Jimmy Wales: The Father of Wikipedia and a Technology Pioneer
Jimmy Wales, also known as Jimmy « Jimbo » Wales, is an American entrepreneur, investor, and technology pioneer. Wales is best known as the co-founder of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedia, which he launched in 2001. Since then, Wikipedia has become one of the world’s most popular websites, with over 500 million monthly visitors.
Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia
Wales was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1966. He studied finance at Auburn University and went on to work as a futures and options trader in Chicago. In 1994, he began working for the online financial services company, Bomis, which he co-founded with Tim Shell. At Bomis, Wales developed the web portal, which provided web search and directory services.
In 2001, Wales and Shell launched Wikipedia, which became an instant success. The website was created with the goal of providing free, reliable information to the public. Since then, Wikipedia has become one of the most visited websites in the world.
Jimmy Wales, coding for Wikipedia
Wales is an advocate for open-source software development and has been involved in the development of several open-source projects, including the MediaWiki software behind Wikipedia. He is also a vocal proponent of free and open access to information, and has been involved in numerous initiatives to support this cause.
In addition to Wikipedia, Wales has also founded several other technology-related businesses. These include the web hosting service Wikia, the social networking site Wikitravel, and the online marketplace Wikia Shopping. He has also been involved in a number of venture capital investments, and is an advisor to several tech startups.
Jimmy Wales is an important figure in the world of technology and the internet. He has been a driving force behind the development of open-source software and the free and open access to information. Through his work, Wales has helped to shape the digital landscape, and his influence can be seen in many of the websites we use today.