But what is the most likely cause of death for Wikimedia? It's not running out of money to operate servers or maintain the knowledge of keeping them ruining: it's collapsing under it's own wealth, rising costs and inefficiency to a point where one day they actually will be unable to maintain servers and knowledge. Money attracts people eager to get it under their control, and determined wealth-seekers will always outdo their more idealist peers in ascending to that control. And chances are they'll fool everyone including themselves, believing that they are believers when in fact they wouldn't have come close to thinking about joining up without that glimmer of gold leading their attention.
Note that I'm not suggesting that idealists must remain poor, I'm suggesting that there needs to be balance and I don't see Wikimedia anywhere close. I'd rather donate to a frugal Wikimedia for getting them from reserveres equivalent to six generations of operation without new donations to seven generations of reserves than for yet another expensive side project that roughly correlates with some interpretations of Wikipedia ideals.
If those side projects have adequate merit they'll find donations on their own, but if they can only fund themselves hiding behind the wikipedia front, they don't deserve your dollars.
Note that I'm not suggesting that idealists must remain poor, I'm suggesting that there needs to be balance and I don't see Wikimedia anywhere close. I'd rather donate to a frugal Wikimedia for getting them from reserveres equivalent to six generations of operation without new donations to seven generations of reserves than for yet another expensive side project that roughly correlates with some interpretations of Wikipedia ideals.
If those side projects have adequate merit they'll find donations on their own, but if they can only fund themselves hiding behind the wikipedia front, they don't deserve your dollars.