Ken Lay Dead; Wikipedia Confused

I think we're still learning how to read Wikipedia. The crisis of its legitimacy has everything to do with how we perceive it--as an encyclopaedia--than any institutional or structural aspects.

I don't think Wikipedia is an encyclopaedia. Such a word connotes guarantee, and indeed when I open that L volume of the EB and read a beautifully honed, copyedited, proofread entry on Libya, expert or not, I can't challenge it. It's encyclopaedic.

The very opportunity to edit any content on the 'online encyclopaedia' is to suggest to noobs and veterans alike that the guarantee has gone. We're basically getting shitty because there's a monstrous conceptual abyss between reference and referent. I think we should refresh the reference. Or you could carry on like LeHah.

I'm not sure if it's formally encouraged onsite, but learn to value the Discussion Pages as if they promised as much insight into the subject as did the finished (term used reservedly) product, because sometimes they bloody well do.

The truth is that Wikipedia and Encyclopaedia Britannica content both changes; it's just that a) the consumer prejudice which says something that costs several thousand dollars would never need alterations, or to a lesser extent, revision, and b) Wikipedia content can potentially change thousands of times faster than a multi-volume hardcopy counterpart's.

In this thread alone there's the usual human-error variety of adages (which of course are still thoroughly warranted), but, once we take some big-boy steps in what we collectively expect from Wikipedia, I proffer another one: the best things in life are free.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Quote:

So why don't they do that for every entry, as its prone to the same thing?

Because then the thing may as well be a hardcover edition-bound product in 499485565575 volumes, by the time it takes to create and update content.


'LeHah we're all happy with this compromise between accuracy and flexibility, it is sensible/statistically proven'

'BUT FAGGOTS STILL HAVE ACCESS'

'But that's okay, their capacity for fucking shit up is still very sma--'

'BUT THE FAGGOTS, THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, OTHERWISE THEY WOULDN'T BE ON THE INTERNET GOD THE INTERNET IF FULL OF FAGGOTS'

one, two, one, two, etc.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Whatever, abbo

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Derogative/affectionate term for an Ausnig, you white bastard:



How ya doing, buddy?