Wikipedia notability

I was recently listening to the NPR Technology podcast (worth subscribing to, if you're a lapsed geek like me) when I came upon an interview with Slate Columnist Timothy Noah about his Wikipedia entry. Apparently Noah recently noticed that his bio on the online encyclopedia was labeled as a "topic of unclear importance" and subject to deletion.

This got me thinking about my own Wikipedia entry, which I did not create, have never edited, and is often the source of much amusement among my friends and co-workers who never watched TechTV. This also got me wondering about the people who created the entry and continue to edit it. Anyone can find this information by clicking the history tab on most entries. I did this and what I found out was kinda disturbing, in that "too much information" kinda way. For example, one user went directly from editing my bio to editing the Wikipedia entry on "fake orgasm."

Of course it also got me wondering why I wasn't marked for deletion. From the NPR interview, the best that I can guess is that I haven't been evicted yet because the eviction police haven't found me yet. Noah makes the argument that the very nature of the Web makes it unecesary to limit entries in Wikipedia, but I have to disagree. I'm not saying that I want to be deleted, but if someone decides I'm of unclear importance, I'm willing to accept that. It will simply make me want to do something of more clear importance.

Comments

[Suzanne]

Funny you should mention this. I was on Leo's site the other day, and it had a link to your Wiki entry. At least, I think it did.

I'll never rate a Wiki entry (nor should I, to be honest), but the entries sometimes confuse me. People who are notable don't have an entry, whilst some who are not worthy have a HUGE entry.

IMO, you are someone who has made worthwhile contributions in the tech field (Noah as well). These are the people who should be last on that deletion list!

[J Maxfield]

While I'd bet the kids still think that maybe you're of "unclear importance" now (since, you know, it's all about them right now), in the future I'd bet they'll get a kick out of their wikified mom.

I vote no delete.

[CoolB]

We think you're important :)

[WheelMan]

Considering that some of us are a "topic of absolutely no importance," and therefore don't have a wiki entry at all, I'd say being a "topic of unclear importance" is a major step up. As the old saying goes, "Who cares as long as they spell your name right?" :)

[BriAnna Shultz]

Oddly enough, I landed on this page today BECAUSE you have a wikipedia entry still. (The Digg/Kevin Rose/AACS thing got me thinking about Screen Savers, and my husband and I always liked you best. Wondered what you were up to.)

I guess my point is that "importance" is rediculously subjective. You matter and are remembered. :)