Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2006-11-06/Intellipedia

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Intelligence wiki receives media attention

By Ral315, 6 November 2006

News coverage this week focused on Intellipedia, a series of classified and unclassified wikis run by the office of the United States Director of National Intelligence, for the purpose of sharing information among the United States Intelligence Community.

The wiki, which runs on MediaWiki software, was started earlier this year,[1] and as of October, had 28,000 pages and 3,600 users. Intellipedia's top secret version runs on the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, a secure network controlled by the United States intelligence community. A wiki for secret but not "top secret" information exists on SIPRNet, and an unclassified wiki is located on NIPRNet.

The article on Intellipedia was created by technologist David Weinberger (User:Dweinberger), who stated that he first learned about Intellipedia in a non-classified meeting with CIA analysts. The wikis' existence was officially recognized at a press conference on Tuesday. According to intelligence officials, the wikis are being used to coordinate work on a "national intelligence estimate" on Nigeria, as well as annual terrorism reports by country.

The wiki is unrelated to a wiki proposal that bureaucrat and arbitrator Mark Pellegrini (User:Raul654) was involved in. According to Pellegrini, "I did a little private consulting for a military contractor who wanted to create a joint-forces wiki. They put in a proposal, but it was rejected (meaning my services were no longer required)." On Intellipedia, Pellegrini remarked, "I think Intellipedia is a great idea. Many of the intelligence agencies have historically had problems sharing information."[2]

Notes

  1. ^ News reports conflict on the date of its opening; most reports, including Reuters, say April 17, 2006, while US News and World Report says January 2006.
  2. ^ E-mail from Mark Pellegrini to Ral315, November 6, 2006.


Also this week: Arbitration series — Search and Wikipedia — Intellipedia — German Wikipedia — News and notes — Press coverage — Features and admins — Arbitration