a 2012 survey by the Pew Research Center, 46% of all American adults now own a smartphone -- up a whopping 25% from 2011...According to a 2011 study published in the journal Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, people aren't addicted to smartphones themselves as much as they are addicted to "checking habits" that develop with phone use -- including repeatedly (and very quickly) checking for news updates, emails, or social media connections. 

That study found that certain environmental triggers -- like being bored or listening to a lecture -- trigger the habits. And while the average user checks his or her smartphone 35 times a day -- for about 30 seconds each time, when the information rewards are greater (e.g., having contact info linked to the contact's whereabouts), users check even more often."

Regardless of your addiction status, you may want to consider eliminating or limiting the following habits:

• Any cell phone use while driving. This includes as a music player, navigation device or just checking at traffic stops. Yes, our devices are multifunctional conveniences, that doesn't mean you're not going to be tempted to check a Facebook notification while your music is playing during your drive.
• Using your device at the dinner table. Relationships require consistent care. The conversations you're missing (or half paying attention to) could make all the difference. They will appreciate the effort and return the favor! If the temptation is too grand, consider making it a competitive game: place all of your phones in the center of the table. The first person to reach for theirs pays the bill!
  
• Using your phone, tablet or laptop at bedtime. The New York Times shares "Increasingly, researchers are finding that artificial light from some devices at night may tinker with brain chemicals that promote sleep. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute showed that exposure to light from computer tablets significantly lowered levels of the hormone melatonin, which regulates our internal clocks and plays a role in the sleep cycle."
• Not cleaning your phone or case. Think about it: how often do you touch your phone? How often do you drop it on the ground, hand it to your child, set it on the bathroom counter, and still press it to your face? For information on how to clean your dirtiest appliances: http://www.today.com/home/find-out-how-clean-your-cell-phone-other-dirty-gadgets-2D79591843
• Not spending time with your loved ones. Consistent notification checking or playing games like Candy Crush Saga can distract your focus. Consider making a commitment to allot at least a half hour of electronic-free time a day to nurture your most cherished relationships. 
  

Smartphone distracted lovers by street artist, Banksy.