Now you can annotate images from Wikimedia Commons in a fashion very similar to Flickr. The big difference with the new feature is that annotations can be added by anyone, and no account is necessary. While they don't show up directly in Wikipedia yet, a new version of the system that will appear in the free encyclopedia is under development.

Once you find the image you want, either by clicking through from Wikipedia or searching Wikimedia Commons directly, just click the "add note" button underneath any image on its own page. Then type in your text and either preview or save it. In addition to simple text notes, you can include wiki markup to add links or for styling, and if your annotation fails then you can add it manually through editing the page's code.

The image annotation gadget is basically just some JavaScript written by a Wikimedia volunteer and made standard on the site. If you're a regular user and you don't like the boxes showing up on your images, then you can turn it off via your user preferences. The advantage to logging in to add notes is that a history of all your annotations will show up in your user contributions history. According to the project's FAQ, a version will soon be available for use directly within Wikipedia.

The grant will fund a study of barriers to entry for users and contributors new to Wikimedia Commons. The project team will also identify best practices from similar media-sharing sites. The team will design and implement a simpler workflow for uploading, licensing, and describing media.

"We want to make uploading files to Commons as easy as possible so that people everywhere can join us in helping Commons grow. The bigger Commons is, the more people it will serve."

According to the Ford Foundation website, the funds are granted to select organizations that support emerging leaders, research and dialog, and life-changing or life-improving innovations. Typically, fewer than 3 percent of grant applicants are selected for funding, and purely scientific projects are not typically considered for these grants.

Ford Foundation representative Jenny Toomey said in the Wikimedia statement, "The global community that is building Wikimedia Commons is setting the standard for the way that video and images are uploaded and shared through the Web.

"The whole process is simplified, promotes collaboration, and is driven by consensus among the community. Ultimately, this approach and others like it can help ensure that the Internet remains a rich and open space for learning, expression, and participation."

The Wikimedia Foundation is the non-profit organization which operates Wikipedia, the free, online encyclopedia. Wikipedia contains more than 12 million articles in 265 languages contributed by a community of more than 100,000 volunteers.