Over the course of the semester, I was definitely more of a consumer of information about Glee rather than a participant on Wikia. I think my findings would have been a lot different had I chosen to focus on a wiki that didn’t have such a dedicated, overwhelming fan base. Had I chosen a topic that was not covered yet, or not as meticulously detailed, I may have felt more of an inclination to participate. Although I did not add much new information to the wiki, I was able to particpate through blog posts as well as commenting on other people’s comments. It seemed like a handful of people dominated the website, and it was a hobby for them to be exceptionally involved.
It was interesting to see how different Wikia was from Wikipedia throughout my fifteen hours of research. Wikia was much more interactive and Web 2.0 oriented than Wikipedia through its incorporation of Facebook, Twitter, customizable user profiles, and its overall interface and style. Most members on the Glee wiki used the site as a form of entertainment and an outlet to express their fandom. In the future, I will be more likely to use Wikipedia to find information on something I am unfamiliar with because it has a more neutral philosophy.
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