If you’ve been on Wikipedia in the last few weeks (which you likely have), you might’ve seen the thank you note from founder Jimmy Wales:

Wow. What can I say? Thank you.

We’ve just ended the most successful fundraiser in our history, $7.5 million USD raised in less than 8 weeks.

Incredible. But I’m not surprised.

In 2001, I took a bet on people, and you’ve never let me down.

You have created the largest collection of human knowledge ever assembled: 14 million encyclopedia articles in 270 languages, still growing and getting better every day. You have supported, funded and protected it…

I’m not ashamed to admit that I frequently use Wikipedia to find information on everything from trivial tidbits to abstract theories. What I do find shameful, is the fact that after years of using Wikipedia, this week was the first time I ever made a donation and offered something back.

Wikipedia spawned from Nupedia, a free online encyclopedia created by Wales and philosopher Lawrence Sanger, which failed because of it’s languid pace (in the first six months only 2 articles made it through the process). Currency is precisely the reason that Wikipedia continues to triumph over traditional static encyclopedias; these days even real-time isn’t fast enough.

However, it isn’t its speed but rather its ability to demonstrate the power of community that makes Wikipedia one of the greatest innovations of the 2000s. Communication, collaboration and self-policing has enabled us, the community, to gather and maintain the world’s knowledge (proof that knowledge is, after all, human constructed).

So.. thank you, Jimmy Wales. And the same goes to you that have contributed to any of the site’s 14 million articles in 270 languages, to you that challenge what you read and help keep it accurate, and to you that donate to the cause.

Donate to Wikipedia

*Wikipedia was used 3 times in the writing of this post.