TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Wikpedia (sic) Becomes Internet Force, But Faces Crisis

Re: Wikpedia (sic) Becomes Internet Force, But Faces Crisis

Neal McLain (nmclain@annsgarden.com)
Fri, 16 Dec 2005 07:52:12 -0600

Adam Frix <afrix@runbox.com> wrote:

> The work of experts can be undone by a simple prankster, eh?
> Sounds like a bad idea to me. Next time it won't be a prankster,
> it'll be someone who isn't an expert but only THINKS he's an
> expert -- and then who's to say what you believe?

Every Wikipedia entry has a "permanent link" that links to the article
as it stood at the moment when you looked at it. Each entry also
includes citation text in various formats so that an author can cite
the article knowing it won't be changed later. Of course, any author
citing a Wiki article should review it carefully for accuracy before
citing it; but that can be said of any citation.

In my experience, Wikipedia entries are accurate and well-written. A
favorite example: Wikipedia's definitions "geostationary" and
"geosynchronous" are accurate, unlike WIRED magazine that never uses
the terms correctly, and refuses to print my letter asking them to
correct it.

Neal McLain

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