--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wikipedia is a victory of process over…" description: "\"Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance.\" — Ethan Zuckerman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png" --- # Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance. ![“Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance.” quote by Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png) > “Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance.” [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wikipedia’s collaborative process outweighs any single article’s content quality, emphasizing community over substance. **In simple terms:** Process matters more than content in Wikipedia. Key Takeaway Value collaborative processes in knowledge creation. Themes digital media collaboration process knowledge community Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - research - content creation - open‑source projects Key Concepts information theory collective intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How to ensure quality in collaborative platforms? - What checks balance process and substance? A Different Perspective Process can produce inaccurate content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entry/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Process Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process-substance-4057799/) [Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Victory Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory-process-4057800/) [Wikipedia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wikipedia/) [Wikipedia Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wikipedia-victory-4057801/) ## Related quotes > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Wikipedia celebrates its 12th birthday today. Of course, I have no idea if it's true. I read it on Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/wikipedia-celebrates-its-12th-birthday-today-of-course-i-have-no-idea/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [A lot of stuff in Wikipedia is not true, and that goes for a lot of people. I sometimes think, "How can that happen?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-emmerich/a-lot-of-stuff-in-wikipedia-is-not-true-and-that-goes-for-a-lot-of/) [Roland Emmerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-emmerich/) > [Citizendium is based on the failings and unreliability of Wikipedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-sanger/citizendium-is-based-on-the-failings-and-unreliability-of-wikipedia/) [Larry Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-sanger/) > [Wikipedia is first and foremost an effort to create and distribute a free encyclopedia of the highest possible quality to every single person on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/wikipedia-is-first-and-foremost-an-effort-to-create-and-distribute-a/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [When I opened Wikipedia, it had three articles, yet it was called an encyclopedia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/when-i-opened-wikipedia-it-had-three-articles-yet-it-was-called-an/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [Wikipedia only works in practice. In theory, it's a total disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-gardner/wikipedia-only-works-in-practice-in-theory-it-s-a-total-disaster/) [Sue Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-gardner/) > [I think I am done with Wikipedia for the time being. But I have a secret hope. Someone recently proposed a Wikimorgue - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-think-i-am-done-with-wikipedia-for-the-time-being-but-i-have-a/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [It turns out a lot of people don't get it. Wikipedia is like rock'n'roll; it's a cultural shift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/it-turns-out-a-lot-of-people-don-t-get-it-wikipedia-is-like-rock-n/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [In the world of the Internet, there are many falsehoods. Anyone can write stuff on Wikipedia, and it doesn't have to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hulce/in-the-world-of-the-internet-there-are-many-falsehoods-anyone-can/) [Tom Hulce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hulce/) > [The core of Wikipedia is something people really believe in. That is too valuable for the world to screw it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/the-core-of-wikipedia-is-something-people-really-believe-in-that-is/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [The core community is passionate about quality and getting it right. If you want to read some good criticisms of Wikipedia, probably the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/the-core-community-is-passionate-about-quality-and-getting-it-right/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [I'm actually an optimist about what lies ahead. Are wikis reliable? It depends on the specific business. Is Wikipedia reliable? You bet. Wikipedia is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-saffo/i-m-actually-an-optimist-about-what-lies-ahead-are-wikis-reliable-it/) [Paul Saffo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-saffo/) > [I don't believe Wikipedia about anything. I don't go there for anything but keywords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pitt/i-don-t-believe-wikipedia-about-anything-i-don-t-go-there-for/) [Michael Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pitt/) > [Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/wikipedia-is-the-best-thing-ever-anyone-in-the-world-can-write/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## More by Ethan Zuckerman > [A world where everyone creates content gets confusing pretty quickly without a good search engine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/a-world-where-everyone-creates-content-gets-confusing-pretty-quickly/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Cute. I'm on the waitlist to beta a new product, and have been offered the chance to move up in the list if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/cute-i-m-on-the-waitlist-to-beta-a-new-product-and-have-been-offered/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [While the Internet is censored in China, the censorship is allowing a level of speech to take place that's unprecedented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/while-the-internet-is-censored-in-china-the-censorship-is-allowing-a/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Moments of crisis, like the shooting in Newtown, tend to produce brief spikes of popular interest in gun control. My research on media attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/moments-of-crisis-like-the-shooting-in-newtown-tend-to-produce-brief/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [It's becoming clear that the world is listening, so now we're trying to get new groups of people talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/it-s-becoming-clear-that-the-world-is-listening-so-now-we-re-trying/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [People who know me well have learned to insist that I commit to obligations by opening my laptop and putting them onto the appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/people-who-know-me-well-have-learned-to-insist-that-i-commit-to/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Now if you're using Twitter or other social networks, and you didn't realize this was a space with a lot of Brazilians in it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/now-if-you-re-using-twitter-or-other-social-networks-and-you-didn-t/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [The wider world is a click away, but whether we mean to or not, we're usually filtering it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/the-wider-world-is-a-click-away-but-whether-we-mean-to-or-not-we-re/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Reddit names are unconnected to real-world identities and it's commonplace for users to create 'throwaway' accounts to reveal sensitive information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/reddit-names-are-unconnected-to-real-world-identities-and-it-s/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [ \[According to Twitter\] 24 percent of American Twitter users are African-American. That's about twice as high as African-Americans are represented in the population. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/according-to-twitter-24-percent-of-american-twitter-users-are-african/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [If we need simple narratives so people can amplify and spread them, are we forced to engage only with the simplest of problems?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/if-we-need-simple-narratives-so-people-can-amplify-and-spread-them/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [If I use Facebook to stay in touch with my high school friends who are church-going Republicans, I may be getting more ideological diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/if-i-use-facebook-to-stay-in-touch-with-my-high-school-friends-who/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [On the Internet, information from Indiana and India is equally cheap and easy to access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/on-the-internet-information-from-indiana-and-india-is-equally-cheap/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [A common language is a first step towards communication across cultural boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/a-common-language-is-a-first-step-towards-communication-across/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Re-tweeting is a pretty common practice on Twitter, but on an average day, we see maybe one out of 20 posts is a re-tweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/re-tweeting-is-a-pretty-common-practice-on-twitter-but-on-an-average/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) [Explore all 55 Ethan Zuckerman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) ## More Entry quotes > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system, which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Every coercive monopoly was created by government intervention into the economy: by special privileges, such as franchises or subsidies, which closed the entry of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/every-coercive-monopoly-was-created-by-government-intervention-into/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [What business needs now is exactly what women are able to provide, and at the very time when women are surging into the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-helgesen/what-business-needs-now-is-exactly-what-women-are-able-to-provide-and/) [Sally Helgesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-helgesen/) > [Once I'd worked out that I couldn't possibly expect people to enjoy a monstrous, 3000-page book, I realised I could in fact create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/once-i-d-worked-out-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-expect-people-to-enjoy-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I don't believe Wikipedia about anything. I don't go there for anything but keywords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pitt/i-don-t-believe-wikipedia-about-anything-i-don-t-go-there-for/) [Michael Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pitt/) > [We will finally complete the biometric entry-exit visa tracking system which we need desperately. For years Congress has required biometric entry-exit visa tracking systems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-will-finally-complete-the-biometric-entry-exit-visa-tracking-2/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The players themselves can be classified into two groups- the attractions and the entry fees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-demaret/the-players-themselves-can-be-classified-into-two-groups-the/) [Jimmy Demaret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-demaret/) > [Every human being has gone through a tragedy of sorts. And the idea is that you have two paths you can take, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/every-human-being-has-gone-through-a-tragedy-of-sorts-and-the-idea-is/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [“I made it into Wikipedia,” sang Erszebet. “I’ll bet none of my enemies ever made it into Wikipedia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/i-made-it-into-wikipedia-sang-erszebet-i-ll-bet-none-of-my-enemies/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [There can be no doubt that Samuel Marchbanks is one of the choice and master spirits of this age. If there were such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/there-can-be-no-doubt-that-samuel-marchbanks-is-one-of-the-choice-and/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [There must be an open space in the paintings - an entry space for the viewer, or even for me. Just white space where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-bisky/there-must-be-an-open-space-in-the-paintings-an-entry-space-for-the/) [Norbert Bisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-bisky/) > [...what about the millions of poor in this country who desperately need assistance and services to help bring them out of poverty? Shall they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/what-about-the-millions-of-poor-in-this-country-who-desperately-need/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [ \[Margaret Thatcher\] is a woman who, when she wrote her entry for "Who's Who," didn't include her mother. Now whether that was corrected in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/margaret-thatcher-is-a-woman-who-when-she-wrote-her-entry-for-who-s/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [“Where all strange and possibly evil things begin. Wikipedia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-d-ficklin/where-all-strange-and-possibly-evil-things-begin-wikipedia/) [Sherry D. Ficklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-d-ficklin/) [Browse all 381 Entry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethan Zuckerman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-substance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Entry" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-substance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59f/ethan-zuckerman-12315_entry_wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-s_2890685.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wikipedia is a victory of process over substance.” — Ethan Zuckerman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ethan Zuckerman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wikipedia is a victory of process...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-substance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/wikipedia-is-a-victory-of-process-over-substance/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```