Steve Jobs, 1955 – 2011

The following was written by author Kartika, a writer who contributes regularly to Wikipedia. Wikipedia needs your help. Every year at this time, co-founder Jimmy Wales asks us to donate to Wikipedia to help defer the expenses of operating this great resource. This year, many contributors have helped with his cause by also requesting that you help. To see more pieces written by Wikipedia contributors, please visit Wikipedia.com or WikimediaFoundation.org.

To donate to Wikipedia, please click here.

A message from Wikipedia author Lilaroja:

13.3 million and zero.

How many people turn to Wikipedia every day for access to knowledge? Over 13 million. And how much do they pay for access to the 5th most popular website in the world? Absolutely nothing.

That’s what Wikipedia is all about.

There has never been a more powerful way for people all over the world to freely share what they know with one another. Not just to broadcast facts and data, but to collaborate on articles and make them as clear and accurate as possible.

But what’s most remarkable about Wikipedia is that all of that knowledge has been shared and edited by volunteers, one entry at a time. And, because Wikipedia is free of advertising, those of us who create and use Wikipedia have to protect and sustain it one donation at a time.

That’s what the annual Wikipedia fundraising campaign is all about. It’s the chance for those of us who have come to rely on Wikipedia to come together and help sustain what we help create.

I’ve made my personal donation to this year’s campaign and I hope you’ll choose right now as the time to make yours. Please give $20, $35, $50 or whatever you can to keep Wikipedia free.

I started writing articles on Wikipedia because I realized there was a lot of knowledge people might be searching for that hadn’t yet been added in my language. I didn’t do it for attention or for praise. I did it because I care about my culture and I want to share what I can with as many people as possible.

People all over the globe do the same thing each and every day and that’s what makes Wikipedia so valuable.

Please make a donation today to keep Wikipedia strong.

Thank you,

Kartika,

Jakarta, Indonesia

Reprinted under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.