America is currently run by chaos goblins, and frankly even in the post-Trump era, it’s likely that the right will remain chaos goblins for some time. Given that we have only two parties, our policies are bound to be volatile.
In light of that, I would strongly recommend other nations step up with alternatives to function as a backup to American institutions that the world has come to rely on. Think of us as a close friend with sudden-onset schizophrenia and act accordingly.
Sturgist@lemmy.ca 1 day ago
It’s not the public. It’s the corporate copyright and IP holders. Because why should preservation efforts be allowed when the rights holders are letting the IP rot, and sometimes actively deleting source code?
TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It’s not that Americans are against either of these per se; it’s that they’re indifferent. Ignoring people brainwashed against the right-wing propaganda against Wikipedia, sane Americans largely take Wikipedia for granted. I don’t mean that bitterly; I mean that it’s been there for 25 years, its quality is better than ever, finances are good, and everyday people therefore don’t consider how unstable its position really is and how irreplaceable it is.
As for the IA, sample 1000 American adults. I’ll bet you five or fewer could tell you what the hell an “Internet Archive” is.
KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 1 day ago
North America is Wikipedia’s largest funding source by a factor of more than 2. I’m not sure why you’re calling Americans out here.
Are you supposing that IA is better known in other countries than in the US? Are you basing that on anything?
TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Because the original comment (not made by me) was an appeal to Americans. The subsequent comment said it’s not the [American] public. Thus I’m specifically limiting what I’m saying to Americans regardless of the relative extent to which it applies elsewhere. Because that’s who the conversation – that I didn’t start – is about.