Conclusion
Written in an accessible manner, this book provides a glimpse at the inner-workings of Wikipedia while also providing a close look at similar projects undertaken in the last 100 years. While the text offers some broad analysis of several areas of Wikipedia--including collaboration, openness, and authority--some readers may be frustrated that Reagle Jr. does not go into substantial depth on any of these topics. It seems that each chapter could, in fact, be its own book; thus, Wikipedia scholars--or Wikipedians themselves--may be disappointed with the how each topic is addressed, as each chapter is a bit light on analysis and theory. However, it seems likely to me that this text is not intended for those intimately familiar with Wikipedia but rather individuals who may not be cognizant of how Wikipedia works; additionally, critics or skeptics of Wikipedia may benefit from reading this text to garner a further understanding of what makes Wikipedia tick. Thus, this book seems to serve as an excellent primer--a good first step--for those first embarking on studies on or about Wikipedia. Certainly, Reagle Jr. offers a lot of ideas for further research and that is in itself of value for burgeoning scholars.
However, while Reagle Jr. strives to write this in a neutral point of view--much as Wikipedia is written--it often comes across as though Reagle Jr. is proselytizing Wikipedia. He is effusive in his praise, and this may rub some skeptics of Wikipedia the wrong way. Additionally, it seems that Reagle Jr. is purposefully ignoring contentious discussions that occur on Wikipedia; he claims that good faith collaboration is a prominent feature on Wikipedia discussion boards, but this very general claim is only substantiated by a handful of examples. A more complete analysis of knowledge creation in Wikipedia would also pay attention to the controversial, rude, and stressful conversations that occur regularly in Wikipedia.
That said, I still believe this book can be of value for scholars wishing to learn more about Wikipedia; the survey-like approach to this work lends itself well to learning a little about a lot in regards to the intricacies of Wikipedia. Additionally, the historical approach is a fascinating revelation about how Wikipedia is just one of several attempts at creating a universal encyclopedia.
