Socially Speaking

Wikipedia founder and visionary Jimmy Wales has become one of the most prominent names on the web. As if helping create and grow what is now the single largest source of information in history — along with one of the world’s most influential brands — wasn’t a big enough challenge, there’s something even grander in store.

His for-profit endeavor, Wikia, basically takes the core of Wikipedia and expands upon it. If you imagine Wikipedia as an encylopedia, then think of Wikia as an entire library. It’s all of the collaborative media (books included) that people might create, together. If it can be done with an encyclopedia — that, Jimmy believes, is just the beginning.

Wikia Search, a ‘pillar’ of Wikia, is a very big idea. It’s all about making search participatory, transparent, and free (free in the sense of free speech, not free in the sense of free beer). Human-powered search.

We’re incredibly proud and excited to have Jimmy join us on April 5th. During the ‘cast, you’ll have the chance to ask Jimmy a question directly via phone and/or IM in the chat room. Here are the details:

WHAT: Interactive Podcast with Jimmy Wales

WHEN: Thursday, April 5, 2007, 1:30-2:30pm EST

HOW: Register here. But hurry! As always, it’s free but spaces are limited.

Forbes named Jimmy Wales as one of the Top 25 Web Celebrities for 2007, and he was the first person listed in the “Scientists & Thinkers: the lives and ideas of the world’s most influential people” in Time magazine’s May 8, 2006 issue.

Given that, he’s an incredibly comfortable and ‘real’ person to speak with. Please join us, if you can.