Online encyclopedias: urgent development challenges

An approach to study of online encyclopedias as S-symbolic knowledge systems is proposed. The online encyclopedia is considered as an updatable collection of hypermedia information resources designed in the form of a web site and united by the rules of creation, modification, classification, search, and use of resources. The rules define the functional requirements for the online encyclopedia software (as a web system) implemented as an online encyclopedia engine. The results of a comparative analysis of the conceptual, organizational, and technological foundations of three modern Russian universal online encyclopedias (The Great Russian Encyclopedia (electronic versions 2017 and 2022), Runiversalis, and Ruwiki) are presented. The examples of successful and erroneous decisions affecting the prospects for the development of online encyclopedias are given. Among urgent organizational problems, the task of attracting experts to create and review encyclopedic resources is highlighted. To solve it (with the existing system of evaluating the effectiveness of scientific activities of employees of research and educational institutions), it is advisable to take into account expert publications in Russian online encyclopedias.