---
title: The Long Tail of information sharing
date: "2006-04-27T12:00:00Z"
categories:
  - links
wp_id: 340
---

[The Long Tail of information sharing](http://www.roughtype.com/archives/2006/04/web_20s_numbsku.php). Even on Wikipedia, fewer than 2% have contributed over 100 articles. Over 85% have contributed fewer than 5 articles. A Wiki inside an organisation is unlikely to reach critical mass, left to itself.

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## Comments

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- **Arun** _28 Apr 2006 6:10 am_:
  But I imagine, many in the 85% probably contributed stuff that the prolific guys never thought of. For instance, I know one guy who put up something on Ananth Pai (Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha), and i doubt he probably ever added anything else. But you are right about wiki in an organization. Do you know an organization where a wiki has been used effectively?
- **S Anand** _28 Apr 2006 10:22 pm_:
  No, not offhand. We were planning to recommend it at one of our clients', but I'm not going to do that any more.
- **sathish** _30 Apr 2006 2:39 am_:
  if the organization strength is large - runs into many thousands or lakhs - I think the required critical mass might be acheived.. for smaller companies and small teams too, it might make sense - since, every one is liable to participate - especially product documentation - it would be easier make/correct and change.
- **Arun** _30 Apr 2006 6:02 am_:
  Ah, ok.
- **S Anand** _30 Apr 2006 8:45 am_:
  A colleague just reported that his current client is successfully using a Wiki. So may it's not impossible after all...
- **Madhu** _2 May 2006 12:24 pm_:
  wiki is all about scale i think. The sergery brin special lecture at UCB is a case in point. You can access this at google videos

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