Estimating operating expenses of large free wikis

Initial startup:

• Minimum one high performance server, desired several
• Minimum one fractional T1, desired ...
• Stable versions of the following software components:
  • Linux
  • Apache
  • PHP?
  • mySQL?
  • Wikipedia GPL'd code
  • Associated database schema
  • Wikipedia knowledgebase
  • Installation procedures
  • Administrative procedures
  • Patches for known problems

• An online community wishing to build a derived product, hopefully in a non competing niche initially. Examples might include:
  • Online engineering reference data and summary of Terms (CRC trembling yet?)
  • Engineering specifications for free engineering project components such as:
    • bunsen burners
    • CNC lathes
    • CNC files
    • material specifications and manufacturing methods in ISO9660 formats
  • Sample contracts formats well tested in industry and commerce
    • free/open source CAD software
  • Space clubs desiging Mars Rover prototypes
  • Sci.space.* experts wishing to build and online spacecraft design manuals or summary of methodologies.
  • Free software user/developer communities wishing to collaborate on tracking down and fixing bugs.

Growth curve estimates:

Does anybody have any stats or estimates on how many regular contributors and readers Wikipedia has attracted in its startup phase, ratio of people drifting on instead of sticking around, and how many "trolls" manifested before moving on?

The information would be useful to me for projection and estimation purposes for projects using related technologies and approaches. I will attempt to summarize, tabulate, etc. it and reinsert it here if you do not wish to format or assemble it in a presentable fashion. Thank you in advance! User:mirwin