# Is Wikipedia worth donating? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187 "2012-11-26T19:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![taskmgr.exe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@taskmgr.exe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taskmgr.exe)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/1 "2012-11-26T19:35:43Z")
It didn’t help me much in doing my homework. But I have surely read tons of articles and learnt myriad of things. What do you think? Is it rational to donate Wikipedia? Am I being gullible? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/2 "2012-11-26T20:22:28Z")
> [@taskmgr.exe](#): > > It didn’t help me much in doing my homework. But I have surely read tons of articles and learnt myriad of things. > > What do you think? Is it rational to donate Wikipedia? Am I being gullible? Gullible how? They’re not going to spend it on strippers and blow. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/3 "2012-11-26T20:27:13Z")
If something is free to you, and you feel you’ve received a benefit from it, then it’s entirely rational (though by no means required) to contribute to its support. I’ve donated to Wikipedia in the past. I’m not clear on what your concern is WRT being gullible. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/4 "2012-11-26T21:17:25Z")
My main concern with gullibility is the adverts that try to trick you into thinking Wikipedia is somehow hurting for money. They set goals that are entirely superfluous, to the point that not making money one year wouldn’t hurt them at all. The person who created Wikipedia did so because they wanted to make money and in fact is an “Objectivist”, i.e., a follower of the teachings of Ayn Rand. This is enough to keep me from donating. The people who’ve actually added value to Wikipedia, the contributors, never get a cent of the money. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/5 "2012-11-26T21:20:52Z")
I donated the first time they asked but I will not any longer since they’ve set it up as misclick-ware, where you think you’re able to use Wikipedia but then click on the ad when it pops up just as you click the search box. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/6 "2012-11-26T21:27:17Z")
Of course not. It would be altruistic to do so. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/7 "2012-11-26T21:27:53Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The person who created Wikipedia did so because they wanted to make money and in fact is an “Objectivist”, i.e., a follower of the teachings of Ayn Rand. > > This is enough to keep me from donating. The people who’ve actually added value to Wikipedia, the contributors, never get a cent of the money. I … but … no. Just, no. [checks, of all places,\* Wikipedia \*] That’s just … that’s … Some… compute. Note, does. I No no That hurts ☹ I once found out that a respected relative was into astrology. Hello, old feeling. But didn’t … It snorkgh ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/8 "2012-11-26T21:32:10Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I donated the first time they asked but I will not any longer since they’ve set it up as misclick-ware, where you think you’re able to use Wikipedia but then click on the ad when it pops up just as you click the search box. I’m not sure if you’re punishing the correct perpetrator. To my knowledge, it’s not Wikipedia that is intercepting your clicks; at least it never happens to me. Could it be malware on your PC? ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/9 "2012-11-26T22:02:53Z")
No, it’s Wikipedia. It’s not deliberate; it’s just that the advertising banner is loaded by Javascript after the main page has loaded, and everything else on the page moves down to accommodate the banner. If you click at just the wrong moment you can end up clicking on the banner when you meant to click on the search box (or other things at the top of the page). As to the value of Wikipedia, they do maintain one of the top-ten websites on a budget far smaller than any of the others. In that sense it’s good value for money. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/10 "2012-11-26T23:02:23Z")
How would you go about this, exactly? Unless you were thinking about putting it on a bunch of DVDs and donating those? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/11 "2012-11-26T23:10:50Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > How would you go about this, exactly? Unless you were thinking about putting it on a bunch of DVDs and donating those? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/12 "2012-11-26T23:18:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > This is enough to keep me from donating. The people who’ve actually added value to Wikipedia, the contributors, never get a cent of the money. Which would include me, in a very, very, small way. Wikipedia is one of the world’s best, and unanticipated, uses of the Internet. I don’t expect to be paid one red cent for my contribution, but there is a tremendous overhead in this project. I think the worth to the world is sufficient that a voluntary contribution makes sense. After all, you could be taxed for this! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/13 "2012-11-27T00:31:17Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > 😕 Did nobody else notice the typo in the thread title? ☹ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/14 "2012-11-27T01:12:43Z")
> [@ctnguy](#): > > No, it’s Wikipedia. It’s not deliberate; it’s just that the advertising banner is loaded by Javascript after the main page has loaded, and everything else on the page moves down to accommodate the banner. If you click at just the wrong moment you can end up clicking on the banner when you meant to click on the search box (or other things at the top of the page). > > As to the value of Wikipedia, they do maintain one of the top-ten websites on a budget far smaller than any of the others. In that sense it’s good value for money. Wikipedia has never and will never have ads. You have malware on your machine. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/15 "2012-11-27T01:16:29Z")
Ummm, no, this just happened to me twice in a row again: the Javascript doesn’t finish loading before I try to click on the search box, then the beg-ware banner is enabled just in time for me to click on it and take me to the “yes, I’d like to make a donation” page. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/16 "2012-11-27T01:19:22Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Wikipedia has never and will never have ads. You have malware on your machine. They have ads for donating at the top of the screen - it has caused the issues described (meaning to click on the but goes to donation page instead). The “ads” or whatever you want to call them are the most intrusive yet I have seen on their site. That being said - I think they deserve/need it. Even if they spend some on blow - if that keeps the site working well - I am all for it. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/17 "2012-11-27T01:22:03Z")
They sure get annoying with the donate now link tab at the top of the articles which covers up part of the article unless you click on it, and even when I tried Xing it out it still went to the reasons to donate to wiki page. I am afraid it may annoy people enough to leave the site, or use it less. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/18 "2012-11-27T03:12:07Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Did nobody else notice the typo in the thread title? ☹ > > 🙂 I did..and had a similar thought. 🙂 I was going to go with “Yeah..I’ve donated Wikipedia a few times. People are never sure what to do with it, though.” Or something like that. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/19 "2012-11-27T03:24:34Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Wikipedia has never and will never have ads. You have malware on your machine. Yeah, that was my first reaction, too, hence my similar post above. But these are calls-for-donation from Wikipedia itself. They didn’t appear on my work machine, but they do appear tonight on my home PC. I’m not experiencing the anomalies described, though. I have Firefox 12 and Chrome 22, on Windows 7 64-bit. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187/20 "2012-11-27T03:31:17Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Gullible how? They’re not going to spend it on strippers and blow. And you know this _how_? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-wikipedia-worth-donating/642187.md?page=2)