Digital Universe

This article is about the internet portal. For the software planetarium, see Digital Universe Atlas. For the electronic medium of computer networks, see Cyberspace. For the Computational theory of the Universe, see Digital physics.
Digital Universe
Type of site
Internet portal
Available inEnglish
HeadquartersScotts Valley, California
OwnerDigital Universe Foundation
URLwww.digitaluniverse.net
Commercialno
RegistrationOptional

Digital Universe was a free online information service founded in 2006.[1] The project aimed to create a "network of portals designed to provide high-quality information and services to the public". Subject matter experts were to have been responsible for reviewing and approving content; contributors were to have been both experts (researchers, scholars, educators) and the public.[2]

The project was founded in 2005 by Joe Firmage, CEO of ManyOne, with Bernard Haisch as the president. It launched in early 2006. Larry Sanger was a director, and helped with the launch of the project's Encyclopedia of Earth. Sanger left in late 2006 to launch Citizendium.[3][4][5][6] As of 2019, the website was nonfunctional.[7]

  1. ^ Terdiman, Daniel (19 December 2005). "Wikipedia alternative aims to be 'PBS of the Web'". CNET News. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Digital Universe Launches Experts Recruitment Program". Digital Universe Foundation press release. May 15, 2006. Archived from the original on 3 January 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. ^ Udell, Jon (9 January 2006). "Wikipedia's Future". InfoWorld. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  4. ^ Moody, Glyn (13 July 2006). "This time, it'll be a Wikipedia written by experts". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  5. ^ Blundo, Joe (26 April 2007). "Web encyclopedia won't include 'giving up'". Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  6. ^ Olsen, Stefanie (16 October 2006). "Wikipedia co-founder plans 'expert' rival". CNET News. Archived from the original on 7 July 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. ^ Pritchard, Michael J.; Martel, J. C. (2020-03-01). "Information system ecology: An application of dataphoric ascendancy". Information Systems. 89: 101486. doi:10.1016/j.is.2019.101486. ISSN 0306-4379.