Open Site
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| Open Site Encyclopedia | |
|---|---|
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| URL | http://open-site.org/ |
| Commercial? | No |
| Type of site | Internet encyclopedia project |
| Registration | Optional |
| Owner | Open Site Foundation, Inc |
| Created by | Michael J. Flickinger |
| Launched | April 14, 2002 |
Open-Site, the Open Encyclopedia Project, is a free internet encyclopedia founded in 2002 by Michael J. Flickinger in an effort to build a free categorized community-built encyclopedia, inspired by the Open Directory Project. The Open Site software is open source under the Mozilla Public License and the content is free content under the GNU Free Documentation License.
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[edit] Category system
The Open-Site encyclopedia uses an ontology based on that of Open Directory Project, of which it is a spin-off.
Open-Site has the following main categories, under which most content is organized in several layers of subcategories.
- Arts - covering creative pursuits and entertainment.
- Business - covering business and finance.
- Computers - covering computers and the internet.
- Games - covering video games and various other games.
- Health - covering human health and animal health.
- Home - covering the home and family.
- Recreation - covering recreation and leisure.
- Regional - covering countries and localities.
- Science - covering social sciences, mathematics and science.
- Society - covering people and society.
- Sports - covering various sports, including hockey, soccer and baseball.
In addition to these major topical English categories, the Open-Site encyclopedia also has the following other top-level categories.
- International - contains the encyclopedia in several other languages.
- News - updates on current events.
- Kids - a children's internet encyclopedia in several languages.
[edit] Open Site Public Forum
The Open Site Public Forum was opened in May 2004 by Chris Poskitt, who is an editor at Open-Site. The forum was created to provide a channel of communication between the general public and the Open-Site editors. The forum is unofficial and is maintained by senior Open-Site editors.
The forum was originally created for editors and the public to discuss general Open-Site issues, queries about becoming an editor and possible abuse in the project. However, it has also begun to host topical discussions on the topics covered by Open-Site and areas for discussions in languages other than English.
Currently, the forum software is phpBB 2.0.11, but has been heavily modified. The forum is hosted by Robert Oschler.
[edit] Using Open-Site data
On the main page of Open Site, it states: "Open-Site is edited by volunteer editors and its content is freely available for everyone under the GNU Free Documentation License."
The live pages and an RDF file are both available for public use, provided an appropriate notation of credit is provided. Open-Site lists nine websites that use its data.[1]
[edit] Open Site children's encyclopedia
In August 2004 the Open Site Foundation launched a children's encyclopedia based on the Open Site encyclopedia and the Kids and Teens Open Directory Project. It was formed by a group of editors from both projects. Open-Site Meta Editor and Open Directory Project KCatmv editor lufiaguy originated the idea.
The new encyclopedia aims to provide mostly original content written specifically for children. It is currently in the pre-publication production stage.
[edit] Open-Site charter
Open Site operates under a charter written by the founders of Open Site when it started in 2002. The key elements of the charter are:
- Everyone has the right to apply to become an editor and to become involved in the project.
- Everyone has the right to use Open Site data with few restrictions.
- Everyone has the right to access and discuss policies and guidelines.
- Everyone has the right to hold and express their own personal opinions in discussion.
- The Open Site community will manage itself.
- Everyone has the right to choose when and how they contribute to the project.
- Everyone has the right to propose and submit content to the encyclopedia.
[edit] Changes and developments
During 2005, several previously active editors, including some senior editors, reduced their contributions to Open-Source.[citation needed] A major server crash in mid-2005 lost (or more correctly misplaced) considerable content and damaged the linkages between sections and categories.[citation needed] Enthusiasm waned as editors had to redo considerable areas of content. In addition, several new editors became active, and some tensions appeared between them and editors who had been with the project over the project's future direction.[citation needed]
October 02, 2007: Michael J. Flickinger releases Open Site 2.0. The new version allows the general public to apply for editing privileges at Open Site. The content is then reviewed by Open Site managers before being published.
