I try to tell them that I have a real job: I run Wikipedia! It's an online encyclopedia where people everywhere can contribute information! But all they say in response is "it's really weird that your computer has so many Asian girl pictures on the desktop." So, whatever.
Wikipedia is ranked pretty high on the web. I don't remember how high. But higher than Spam. Did you know Spam has its own website? And we get more hits than it? Take that, Spam.com!
I could be peppering Wikipedia with ads and a steady stream of revenue. But I don't. I don't bathe regularly either, but that's because my dad turned off the water downstairs.
Wikipedia is a public place. A temple for the mind. It's kind of like a public park bench with an unlimited book shelf next to it. You can sit there and read all you want. Of course, people might come by and change what's in those books at any time. And you might have to doublecheck some of those books--there are some bugs we're working out of the system, and if the pages fall out, well, hey, just remember this whole thing is free. I could have taken porn advertisements and made a bundle. I could have moved out of my parents' basement years ago. But I wanted to give all this for free.
I don't want to guilt anyone out, but if all users of Wikipedia donated $5, I could keep the site running for another year, and get myself a new Airport Utility. Also maybe some lava lamps for my basement room. I hear those are awesome if you have chicks over to make out and what not.
So if you have any five dollar bills, or know of any easy chicks who like lava lamps and basement Twister, send them my way.
Thanks,
Jimmy Wales
Wikipedia Founder
