Wikitravel: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{for|the [[Wikimedia Foundation~~]]'s~~ travel guide|Wikivoyage}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox website

| name = Wikitravel

| logo = [[File:Wikitravellogo.svg|200px|alt=The Wikitravel logo includes a stylized blue-grey compass rose]]

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}}

'''Wikitravel''' is a [[World Wide Web|web]]-based [[List of collaborative software|collaborative]] [[travel guide]] based on the [[wiki]] format and owned by [[Internet Brands]]. It was most active from 2003 through 2012, when most of its editing community left and brought their contributions to the nonprofit [[Wikivoyage]] guide.<ref name="Lifehacker">{{cite news |last1=Douglas |first1=Nick |title=Wikivoyage Is the Travel Guide to Everywhere |url=https://lifehacker.com/wikivoyage-is-the-travel-guide-to-everywhere-1823713768 |access-date=26 November 2019 |work=Lifehacker |date=March 13, 2018 |language=en-us |archive-date=June 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623194640/https://lifehacker.com/wikivoyage-is-the-travel-guide-to-everywhere-1823713768 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The site was launched by [[Evan Prodromou]] and Michele Ann Jenkins in 2003<ref name="turnbull" /><ref name="connell" /> as a multilingual effort aiming to cover all the globe's destinations. In 2006, [[Internet Brands]] bought the trademark and servers and later introduced [[Web advertising|advertising]] to the website.<ref name="tedeschi1" /> This move met opposition from users, with many German and Italian editors leaving in December 2006 for a newly established wiki, Wikivoyage.

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In 2006, Wikitravel launched a free media repository known as Wikitravel Shared, and in 2007, it received a [[Webby Award]] for Best Travel Website.<ref name="coyle" /> The same year, Wikitravel's founders began '''Wikitravel Press''', a now-defunct project that published printed travel guides based on the website's content.<ref name="doctorow" /> The first print guides were released on February 1, 2008.

In 2012, in response to sustained dissatisfaction with Internet Brands' commercialization and technical support, a large portion of the editing community, including the founders, left and [[fork (software development)|transferred]] their contributions to the [[Wikivoyage]] travel guide, which was relaunched as a [[Wikimedia Foundation]]–hosted project in January 2013. Since then, Wikivoyage has surpassed Wikitravel in edit count, page count, and global viewership.<ref name="WikivoyageAlexa">{{cite web |title=wikivoyage.org Competitive Analysis, Marketing Mix and Traffic |url=https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/wikivoyage.org |website=www.alexa.com |access-date=26 November 2019 |archive-date=May 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526031721/https://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/wikivoyage.org |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Lifehacker"/>

==History==

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On January 1, 2010, the content of Wikitravel was migrated to the updated [[Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 license]].

In mid-2012, a proposal was floated by members of the editing community to [[fork (software development)|fork]] their work at Wikitravel (forking in this context means to move editing activities and current content to a new host, in accordance with [[CC BY-SA|the site license]]) and re-merge with the travel website Wikivoyage—which had been a fork of German and Italian language Wikitravel some years before—and to then seek hosting of the merged sites by the non-profit [[Wikimedia Foundation]].<ref>[http://governancexborders.com/2012/07/13/challenges-of-merging-communities-the-case-of-wikitravel-and-wikivoyage/ The Case of Wikitravel and Wikivoyage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717081522/http://governancexborders.com/2012/07/13/challenges-of-merging-communities-the-case-of-wikitravel-and-wikivoyage/ |date=July 17, 2012 }} Governance Across Borders, July 2012</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://skift.com/2012/07/13/wikipedia-parent-launch-travel-guide-wikitravel-rebels/ |title=Wikipedia parent to launch travel guide with Wikitravel rebels |publisher=Skift.com |date=2012-07-13 |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-date=August 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817024124/http://skift.com/2012/07/13/wikipedia-parent-launch-travel-guide-wikitravel-rebels/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Internet Brands opposed this move and sued one Wikitravel contributor and one Wikipedia contributor, alleging trademark infringement, [[unfair competition]], and civil conspiracy. This move was opposed by individuals and by the Wikimedia Foundation as being an example of a [[SLAPP]] lawsuit—one undertaken without plausible legal grounds with a primary intent being to deter, overwhelm, or frustrate persons engaged in fully lawful actions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wiki travel dustup tests open copyright licenses|date=September 7, 2012|work=Thomson Reuters News and Insight|url=http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/Legal/News/ViewNews.aspx?id=56379|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502060256/http://newsandinsight.thomsonreuters.com/Legal/News/ViewNews.aspx?id=56379|archive-date=2013-05-02 |access-date=2014-12-29|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Community fork in 2012===

{{see also|Wikivoyage#History|Internet Brands#Wikitravel and Wikimedia}}

In 2012, after a lengthy history of dissatisfaction with Wikitravel's host and owner [[Internet Brands]], it was proposed that the community at Wikitravel [[fork (software development)|fork]] (split off) their work and editing activities from ''Wikitravel'' and ''Wikitravel Shared'' and—with the existing sites at [[Wikivoyage]]—merge to create a new travel wiki to be hosted by the [[Wikimedia Foundation]], the owner of [[Wikipedia]] and a large range of other [[non-profit]] reference sites based upon [[wiki community|wiki communities]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Travel_Guide |title=Wikivoyage – Meta |publisher=Meta.wikimedia.org |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-date=October 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023055901/https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Travel_Guide |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Travel_Guide&oldid=4064419] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426215129/http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Travel_Guide&oldid=4064419 |date=April 26, 2015 }}, Travel Guide proposal on Wikimedia meta-wiki(Revision as of 20:12, 24 August 2012)</ref><ref>[http://www.wikivoyage.org/w/general/index.php?title=Migration_FAQ&oldid=12931]{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Wikivoyage Migration FAQ (Revision as of 23:15, 26 August 2012)</ref> The dissatisfaction related to long-standing discontent at poor hosting, poor site updates, and excessive monetization and advertising, and eventually, interference by Internet Brands in the community's activities in breach of prior agreements and understandings.<ref name="wv faq">[[meta:Wikivoyage/Migration/FAQ|Migration FAQ at Wikivoyage, 25 Oct 2012]]</ref>

After lengthy discussion by users of the three communities and comments by their respective hosts, and confirmation by the Wikimedia Foundation that it would host a travel project if users wished, the majority of administrators and bureaucrats at Wikitravel decided to fork their existing work to [[Wikivoyage]].<ref>[http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Wikitravel:Travellers%27_pub&oldid=1914778] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215172021/https://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Wikitravel:Travellers%27_pub&oldid=1914778 |date=December 15, 2018 }}, Discussions (towards the bottom) on Wikitravel's Travellers' Pub regarding the migration to Wikimedia/Wikivoyage (Revision as of 01:16, 26 August 2012)</ref><ref>[http://www.wikivoyage.org/w/general/index.php?title=Interest_in_starting_a_new_language_version&oldid=14619#English Part of the discussion at Wikivoyage, of move to WMF 25 Oct 2012]{{dead link|date=March 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Travel_Guide&oldid=4289759 Analysis of the situation, findings, discussions, and resolutions by the Wikimedia Foundation and its user community] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502004552/https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Travel_Guide&oldid=4289759 |date=May 2, 2021 }}: comprehensive resources at Wikimedia.org, as at 25 October 2012</ref>

The contents of Wikitravel and its related 'Commons' (images, video, ~~etc.~~and other media files) in all languages and of Wikitravel Commons were downloaded as a 'database dump' in preparation for such a migration on August 2, 2012, and as the starting point for the existing wiki. Forking is a normal or anticipated activity in wiki communities and is permitted by the Creative Commons license in use on sites such as Wikitravel; [[MediaWiki|the wiki software used for Wikitravel]] included that facility, although Internet Brands disabled the function shortly after this date to forestall the attempt at data migration or forking.<ref name="wv faq"/> The community discussion at Wikimedia ended 23 August 2012 with 540 votes in support and 152 votes in opposition of the creation of a Wikimedia Foundation travel guide project.<ref>[https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Requests_for_comment/Travel_Guide&oldid=4059415] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426170707/https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Requests_for_comment/Travel_Guide&oldid=4059415 |date=April 26, 2015 }} Request for Comment on the Travel Guide proposal at Wikimedia meta-wiki, version at time that discussion ended</ref> The wiki text was moved to Wikimedia Foundation servers on November 10, 2012.

A significant part of the editing community including most of the administrators at the time, and the existing Wikitravel content for most languages resumed under the '[[Wikivoyage]]' name as www.wikivoyage.org, as an ad-free and not-for-profit reference site in early 2013.<ref>[http://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikivoyage&oldid=4326621 Wikimedia.org website 25 October 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430113531/https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikivoyage&oldid=4326621 |date=April 30, 2021 }}: states ''"In preparation of Wikivoyage becoming part of the new Wikimedia travel guide..."'' and ''"Wikivoyage e.V. plans to hand over its domain and the responsibility for operating the Wikivoyage project to the Wikimedia Foundation. A corresponding resolution has been made by the general assembly in June 2012."''</ref><ref>See also [https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikivoyage-l Wikivoyage mailing list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103161822/https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikivoyage-l |date=November 3, 2012 }} by Wikimedia Foundation] as at 25 October 2012: "The mailing list for Wikivoyage, a planned Wikimedia project"</ref>

On August 24, 2012, Internet Brands filed a lawsuit in [[Los Angeles County Superior Court]] against Wikitravel administrator Ryan Holliday and [[Wikipedia administrator]] [[James Heilman]] involving claims of trademark infringement and unfair business practices. In September 2012, the Wikimedia Foundation filed a complaint in [[San Francisco County Superior Court]] on behalf of Holliday and Heilman asking the court to declare that "forking has and remains a legal activity."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/business/media/once-a-profit-dream-wikitravel-now-bedevils-owner.html | title=Travel Site Built on Wiki Ethos Now Bedevils Its Owner | author = Noam Cohen | work = [[The New York Times]] | date=September 9, 2012 | access-date=February 23, 2017 | archive-date=June 17, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617034148/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/business/media/once-a-profit-dream-wikitravel-now-bedevils-owner.html | url-status=live }}</ref> In February 2013 the parties settled their litigation. The terms of the settlement were not reported.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57569807-93/wikimedia-internet-brands-settle-wikivoyage-lawsuits/ |title=Wikimedia, Internet Brands settle Wikivoyage lawsuits |work=CNET |first=Steven |last=Musil |date=February 17, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2013 |archive-date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227160106/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57569807-93/wikimedia-internet-brands-settle-wikivoyage-lawsuits/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="connell">{{cite news |title=Online Diary |first=Pamela LiCalzi |last=O'Connell |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/12/technology/online-diary.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 12, 2004 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=May 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502233044/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/12/technology/online-diary.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="coyle">{{cite news |title=On the Net: Web Sites to Travel By |first=Jake |last=Coyle |url=http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2007May30/0,4675,OntheNet,00.html |publisher=Fox News Channel |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=May 30, 2007 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104163813/http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_wires/2007May30/0,4675,OntheNet,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="dealbook">{{cite news |title=Internet Brands Picks Up Two Travel Sites |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/internet-brands-picks-up-two-travel-sites/ |series=[[DealBook]] |work=The New York Times |date=April 20, 2006 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=August 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813095908/http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/internet-brands-picks-up-two-travel-sites/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="doctorow">{{cite news |title=Wikitravel to publish up-to-the-month print editions of its guides |first=Cory |last=Doctorow |author-link=Cory Doctorow |url=http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html |newspaper=[[Boing Boing]] |date=February 19, 2008 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723035951/http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="fair">{{cite web |url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Be_fair |title=Wikitravel:Be fair |publisher=Wikitravel |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927082717/http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Be_fair |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="glow">{{cite news |title=Wikitravel to publish hardcopy editions of its guides |first=Justin |last=Glow |url=http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publish-hardcopy-editions-of-its-guides/ |work=Gadling |date=February 19, 2008 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711062732/http://www.gadling.com/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publish-hardcopy-editions-of-its-guides/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="hamilton">{{cite news |title=Wikitravel – 50 Best Websites 2008 |first=Anita |last=Hamilton |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1809858_1809957_1811566,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618183211/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1809858_1809957_1811566,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 18, 2008 |newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=April 4, 2011 |date=June 17, 2008}}</ref>

<ref name="mos">{{cite web |url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Manual_of_style |title=Wikitravel:Manual of style |publisher=Wikitravel |access-date=December 16, 2011 |archive-date=December 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228012033/http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Manual_of_style |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="press">{{cite web |url=http://gyrovague.com/2012/12/18/wikitravel-press-seven-lessons-from-a-startup-that-failed/ |title=Wikitravel Press: Seven lessons from a startup that failed |publisher=Gyrovague |date=2012-12-18 |access-date=2013-03-20 |archive-date=March 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308192432/http://gyrovague.com/2012/12/18/wikitravel-press-seven-lessons-from-a-startup-that-failed/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="statistics">{{cite web |url=http://wikitravel.org/shared/Multilingual_statistics |title=Multilingual statistics |publisher=Wikitravel |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=September 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920003911/http://wikitravel.org/shared/Multilingual_statistics |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="tedeschi1">{{cite news |title=Everyone's an Editor as Wiki Fever Spreads to Shopping Sites |first=Bob |last=Tedeschi |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/24/technology/24ecom.html?_r=1 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 24, 2006 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113065503/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/24/technology/24ecom.html?_r=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="tips">{{cite web |url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Tips_for_new_contributors |title=Wikitravel:Tips for new contributors |publisher=Wikitravel |access-date=December 16, 2011 |archive-date=December 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227085017/http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Tips_for_new_contributors |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="tout">{{cite web |url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel~~:Don't_tout~~%3ADon%27t_tout |title=Wikitravel:Don't tout |publisher=Wikitravel |access-date=December 16, 2011 |archive-date=December 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227061432/http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel%3ADon%27t_tout |url-status=live }}</ref>

<ref name="turnbull">{{cite news |title=The DIY travel guide |first=Giles |last=Turnbull |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3614517.stm |newspaper=BBC News |date=April 12, 2004 |access-date=April 4, 2011 |archive-date=July 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727231334/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3614517.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

}}

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==External links==

{{sisterlinks|b=no|q=no|commons=Wikitravel|wikt=no|voy=Wikivoyage:Wikivoyage and Wikitravel|n=no|s=no|v=no|species=no|mw=no|m=Wikitravel|d=Q2017}}

* {{Official website}}

* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page Wikitravel in English]

* [http://gyrovague.com/2012/12/18/wikitravel-press-seven-lessons-from-a-startup-that-failed/ Blog post about the failure of Wikitravel Press]

[[Category:2003 establishments in the United States]]

[[Category:Creative Commons-licensed websites]]

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[[Category:Wiki communities]]

[[Category:Multilingual websites]]

[[Category:Image -sharing websites]]

[[Category:Volunteered geographic information]]