Abstract :
The name "Wikipedia" has been associated with terms such as collaboration, volunteers, reliability, vandalism, and edit-war. Fewer people might think of "images", "maps", "diagrams", "illustrations" in this context. This paper presents the burgeoning but underexplored visual side of the online encyclopedia. A survey conducted with image contributors to Wikipedia reveals key differences in collaborating around images as opposed to text. The results suggest that, even though image editing is a more isolated activity, somewhat shielded from vandalism, the sense of community is an important motivation for image contributors. By examining how contributors are appropriating text-oriented wiki technology to support collective editing around visual materials, this paper reveals the potential and some of the limitations of wikis in the realm of visual collaboration
Keywords :
Internet; Web sites; Wikipedia; image contribution; image editing; online encyclopedia; text-oriented wiki technology; visual collaboration; Appropriate technology; Biological materials; Context; Encyclopedias; International collaboration; Isolation technology; Marine vegetation; Microscopy; Visual communication; Wikipedia;
