When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Hunter S. Thompson

19 October 2005

Wikipedia founder admits to serious quality problems - The Register

Encouraging signs from the Wikipedia project, where co-founder and überpedian Jimmy Wales has acknowledged there are real quality problems with the online work.

Criticism of the project from within the inner sanctum has been very rare so far, although fellow co-founder Larry Sanger, who is no longer associated with the project, pleaded with the management to improve its content by befriending, and not alienating, established sources of expertise. (i.e., people who know what they're talking about.)

Meanwhile, criticism from outside the Wikipedia camp has been rebuffed with a ferocious blend of irrationality and vigor that's almost unprecedented in our experience: if you thought Apple, Amiga, Mozilla or OS/2 fans were er, ... passionate, you haven't met a wiki-fiddler. For them, it's a religious crusade.
A cautionary note that bears repeating - Wikipedia is fine as a starting point for investigating a topic that's new to you, but never ever rely on it as a sole (or even primary) source of information. This article contains a lot of needless snark (pointing out that the articles on "Ayn Rand" and "the Klingon language" are excellent, as if there isn't excellent coverage of non-geekly topics in Wikipedia as well) but it makes some very valid points.

Wikipedia founder admits to serious quality problems - The Register

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