The Wikipedian
Stewart Cheng is a dedicated contributor to Wikipedia. He talks to us about his passion for knowledge.
HK Magazine: When did you start Wikipedia-ing?
Stewart Cheung: I started in November of 2005. I was the 40,545th user to register on the Chinese version of Wikipedia, and since then, I’ve been crazy about it.
HK: How often do you log on to Wikipedia?
SC: Every day. I'm not sure how many hours, but I type on Wiki while having dinner. For an information maniac, there is so much to discover in this world! I search through Wisenews [a news database] and add clippings to Wiki every day. I want to contribute!
HK: Are you actually addicted?
SC: I did the Wikipediholism test. It asks questions like how often you edit or create articles, or if you think quality of contributions to Wiki is important in choosing a partner… I got 80/150. Thank God, I am still fine!
HK: How many articles have you contributed?
SC: Maybe around 50? I usually talk about Hong Kong culture, like the history of streets and local festivals. Sometimes I research for days before finishing up a topic. But I am more like an editor. Every day I need to edit out some hoax entry filled with stupid symbols… People will actually submit whole pages filled with x’s.
HK: Have you ever met anyone through Wikipedia?
SC: Yes, lots through the weekly Wiki meeting on Saturdays. I doubt if I've ever missed one, but I missed the annual Wikimania Conference this year.
HK: What happens during the meetings?
SC: We are trying to establish a Hong Kong Wikimedia Foundation to organize more activities, like museum visits. We usually discuss topics that need to be upgraded or added. We vote to decide on all these.