Adam Tauno Williams wrote:
Could someone knowledgeable about ODF monitor Wikipedia on this subject?
Is it possible to complain to someone at Wikipedia with the hope of
putting a stop to the abuse? This kind of thing is destructive for
Wikipedia as well as ODF.
The "cheaper" solution is to just trust that anyone with the intellect to be influential in any
meaningful way (vs. trolls) knows enough to not waste their time on
Wikipedia. Personally I'm confident of this as all the academics and
hackers I know both speak of Wikipedia with derision (usually in the form
of humor "I read it on Wikipedia - it must be true!"). Only trolls and
fan-boys have the low standards to cite Wikipedia. So just don't waste
time on it.
What you say is just not true. You expose your bias against and utter
ignorance of Wikipedia. There has been considerable research that
shows Wikipedia is as good in absolute terms as the Britanica.
Equivalent reference, equivalent numbers of articles, depth about the
same, the difference being the public is invited to contribute and edit.
But they do maintain standards, and their editors go through the articles.
It is impossible is to prevent someone like Microsoft from changing an
article, then copying it for their own purposes. Then they reference
their biased and out-of-date versions of the Wikipedia article.
You suggestion that ALL academics deride Wikipedia is false. When my
students used Wikipedia, I required them to have other supporting
sources just as when they use other encyclopedias. I never accepted ONE
reference on a topic. Even the Britanica has bad articles, but the
chance of finding an article that has been messed with is greater with
Wikipedia.
I am not the only professor who encourages use of Wikipedia as ONE of
MANY resources.
David Teague
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
Western Carolina University
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