The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source The inner workings of Wikipedia (Interview)
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Nov 26, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, longtime Wikipedian Bill Buechler—founder of Buetler Inc.—shares two decades of insights into Wikipedia's inner workings. He explains the delicate balance of community norms and policies that govern edits. Bill delves into the impact of AI on Wikipedia's future and debunks the myths surrounding perceived political biases. He also addresses the challenges of retaining editors in the AI era and discusses the complexities of Wikipedia's funding and notability criteria. A fascinating look at a modern digital cornerstone!
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Expertise Is Shown By Participation Not Title
- Wikipedia is vast and diffuse, so even veteran editors don't know everything.
- Expertise is shown by consistent edits and speaking the community's shorthand like NPOV.
Announce Edits On The Talk Page First
- Read policies and post on the article's talk page before you edit.
- Explain your intent and cite sources to increase the chance your change will stick.
Long Articles Get Split Around 100KB
- Articles approaching ~100,000 bytes should be considered for splitting.
- Large topics often become parent/child articles to manage scope.