十週年的ABC： A 廣告 Weren’t adverts traditionally what kept an encyclopedia running? Wikipedia was originally a private project hosted by Jimmy Wales, an internet entrepreneur. When the project became too expensive the idea of accepting advertisements as a source of income came up. Finally Wales decided to pass Wikipedia to the newly found Wikimedia Foundation. Donations make it possible to keep Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects the way as they are, without advertisements. The issue, nonetheless, is still hotly discussed at Wikipedia. 維基百科源自於由一位網路創投家，吉米威爾士所有的一個私人專案。當維持這個專案變 得太過昂貴，使它考慮接受廣告以作為增加收入的來源。而後，威爾士決定透過維基百科 成立一個全新的維基媒體基金會。對外捐募能夠使維基百科不靠廣告養活自己，且能夠養 活姊妹計畫。儘管如此，是否接受廣告在維基百科仍是一個激辯的議題。 In the history of encyclopedias, it was not too unusual to inform the readers about nice things to buy. John Harris wrote in his Lexicon technicum (1704) about mechanical instruments produced by specific instrument makers – most of them were subscribers of his work. Harris did not see anything wrong in that, it was the same to him as quoting from books, of course the best books there were. Isn’t quoting a kind of recommendation as well? [1] 在百科全書的歷史中，不告訴讀者有何好東西可以敗，那太不尋常了。約翰哈理斯在其技 術辭典(1704年)一書中提及機器的製造廠商，而那些廠商大多為他的訂戶。哈理斯並沒有 理解當中有任何錯誤存在，那對他來說就如同引述書籍而已，當然那些他所引述的文獻是 當時最好的書。 Even in those times, the 18th century, there were lines that could be crossed. Dennis de Coetlogon used some treatises in his Universal history of the arts and sciences (1740s) to boast about his abilities as a doctor. At the end of the treatise ‘Chirurgery’ he mentions one of his inventions, a ‘ vulnerary and styptic tincture’. His modern biographer, Jeff Loveland, calls him a ‘quack’ who mentions his tincture in several treatises and sees more and more diseases it cured. [2] 甚至在18世紀的那些時代裡，仍有一些事該被打叉。Dennis de Coetlogon 曾在他所著述 的Universal history of the arts and sciences (1740年代)這本書當中，用一些論文 誇耀自己的能力猶如一名醫生。在該論文的 Chirurgery 的結尾中，他提及他的壹個發明 ， ‘vulnerary and styptic tincture’。但他在現代傳記中，在傑夫拉夫蘭的筆下， 他是一位「庸醫」，因為傑夫拉夫蘭看過後來更多提及他的論文以及他所治療的成果。 Later encyclopedias dropped that kind of business but went on with advertising for themselves. Encyclopedia Britannica in the 20th century spent much more on promotion than on improving content.[3] ‘Executives are ready to use any emotion that will help sell their product’, warned EB critic Harvey Einbinder, especially emotions potential buyers’ had for their children. He quoted from a 1961 advert: ‘How will they measure up against the kids next door?’ [4] This in spite of the fact that EB (and other encyclopedias, usually) is not written for children. One can expect that the publisher of an encyclopedia praises his work in the preface. In the articles ‘Encyclopedia’ it is common to find at least a mention of the work one has in one’s hands. The last printed edition of the multi-volume Brockhaus-Enzyklopädie (2005/2006) uses the occasion for an indirect self-promotion. There we read at the end of the article ‘Encyclopedia’ that ‘it must be assumed that the electronic encyclopedias will go on to establish themselves; next to them there will be a continuous interest in printed editions.’ The article also emphasizes that the high quality paper used for Brockhaus-Enzyklopädie will make the volumes endure for more than 400 years. [5] I couldn’t help thinking of an old sketch of the German humorist Loriot, about an interview with a salesman of nuclear bomb shelters. To reuse one of the questions: ‘Can’t you imagine that even happy consumers after such a long time are no longer content with their purchase?’ —- [1] Jeff Loveland: An Alternative encyclopedia? Dennis de Coetlogon’s Universal history of arts and sciences (1745). Voltaire Foundation, Oxford 2010, p. 163. [2] Jeff Loveland: An Alternative encyclopedia? Dennis de Coetlogon’s Universal history of arts and sciences (1745). Voltaire Foundation, Oxford 2010, pp. 157-159. [3] Harvey Einbinder: The Myth of the Britannica. MacGibbon & Kee, London 1964 (reprint 1972), p. 269. [4] Harvey Einbinder: The Myth of the Britannica. MacGibbon & Kee, London 1964 (reprint 1972), p. 320. http://zikoblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/decennial-abc-a-as-in-advertisement/ 作者:Ziko van Dijk --

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