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View Full Version : The Trouble with Wikipedia

Howard White
03-22-2007, 08:44 AM
Find out here (http://www.xkcd.com/c214.html).

Mathematically-inclined readers, in particular, will find other gems here.

HW
annc
03-22-2007, 01:31 PM
You're right. I was diverted even further.
George
03-23-2007, 04:55 AM
Find out here (http://www.xkcd.com/c214.html).

Mathematically-inclined readers, in particular, will find other gems here.

HW

Wikipedia can be a fast introduction to needed information, but it is incredible how much the articles are biased and provide outright unsubstantiated garbage. It's often mere propaganda that can even make the evening news look objective.

George
Kelvyn
03-23-2007, 05:16 AM
it is incredible how much the articles are biased and provide outright unsubstantiated garbage. It's often mere propaganda that can even make the evening news look objective.
You can of course, edit the content yourself. I find that I regularly edit pages to correct obvious errors and provide updates or extra information.
George
03-24-2007, 04:32 AM
You can of course, edit the content yourself. I find that I regularly edit pages to correct obvious errors and provide updates or extra information.

Edit?? Do you mean I can provide a comment to an article? A couple days ago I was in a forum that linked to an article, and I found the information not just biased but, perhaps, deliberately misrepresenting things, though the author may not have been conscious of an intent to do so. Still, if I had the opportunity to comment on the article at their site, it probably would have led to an outright debate. I've seen this happen in book reviews at amazon (The software doesn't permit capitalization of the last word there -- computers rule). Hmm-- we can never get rid of bias, but it seems there is so much less respect for emphasizing objectivity anymore. Oh well, I might be getting used to it -- at least for now.

George
Kelvyn
03-24-2007, 05:47 AM
Edit?? Do you mean I can provide a comment to an article?
You can edit the articles themselves. Just click on the "edit this page" tab at the top and away you go! Below the editor panel there is a textbox where you can enter the reason for editing. The edit history is also available for all to see on the "history" tab. Sometimes it is useful to know who has edited an article. It is useful to register on the site as that does smooth the process.