In a longer run this may not look as good for Wikipedia as it does now. It shows that they are willing to sacrifice their cultural values, particularly neutrality, for other impromptu values that Jimmy sees fit to promote. It also shows that they are willing to turn on their business partners and screw them.
This is the logical next step part of a much longer trend on Wikipedia, that of the solidification of power in the hands of a few, which has been happening with the editing for some time.
Neutrality does not require passivity and inaction. In fact, it requires that you actively distance yourself from politicized parties so that your neutrality is not called into question. GoDaddy has, of their own accord, become a politicized party in the SOPA debate. It is altogether reasonable for Wikipedia to choose not to be involved with them.
So has Wikipedia: they could have just dropped GoDaddy without saying a word, that would have been neutral. Publicly proclaiming you severing business ties for a politically-charged reason is just bad business.
"publicly proclaiming" is 'as discussed in our own online spaces where we came up with the decision'? Do you have evidence of wikipedia seeking out other media to promote their decision?
I don't see that as bad business. Wikipedia requires neutrality. SOPA is anti-neutrality. Can you really imagine sites like Wikipedia existing in a post-SOPA universe?
It shows that they do care about their users, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to make them comfortable. A few Redditors started a cause to donate money to Wikimedia in return to ask them if they would acknowledge the fact that GoDaddy is/was Pro-SOPA and they should plan on switching their domain over somewhere else.
Jim is also a Anti-SOPA guy, he had the idea to move the domain once the news was out about GoDaddy supporting SOPA. Wikipedia saw an opportunity from their users that were encouraging them to switch.
Along with many others, I also agree with the choice WikiMedia recently made.
>> It shows that they are willing to sacrifice their cultural values, particularly neutrality, for other impromptu values that Jimmy sees fit to promote
Opposing SOPA is a must for wikipedia to maintain neutrality. Else, soon you will see that most of the so called controversial articles on wikipedia are no longer available because it will make it mandatory on the part of wikipedia to remove them.
And moving their domain from Godaddy is the right thing to do.
This is the logical next step part of a much longer trend on Wikipedia, that of the solidification of power in the hands of a few, which has been happening with the editing for some time.