A boy uses a computer in a school computer lab.
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"Trying to become a centralized source, which is what Digital Universe is trying to do, is difficult. You really need to be the first to do it, like eBay, Google and Wikipedia," says Pete Ashdown, of XMission, a successful Internet service provider.
But finding a way to deliver accurate information directly from topical experts to viewers is exactly what has the science community so enthused about the Earth Portal. "This can help open up communication between scientists and the general public in a way we haven't seen before," says renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, who is on the ManyOne Foundation Board. "It can be a wonderful tool not only for science students, but really for anyone seeking credible information about any number of important topics: climate change, bio-diversity, conservation and so much more."
Joining in this race to determine where and how information will be organized and presented on the Web is the Encyclopedia of Life, which launched last week. It aims to document on the Web the world's 1.8 million species over the next 10 years. "We are much more than an encyclopedia," says Firmage.
Yet critics question whether Digital Universe can be financially viable without ad revenue or donations (Wikipedia's method). Their plan is to generate revenue by providing optional build-your-own-website service and email hosting for $7.95 a month. Third parties, like nonprofit organizations, can set up portals as well to generate revenue.
Once investors are paid off, Firmage plans on funneling money into the ManyOne Foundation in which board advisors will oversee how it's spent. The board and its advisors reads like a Who's Who list, including the likes of Goodall, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus and General Wesley Clark, among others.
Even with the brains and a brawny vision, Digital Universe's task ahead is daunting. Categorizing the best content on the Web is an undertaking that Yahoo! abandoned years ago, while other encyclopedia websites already offer content posted by experts for free. Such challenges don't discourage Firmage, who sold his first company, Serius, for $20 million at 23; Serius evolved out of the challenge of writing software for his mother's greeting card business. Since then, he has given away some 95% of his wealth to philanthropic causes.
The Digital Universe is one of these "causes;" Firmage has invested $3.5 million of his own money in it (some $12 million has come from angel investors). He says: "To me there will be no solution to any major global problem — poverty, global warming, health care, human rights — unless the public has and wants access to high-quality, non-commercial, non-biased information."