More on the Baltimore Wiki

Hello, and welcome back to irrelevancy!
I've been giving the BaltimoreWiki Project more thought. When I posted about the DavisWiki and said that a BaltimoreWiki would be really cool, I hadn't meant that I should start one. That sort of thinking is kind of against everything I've ever done or stood for; I wanted to read articles about the bands I was listening to and the issues that had importance to me so I started my own magazine. I didn't think there were enough female fronted punk bands when I was 13, so I started my own, and I wanted more discussion about Baltimore's infuriating public transportation so I started to blog about that, too. (Though I haven't promoted it yet outside my circle of friends--all of which drive everywhere, but it's on my list of things to do!) What I'm saying, MCOM407 classmates, is that I have a tendency to take matters into my own hands.
Except I'm not entirely sure that I want to start the BaltimoreWiki because a project like this doesn't have an end point. Moreover, I hate to start projects and fail to finish them. There's something about the craft detritus strewn about my apartment that gives way to a nasty habit: an unfinished WikiProject would be the 53rd project I've started and not completed.
Not that it would go unfinished because I'm not interested in Baltimore. On the contrary, I'm having a hard time seeing myself in grad school in Chicago or Los Angeles because I love living here so much. I'd hate to leave my life here because I have so many strong emotions tied to this city. I worry about two big issues instead: first, that the project is not of interest to anyone else, and second, that I don't have the time to commit.
So I'd like to ask, formally, if anyone is interested in contributing to the project, should it start, and if anyone thinks it's a worthwhile project. I ask this in sincerity and hope that if you think it sounds unimportant, you'll chime in and let me know.
I wouldn't want for it to be redundant; other sites, such as the Charm City community on Live Journal, already exist.
I feel almost strange to spend this much time speaking about a Wikipedia-like project, given the websites reputation as unethical (and its connection to unethical doings by others) and its current battles with editing. Still, it's relevant in only that my previous post sparked a small debate, and I'd like to see where this goes...

Today's off-topic post is brought to you by a science lab cut short and a bag of grapes, which were consumed in the library, in secret. Thank you and have a nice day!

Not Quite the Same

Baltimore's Penn Station, in addition to stations in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Deleware, and Manhattan, now has wireless internet access (Wi-Fi). This isn’t quite the same as a 24-hour service, but is in the same vein in that it adds wireless mobility to travelers and inhabitants of Baltimore, in the same way that diners provide food, pharmacies provide diapers, milk, and aspirin at 3 a.m., and venues of various sorts provide entertainment.

I’m really excited by Penn Station’s access. Currently, there is no indication that the service includes a time limit; Pittsburgh added free Wi-Fi to its city so residents could access service “anywhere” but the Wi-Fi is only available in the city’s “better neighborhoods” and only for 30 minutes…which ruins the fun. It’s sort of as if the enforcers of that idea had never had an assignment due while on the move and suffered a technological malfunction.

That said, Wi-Fi in Penn Station—and these other stations, too!—is incredible, even if trains don't run 24 hours a day. There's also talk of having wireless access on the trains, which does extend to the wee hours. Some trains have some amenities on them now, but it's nice to think the two-hour Marc ride could avail the convenience of gmail and Blogger in addition to the power supply that fuels low batteries while operating Microsoft Office.

As Baltimore becomes more like The City That Never Sleeps, there’s no limit to turning in a breaking news story to your editor at 2 a.m. while waiting for the Amtrak to whisk you away to your next story…

24 Hour Wiki

While researching various story ideas for my multimedia package, I found DavisWiki, an open source page devoted entirely to Davis, California.

What I find especially interesting is its Open 24 Hours page, which includes the note, “It’s 3:30am [sic] where can you go, what can you do?” A footnote includes information that at 5 a.m., Fluffy Donuts will be open; the time seems arbitrary and the restaurants and services are not always open seven days a week. (24 Hour Fitness, for example, is open five days a week.)

The page includes other towns—Dixon, Woodland, West Sacramento—in the general of Davis to list, and other towns are often within the general content of the site’s 10,000+ pages. In this case, it means that Davis residents looking for an IHOP at 4 a.m. know to drive to Dixon for pancakes, Woodland for Taco Bell or Sonic, or Sacramento for Carl’s Jr. Conversely, neighboring towns know what Davis offers late at night as a result of the site’s very existence.

DavisWiki is part of Wiki Spot, “a non-profit organization that helps communities collaborate via wikis.” Much like Wikipedia, anyone can contribute and edit the information that is part of the webpage. DavisWiki is the first local wikispot, edited and maintained by Davis residents. Other local wikispots exist in Illinois, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Other projects are dedicated to common interests—Orwell, beer, home schooling—and projects.

As a concept, wikis provide a foundation to allow for up-to-date information. A study in 2005 found that despite scandals of misinformation, Wikipedia was more informative and reliable than Britannica, as a result of constant updates and many contributors. Scandals and inappropriate behavior may have tarnished the possibility for Wikipedia to be considered a truly reliable source, but its open-source software allows the possibility to aid communities.
I think the DavisWiki is truly great. As a large-scale project, it shows community action and involvement. But its 24 Hour page is what impresses me the most. Currently, the listings are the typical box stores open around-the-clock in every town, but it fosters encouragement to patronize the establishments while providing a service to the late-night community. Patrons benefit from the ease of knowing what is open at 3 a.m., while businesses are aided by customers. (Provided the page is updated.)

I’d like to see a BaltimoreWiki. I’d like to see the many taco trucks and street food listed with their cross streets and hours. I’d like to see reviews from various publications included and linked to the businesses. The DavisWiki could benefit from included post-midnight to sunrise hours instead of an arbitrary early morning hour (and the helpful, albeit distracting footnote).
If BaltimoreWiki existed, I’d love for it to foster community involvement and pride, something I worry the city lacks.

[UPDATE] The links weren't working, but I edited the HTML and hopefully they're functioning correctly. Thanks for letting me know, Philip! [/UPDATE]