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{{Infobox website
{{Infobox website
| name = BrickWiki
| name             =  
| logo = BrickWiki logo.png
| logo             = BrickWiki logo.png
| logo_size =  
| logo_size         = 154px
| logo_alt = Six 1×2 LEGO plate bricks stacked to form the shape of a 2×2 brick. Each plate is a different color.
| logo_alt         = Six 1×2 LEGO plate bricks stacked to form the shape of a 2×2 brick. Each plate is a different color.
| logo_caption =  
| logo_caption     = The logo of BrickWiki, designed by Jamie Bliss and Tim Gould
| screenshot = File:BrickWiki.info 20170114.png
| logo_upright      =  
| screenshot_alt = The Main Page of a MediaWiki website, featuring an index of major article categories.
| screenshot       = BrickWiki.info 20170114.png
| collapsible = y
| screenshot_size  =
| caption = Main Page on January 14, 2017
| screenshot_alt   = The Main Page of a MediaWiki website, featuring an index of major article categories.
| type = [[Wikipedia:Online encyclopedia|Encyclopedia]], [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wiki]]
| collapsible       = y
| language = English
| caption           = Main Page on January 14, 2017
| creators = {{ubl|Venkatesh Srinivas|Jamie Bliss}}
| type             = [[Wikipedia:Online encyclopedia|Online encyclopedia]]
| url = {{URL|https://brickwiki.info/|brickwiki.info}}<!--{{URL|https://brickwiki.org/|brickwiki.org}} (old version)-->
| language          = English
| commercial = No
| founded          = <!-- or: | foundation = -->
| registration = Optional (disabled)
| country_of_origin =
| num_users = {{formatnum:1094}} registered users
| owner            = Ted Godwin
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|df=no|2005|6|25}}
| creators         = {{hlist|Venkatesh Srinivas|Jamie Bliss}}
| current_status = Partial read-only archive
| founder          =
| content_license = [[Wikipedia:GNU Free Documentation License 1.2|GNU FDL 1.2]]
| editor            =
| key_people        =
| url               = {{ubl|{{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20191014130957/http://www.brickwiki.info/|brickwiki.info}}|{{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20090525053723/http://www.brickwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page|brickwiki.org}} (originally)}}
| advertising      =
| commercial       = No
| registration     = Optional
| num_users         = {{formatnum:1094}} registered users
| launch_date       = {{Start date and age|df=no|2005|6|25}}
| current_status   = Offline (partial read-only archive from 2021–2024)
| discontinued      = <!--{{End date and age|df=no|2024|11|20}}-->
| content_license   = [[Wikipedia:GNU Free Documentation License 1.2|GNU FDL 1.2]]
| programming_language =
| footnotes        =
}}
}}
'''BrickWiki''' is a defunct [[Wikipedia:Wiki|wiki]]-based [[Wikipedia:Online encyclopedia|online encyclopedia]] for topics related to [[LEGO]]. Created by Venkatesh Srinivas and Jamie Bliss, it was launched in June 2005 and ran on [[Wikipedia:MediaWiki|MediaWiki]] software. In mid-2009 the wiki started going through frequent downtime until it was moved to a new server in May 2012. BrickWiki's closure was announced in February 2017, though it remained active through 2019. The website is still online, but contains only archived copies of a limited number of articles due to data loss.


BrickWiki was the first wiki dedicated to LEGO; however, the site never gained the same popularity as [[Brickipedia]], a competing LEGO wiki launched a year later. In comparison to Brickipedia, BrickWiki focused less on individual LEGO products and more on the culture and communities surrounding LEGO. It was initially used primarily by members of the [[LUGNET]] community, and much of its content reflected the culture of that website. During its final years, interest in it had dropped significantly and very few editors remained active. By the time of its closure, BrickWiki had {{formatnum:1386}} articles and {{formatnum:1094}} registered users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brickwiki.info/wiki/Special:Statistics |title=Statistics |website=BrickWiki |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20191027120424/http://www.brickwiki.info/wiki/Special:Statistics |archive-date=2019-10-27}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==
BrickWiki was created by Venkatesh Srinivas, building on an idea by Jamie "Astronouth7303" Bliss.<ref name="bw history"/><ref name="bw bliss"/> Srinivas posted his desire to start "LegoWiki" on [[LUGNET]] on June 8, 2005.<ref name="lug 51020"/> Following further discussion on what to name the website,<ref name="lug 51046"/> Srinivas decided on "BrickWiki" and launched the wiki on June 25, 2005.<ref name="lug 51109"/> The site was originally hosted by the [[Wikipedia:Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins]] Association for Computing Machinery, which Srinivas was a member of.<ref name="bw history "/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acm.jhu.edu/members.php |title=Members |website=JHU ACM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051108214409/http://www.acm.jhu.edu/members.php |archive-date=2005-11-08}}</ref> Srinivas planned for BrickWiki to be a multilingual wiki once he found translators, though no other language versions of the wiki ever opened.<ref name="lug 51031"/>
<ref name="JHU Commencement"/>


Near the end of July 2009, BrickWiki went offline for several weeks.<ref name="euro 32243"/> Ted "Tedward" Godwin, one of site's administrators, attempted to contact Srinivas about it, but received no reply.<ref name="euro 559102"/> BrickWiki returned online on August 20.<ref name="euro 564631"/> The site went down again in May 2010,<ref name="euro 743922"/> this time remaining offline for nearly two years. In a September 2010 [[Eurobricks]] post, Godwin expressed frustration that the site had "died thanks to the neglect of one person."<ref name="euro 806685"/> Srinivas found a backup of BrickWiki in early 2012 and restored the site in read-only mode. Godwin and Larry Pieniazek made a plan to move the site onto a new server with help from Brian Alano and Jeramy Spurgeon. BrickWiki was made operational again in May 2012, now hosted by Spurgeon's company Site Orchard.<ref name="bw history"/> On November 20, 2012, BrickWiki's URL was changed from ''BrickWiki.org'' to ''BrickWiki.info''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Main_Page |title=Main Page – News |date=November 20, 2012 |website=BrickWiki |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206041426/http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Main_Page |archive-date=2016-02-06 |quote=BrickWiki has a new URL: www.brickwiki.info.}}</ref>


On February 7, 2017, Godwin announced that BrickWiki would shut down on March 25.<ref name="bw shutdown"/> He cited the lack of progress made in the previous two years as part of the reason, stating that that "clearly facts and history are not what the people want".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.brickwiki.info/wiki/Talk:Main_Page#Shutting_down.2C_March_24.2C_2017 |title=Shutting down, March 24, 2017 |website=BrickWiki |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512072805/http://www.brickwiki.info/wiki/Talk:Main_Page#Shutting_down.2C_March_24.2C_2017 |archive-date=2017-05-12}}</ref> (Godwin had previously complained about Brickipedia lacking categorization and articles for basic concepts, despite having a much larger community.)<ref name="euro 806685"/> Despite this, BrickWiki remained online until late 2019 before finally going offline due to server issues.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190000000000*/brickwiki.info/ |title=Wayback Machine crawls for <nowiki>brickwiki.info</nowiki> |website=Internet Archive |access-date=17 July 2024}}</ref> The site returned online in 2021, but in read-only mode and with many pages missing.
<ref name="lugnet.general 51020"/>
 
 
Srinivas detailed his plan for starting "LegoWiki" in a LUGNET message on June 8, 2005, stating that it would serve as an "electronic warehouse" of LEGO knowledge.<ref name="lugnet.general 51020"/>  
 
Srinivas announced his intention
describing it as an "electronic warehouse" of LEGO knowledge.<ref name="lugnet.general 51020"/>  
<!--
{{quote box
|quote=The purpose of this site would be to provide a place for new and veteran fans of Lego to share information, ideas, links, methodologies, or any  information. It would serve as a sort of "electronic warehouse" of Lego knowledge.
|author=Venkatesh Srinivas
|source=LUGNET<ref name="lugnet.general 51020"/>}}
-->
<ref name="lugnet.general 51031"/>
 
<ref name="lugnet.general 51046"/>
 
<ref name="lugnet.general 51109"/>
 
The idea originally came from LUGNET user Jamie "Astronouth7303" Bliss.<ref name="BW history" group="B"/><ref name="BW bliss" group="B"/>  
 
== Articles ==


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=
<!-- BrickWiki -->
<ref name="JHU Commencement">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/commencement2010/page/92/mode/2up?view=theater |title=The Johns Hopkins University Commencement 2010 |date=May 27, 2010 |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University]] |location=[[Wikipedia:Baltimore|Baltimore]], [[Wikipedia:Maryland|Maryland]] |page=92}}</ref>
  <ref name="bw bliss">{{cite web |url=http://www.brickwiki.org/wiki/User:Astronouth7303 |title=User:Astronouth7303 |first=Jamie |last=Bliss |website=BrickWiki |date=31 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208061203/http://www.brickwiki.org/wiki/User:Astronouth7303 |archive-date=2008-12-08 |quote=Oh, yeah. And I originally thought of it, but Venkatesh got to post it. And he owns the server. I'm not complaining. He gives me free hosting for my site.}}</ref>
  <ref name="bw history">{{cite web |url=http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Brickwiki:History_of_Brickwiki |title=Brickwiki:History of Brickwiki |website=BrickWiki |date=26 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108001211/http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Brickwiki:History_of_Brickwiki |archive-date=2017-01-08}}</ref>
  <ref name="bw shutdown">{{cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206041426/http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Main_Page |title=Main Page – News |date=November 20, 2012 |website=BrickWiki |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321185304/http://www.brickwiki.info/wiki/Main_Page |archive-date=2017-03-21 |quote=BW is shutting down. If you have material you wish to save please do so before March 25th. On that date www.brickwiki.info will be shut down.}}</ref>


<!-- LUGNET -->
<!-- LUGNET -->
  <ref name="lug 51020">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51020 |title=Legowiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=8 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716075252/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51020 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
  <ref name="lug 51031">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51031 |title=Brickwiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=11 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718212825/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51031 |archive-date=18 July 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
  <ref name="lug 51046">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51047 |title=Re: Legowiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=13 June 2005 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240716232201/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51047 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
  <ref name="lug 51109">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51109 |title=Brickwiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=8 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716074151/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51109 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>


<!-- Eurobricks -->
<ref name="lugnet.general 51020">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51020 |title=Legowiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=8 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716075252/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51020 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2025}}</ref>
  <ref name="euro 32243">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/ |title=What's with Brickwiki? |website=[[Eurobricks]] |author=desultor |date=August 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717034837/https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/ |archive-date=2024-07-17 |access-date=2024-07-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
  <ref name="euro 559102">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-559102 |title=Holy mother of... somebody actually read the blog?!?! I guess I better start posting again. |type=comment on topic "What's with Brickwiki?" |website=[[Eurobricks]] |first=Ted |last=Godwin |date=August 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717035654/https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-559102 |archive-date=2024-07-17 |access-date=2024-07-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="lugnet.general 51031">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51031 |title=Brickwiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=11 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718212825/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51031 |archive-date=18 July 2024 |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2025}}</ref>
  <ref name="euro 564631">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-564631 |title=Looks like we are back online. |type=comment on topic "What's with Brickwiki?" |website=[[Eurobricks]] |first=Ted |last=Godwin |date=August 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717035654/https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-564631 |archive-date=2024-07-17 |access-date=2024-07-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
  <ref name="euro 743922">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-743922 |title=Please excuse me for reviving such an old thread, but Brickwiki hasn't been operational for the last week or so. |type=comment on topic "What's with Brickwiki?" |website=[[Eurobricks]] |author=MetroiD |date=May 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717035654/https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-743922 |archive-date=2024-07-17 |access-date=2024-07-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="lugnet.general 51046">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51047 |title=Re: Legowiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=13 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716232201/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51047 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2025}}</ref>
  <ref name="euro 806685">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-806685 |title=And yet it still has no categorization and lacks articles on the most basic concepts. |type=comment on topic "What's with Brickwiki?" |website=[[Eurobricks]] |first=Ted |last=Godwin |date=September 8, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717035654/https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/32243-whats-with-brickwiki/&tab=comments#comment-806685 |archive-date=2024-07-17 |access-date=2024-07-17 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
<ref name="lugnet.general 51109">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51109 |title=Brickwiki |first=Venkatesh |last=Srinivas |website=[[LUGNET]] |newsgroup=lugnet.general |date=25 June 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716074151/https://news.lugnet.com/general/?n=51109 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |url-status=live |access-date=1 November 2025}}</ref>
}}
}}
=== BrickWiki pages ===
{{reflist|group=B|refs=
<ref name="BW bliss">{{cite web |url=http://www.brickwiki.org/wiki/User:Astronouth7303 |title=User:Astronouth7303 |first=Jamie |last=Bliss |website=BrickWiki |date=31 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208061203/http://www.brickwiki.org/wiki/User:Astronouth7303 |archive-date=8 December 2008 |quote=Oh, yeah. And I originally thought of it, but Venkatesh got to post it. And he owns the server. I'm not complaining. He gives me free hosting for my site.}}</ref>
<ref name="BW history">{{cite web |url=http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Brickwiki:History_of_Brickwiki |title=Brickwiki:History of Brickwiki |website=BrickWiki |date=26 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170108001211/http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Brickwiki:History_of_Brickwiki |archive-date=8 January 2017 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>
}}
== External links ==
[[File:BrickWiki banner.jpg|right|Do you BrickWiki?]]
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025054529/http://brickwiki.info/wiki/Main_Page |title=Official website}}
* [https://archive.org/details/wiki-brickwikiinfo BrickWiki dumps] by [[wikimedia:meta:WikiTeam|WikiTeam]] from August 2014 and May 2018 (via the Internet Archive)
[[Category:2005 establishments]]
[[Category:LEGO wikis]]
[[Category:LUGNET]]
[[Category:Online LEGO communities]]

Latest revision as of 02:40, 3 November 2025

BrickWiki
Six 1×2 LEGO plate bricks stacked to form the shape of a 2×2 brick. Each plate is a different color.
The logo of BrickWiki, designed by Jamie Bliss and Tim Gould
Screenshot
The Main Page of a MediaWiki website, featuring an index of major article categories.
Main Page on January 14, 2017
Type of site
Online encyclopedia
Available inEnglish
OwnerTed Godwin
Created by
  • Venkatesh Srinivas
  • Jamie Bliss
URL
CommercialNo
RegistrationOptional
Users1,094 registered users
LaunchedJune 25, 2005; 20 years ago (2005-06-25)
Current statusOffline (partial read-only archive from 2021–2024)
Content license
GNU FDL 1.2


History

[1]


[2]


Srinivas detailed his plan for starting "LegoWiki" in a LUGNET message on June 8, 2005, stating that it would serve as an "electronic warehouse" of LEGO knowledge.[2]

Srinivas announced his intention describing it as an "electronic warehouse" of LEGO knowledge.[2] [3]

[4]

[5]

The idea originally came from LUGNET user Jamie "Astronouth7303" Bliss.[B 1][B 2]

Articles

References

  1. ↑ The Johns Hopkins University Commencement 2010. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University. May 27, 2010. p. 92.
  2. ↑ a b c Srinivas, Venkatesh (8 June 2005). "Legowiki". LUGNET. Newsgroup: lugnet.general. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Srinivas, Venkatesh (11 June 2005). "Brickwiki". LUGNET. Newsgroup: lugnet.general. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Srinivas, Venkatesh (13 June 2005). "Re: Legowiki". LUGNET. Newsgroup: lugnet.general. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Srinivas, Venkatesh (25 June 2005). "Brickwiki". LUGNET. Newsgroup: lugnet.general. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2025.

BrickWiki pages

  1. ↑ "Brickwiki:History of Brickwiki". BrickWiki. 26 May 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ↑ Bliss, Jamie (31 December 2005). "User:Astronouth7303". BrickWiki. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Oh, yeah. And I originally thought of it, but Venkatesh got to post it. And he owns the server. I'm not complaining. He gives me free hosting for my site.
Do you BrickWiki?
Do you BrickWiki?
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