The Encyclopaedia Britannica has announced that it is adding three new members to its editorial board of advisors, and I am honored to report that I am one of them. The other two are the computer scientist and author David Gelernter and the cultural anthropologist Michael Wesch (who last year produced the YouTube masterwork The Machine Is Us/ing Us). We join existing board members Wendy Doniger, Benjamin Friedman, Leslie Gelb, Murray Gell-Mann, Vartan Gregorian, Thomas Nagel, Donald Norman, Don Michael Randel, and Lord Sutherland of Houndwood.
Founded 240 years ago, the Britannica holds a distinguished place in the history of ideas, and I am thrilled to be associated with it. I have already been briefed on some of the encyclopedia’s plans for the next couple of years, particularly for expanding its presence online in a way that gives readers a greater ability to organize and contribute information while maintaining the editorial integrity of the encyclopedia and its many distinguished authors. I think people will find the new features to be innovative, engaging, and useful.
As is usually the case with such bodies, the board of advisors plays a modest role, serving as a sounding board for planning, offering suggestions and ideas, and pitching in with some editorial work now and then. I can only hope my own contributions prove worthy.
Nick, have you met Charles Van Doren of Quiz Show fame? Is he still on the board at EB?
I was pleased to purchase a (printed) second-hand set last year. Our kid is growing up, and I wanted a traditional print reference on hand. We used it just yesterday to learn about surface tension. This was after we were playing with spilled milk on a plastic Spider Man placemat. Lots of surface tension.
Yannias and his boss, Safra look like interesting folks to work with.
Safra’s vision appears very ultraistic and his jump to new strategies since the late 90’s is breathtaking considering the challenges.
It’s interesting to note that Safra’s interest in Encyclopædia Britannica unfolded from his boyhood days as an avid reader rather than purely as an investment strategy Well, it’s all about the digital age, and who better that Mr. Carr to advise! Congratulations Nick.
Alan
What a wonderful mix of perspectives!
I hope you will reflect on the continuing role of the paper edition. Exclusive attributes of immediacy of meaning, haptic efficiency and reliable reaccess are still in play with print. I have not yet found any published paper Wikis, but print could be another surprise product of Wiki momentum.
Congrats Nick! Just don’t abuse your new found power. ;-)
This is exciting. Congratulations. I hope you help steer EB towards continuing success. As much as I love Wikipedia, I hope that paper-based encyclopedias never disappear. I am still fond of the orange-covered encyclopedia that adorned our book rack when I was a child. I hope that when I have children they can still flip through the pages of a printed encyclopedia and marvel at all the knowledge within.
Congratulations from Russian readers.
Your articles are well known in Russia.
I cannot think of anyone better suited to occupy that position.
First suggestion: use Wikipedia Star Trek page. The rest is not so good——but the geek trivia!
I all seriousness: paper will still be around a lot —— mostly e-ink, though, especially for encyclopaedias who could use animations, expandable sections, updates on historical events (elections) and might well weight less then 20 stones. Making then spill proof can be good to have a younger readership too, or a bath-enjoying one. (OK, now you know my fantasy: reading all there is to know about heraldry with colourful animated explanations about how Sir Bono came up with his coat of arms, soaked in a bath).
Nick-
Here’s an idea for promoting EB /and/ scoring some Web 2.0 kale. Create a digital index of the print and/or digital edition, then create a Google Desktop Search plug-in that uses it.
That way, when I Google something on the web, I automatically get EB hits at the same time — they might link directly to the digital ed. on my PC (page numbers into the print ed would be nice, too).
Or, when I search EB, I automatically get web hits.
I’m sure this idea is cloud compatible.
Sid