While Knol (or the Knol model) certainly represents an alternative use of wiki for encyclopedic implementation, the knol model may also be a revolutionary catalyst for changing how new knowledge is developed and accepted into the mainstream of human activity. What Google’s Knol does is apply wiki in a manner that is more applicable to today’s environment and business needs than the Wikipedia implementation that many have embraced as the standard or model for wiki application.
The Wikipedia encyclopedia implementation is simply an imitation of traditional encyclopedias like World Book or Britannica with the obvious value-add being the inclusive capabilities of wiki as a tool. Applied encyclopedicly wiki enables content errors to be frequently corrected, and wiki enables entries to be enriched to incorporate a perspective that is much greater than that of traditional encyclopedias (whether paper or online). Yet in regards to entries, a comparison between Wikipedia and traditional encyclopedia is actually an “apple-to-apple” comparison with the subject of the entries included in Wikipedia and Britannica or World Book being very similar.<
The alignment of the entries between Wikipedia and traditional encyclopedia stems from the fact that Wikipedia essentially follows traditional encyclopedia conventions in regards to what and how entries are accepted and included. Wikipedia for example, does not allow original work to be added as new entries; and to be accepted entries must go through a peer review process to determine whether or not they will make the cut. And so, it is to be expected that the end result of Wikipedia’s cloned practices is simply an easier to use traditional encyclopedia.
Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with the Wikipedia approach if the goal is simply to create a traditional type encyclopedia on a wiki platform. However, the Wikipedia approach runs against the grain of the realities and demands of the so-called knowledge environment because it disrespects and/or gives little weight to the ideas of the individual. The knowledge environment is being driven by the fact that small and individual entities have been enabled, by greater information access, to unleash the power of their genius directly upon the marketplace without having to go through the red tape of traditional “brick and mortar” business processes. The only thing that matters today is <strong><em>being right</em></strong>.
The review process of Wikipedia is an anachronism to the spirit of so-called Web 2.0 because it fails to allow for the fact that the vision, genius, and ideas of a single individual may be more significant than those of a group of university scholars.
In contrast, Google recognizes that it is enabled individuals that are driving the knowledge environment, and with Knol they are trying to apply wiki more openly with greater trust in both individuals and the community.Â
The following represents an example of a problem that an implementation like Knol may be able to address:
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<li>An article in Science magazine highlights a sociologist’s study that finds that “articles from the online age actually cite fewer studies, from a shrinking pool of journals. And the same popular studies are mentioned over and over. ” The study concludes that “the internet leads scientist to the most popular, talked-about research - which could overshadow the lone dissenter”.</li>
</ul>
In other words, the promotion of a group mentality can stifle creativity. Wikipedia’s definitions begin from the group perspective and asks individuals to make their views a part of the group perspective. Google’s definitions start from the individual perspective and asks the community to enhance the individual’s definition. By starting from an individual’s perspective Knol is more likely than Wikipedia to create new knowledge. (Also this is true by default, because Wikipedia entries cannot be new knowledge.)
In conclusion, Google’s Knol empowers small entities and individuals in the spirit of the <em>Open & Equal</em> information environment. Google is entrusting us to make Knol what we think it should be, and not what Google thinks it should be.
