Wikipedia NOT on the verge of shutting down

Contrary to popular rumor, it looks like Wikipedia will not have to shut down in three months if it doesn't raise enough money. Dozens of blogs and technology websites have spent the past few days reporting that Wikimedia Foundation chairwoman Florence Devouard said at the LIFT07 conference that Wikipedia "might disappear" if money is not raised.

But Laurent Haug, the founder of LIFT, went back and looked at his actual transcript of Devouard's statements. Basically, Haug asked Devouard how much cash was on hand to run Wikipedia's servers, and she replied three months.

Devouard also pointed out that the foundation is making plans for Wikipedia two years in advance, so there's no expectation that the money's going to dry up entirely. The overall point that was being made was simply that it costs more to run Wikipedia the more popular it gets, and as with any foundation, it's important to continue raising money as you go along.

[via Scobleizer]