New type of Wikipedia: BestThinking.com

March 15, 2009 10:43 AM

BestThinking.com is a new take on Wikipedia as a means of collaborative content creation. In development for two years, it opened to the public Saturday. As its name suggests, BestThinking is for the wide variety of topics that have no certain conclusions, only the current best thinking. It currently has almost no content or users, just placeholder samples, but a fairly evolved interface.

All contributors must have their identities verified. Everything is transparent, peer moderated, peer rated. A moderator's rejection of a proposed revision can be appealed to other moderators. If a consensus cannot be reached, a new linked topic can be created representing supporting, dissenting, compromise or alternative viewpoints. Founder Bob Butler is a former COO of Lexis/Nexus and based in NC. I have not spent much time learning about it but the About page is a good place to start.

posted by stbalbach (6 comments total)

I'm embarrassed to say that after signing up for an account I see some problems. I probably would not have posted this had I seen the verification system and fees they charge. Doesn't seem entirely in good faith. Sorry.
posted by stbalbach at 11:00 AM on March 15, 2009

From the registration as a Thinker page (yeah, I signed up as someone famous, so what?)

Credentials Verification Option
You have the option to have your credentials verified by BestThinking. Thinkers with verified credentials can benefit by having their work and Thinker page show the Credentials Verified logo. This is an optional service that requires you to complete your credential information. These credentials will be shown on BestThinking and are used when searches match content according to Thinker’s credentials. Read More..."

No I do not want my Credentials Verified.
Free

Yes I do want my Credentials Verified and to have the Credentials Verified Logo on my work and Thinker page.
$5 per mo
$50 per year

Block Advertising Option
You have the option to block advertising including display ads, and sponsored links. This option stops you from seeing any advertising anywhere on BestThinking. It also stops others from seeing any advertising on your Thinker page or Topics founded by you. If a majority of a Group’s members have selected this option, advertising will not appear on their Group page. Ad space is replaced with useful widgets. Read More...
Allow Advertising I am willing to see advertising.
Free
Block Advertising I do not want to see advertising.
$5 per mo
$50 per year

Storage and Bandwidth Options
BestThinking includes at no charge 500 MB of file storage and 1 GB of bandwidth. This gives you about 500 personal articles, graphics, and PDFs, and about 10 minutes of video, which should be sufficient for most Thinkers. You have the option to add more storage and bandwidth as needed. Read More...
Basic 500 MB of file storage and 1 GB of bandwidth.
Free
Standard 2 GB of file storage and 5 GB of bandwidth.
$5 per mo
$50 per year
Premium 5 GB of file storage and 10 GB of bandwidth.
$10 per mo
$100 per year
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:00 AM on March 15, 2009

Blocks Firefox 2, but allows Safari 1.3.2???? Not sure that's what I would call "Best Thinking"...
posted by Thorzdad at 11:01 AM on March 15, 2009

I'm flagging my own FPP to be deleted. This appears to be too scammy. I got suckered into it with some third party press releases that were probably written by Bob himself. Doesn't deserve the attention of a FPP. Maybe some day in the future if they do well, but I doubt it.
posted by stbalbach at 11:05 AM on March 15, 2009

This gives you about 500 personal articles, graphics, and PDFs, and about 10 minutes of video, which should be sufficient for most Thinkers.

Well, maybe not for Auguste Rodin.
posted by blucevalo at 11:07 AM on March 15, 2009

Ooh, I call pretending-to-be Bob Bakker!
posted by box at 11:15 AM on March 15, 2009 [1 favorite]