Which online encyclopedia launched on January 15, 2001?

Which online encyclopedia launched on January 15, 2001? The answer is Wikipedia.

Wikipedia began as a companion project to Nupedia, an earlier online encyclopedia whose expert-review process was slow. Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launched Wikipedia as a more flexible wiki, allowing volunteers to create and revise articles quickly. Its name combines “wiki,” referring to a collaborative website, with “encyclopedia.”

The project initially operated at Wikipedia.com and started with an English-language edition. It soon expanded into other languages and developed editorial principles such as neutral point of view and verifiability. Unlike a conventional encyclopedia, Wikipedia relies on a large community of volunteer editors rather than a single editorial staff.

A common mix-up is confusing Wikipedia with Microsoft Encarta or Britannica Online, both of which were professionally produced digital reference products. Another useful distinction is that January 15 marks Wikipedia’s launch, while the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that supports it, was established later in 2003.