KNOWLEDGE IS FOR EVERYONE

WRITTEN BY: ANURAG SAHOO

Internet has opened the gates of a world of entertainment, services and information to us. By far it is one of the greatest innovation for which the world’s greatest invention computer has found its many application. Internet is accessed by millions or maybe billions all over the globe every day. Internet has gone through many groundbreaking phases and is continuing to do so.

I’ve been an avid user of internet for various reasons ranging from watching video to online share trading to booking tickets. But one website has, is and will continue to captivate my thought . The name is WIKIPEDIA. The philosophy behind this amazing web based encyclopedia is that KNOWLEDGE IS FOR EVERYONE. It was founded by JIMMY WALES, an American in 2001 through the WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION. The foundation is an entirely non-profit organization. Let me share with you some facts that makes WIKIPEDIA simply the best. It is the world’s 5th most visited website and runs on a budget of only 10 million dollars unlike its counterparts like youtube, orkut which runs in hundreds of millions USD. Wikipedia’s total number of employees are, hold your breath, only 35. But it has around 2 million contributors who writes, edit and updates the articles. It is the largest encyclopedia known to human history and is growing every day. And another respectful fact is WIKIPEDIA despite being such a popular website is free from any kind of advertising. You can never find an advertisement or pop up on WIKIPEDIA.

WIKIPEDIA is so named after the concept of WIKI.which means a website which is free to use and edit.WIKIPEDIA is visited by 350 million people every month which almost 1/3rd of the total internet users all over the world. Previously I used to visit wikipedia only when I was given an assignment in college and I had to find materials for that. But today I have highest regards for JIMMY WALES and WIKIPEDIA which provides free knowledge. Everyday I come across many terms and WIKIPEDIA is capable of explaining all those terms. Wikipedia is really a website worth respect and I am highly indebted to wikipedia which I considered as on eof the best thing that happened to internet along with GOOGLE search engine. So jimmy wales says knowledge is for everyone.