# Wikipedia: Jimmy Wales

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-02-26
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales

## Summary

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, explains how he transitioned from a dot-com search company, Bomis, to launching an online encyclopedia. He details the failure of the high-barrier Nupedia model, which produced only 21 articles due to a cumbersome seven-stage review process, and the pivot to using Ward Cunningham's wiki software to enable open collaboration. Wales discusses the strategic decision to operate as a non-profit without advertising to avoid editorial bias, and how community-driven moderation and crowdfunding solved early scaling and funding challenges. The episode also covers the postscript story of Florence Wetterwald, who created Blabla dolls by collaborating with artisanal knitters in Peru to produce eco-friendly, knitted stuffed animals.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=0) Introduction: Jimmy Wales and the origins of Wikipedia
- [4:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=260) From finance to web browsers and Bomis
- [8:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=487) The failure of Nupedia's seven-stage review process
- [12:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=744) Adopting wiki software for open collaboration
- [19:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=1173) Non-profit structure and the first crowdfunding campaign
- [25:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=1550) The John Seigenthaler incident and policy evolution
- [30:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=1818) Managing misinformation and source quality
- [38:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales#t=2323) Postscript: Florence Wetterwald and Blabla dolls

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Wikipedia (product)
- Bomis (company)
- Nupedia (product)
- Ward Cunningham (other)
- Blabla dolls (product)
- Florence Wetterwald (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [085: Scaling Your Product Up After Crowdfunding](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-07-21-085-scaling-your-product-up-after-crowdfunding) (Product Startup)
- [Ep. 4 - Launching the Longmill - ft. Chris from Sienci Labs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/open-hardware-manufacturing-podcast/2023-09-14-ep-4-launching-the-longmill-ft-chris-from-sienci-labs) (Open Hardware Manufacturing Podcast)
- [Vellicate Videogame Vocation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2012-04-23-vellicate-videogame-vocation) (The Amp Hour)
- [62: Ten Years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2020-10-03-62-ten-years) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [An Interview with Josh Lifton](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-09-09-an-interview-with-josh-lifton) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-02-26-wikipedia-jimmy-wales. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.