[Web4lib] Problems with Wikipedia

[Dominic Benson]

I would not recommend Wikipedia as an authoritive source. And I 
would not search for the keyword "buffer" on MSN either -- as one 
may well hit a 4X rated site that installs a trojan on your PC 
(think "buff, in the", here, not the biochemical meaning of the 
word). Deep Freeze took care of this on campus for our user. At 
home, who knows...?

If one doesn't know what is wrong with ones plumbing, don't be 
surprised when the bill tends toward a four figure sum when it 
gets "fixed" by a cowboy...

Dom Benson
--
dominic.benson at brunel.ac.uk
Electronic Resources Librarian, Systems Office, 
Brunel University Library, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK.
Tel: +44(0)1895 266143, Fax: +44(0)1895 269742



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Mezynski, Andrzej
Sent: Thu 04/01/2007 22:14
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Problems with Wikipedia
 
Paul,

you sound like my apartment manager when I report a plumbing problem :-)
(did you fix it, well why not?)
But seriously, as an "end user" I can deal with that, but as an academic
librarian I must consider warning students about the possibility of
encountering strange and/or misleading and/or offensive "data" on
Wikipedia.
One "insensitive" sentence is easy to detect but what about  ... e.g.
politicians removing their "love rap-sheets"?  Or ethnic groups adding
"glorious facts" to their history? 
I don't say " Wikipedia sucks" (as you did ;-), but I share my
experience(s), idea(s) and concern(s) with others, that's why we joined
this forum, right?

Andrzej Mezynski



-----Original Message-----
From: Sutherland, Paul [mailto:Paul.Sutherland at ccc.govt.nz] 
Sent: Thursday, January 04, 2007 12:35 PM
To: Mezynski, Andrzej; web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Problems with Wikipedia

Why did you not just remove that text on seeing it - it would have taken
less time than grumbling to the list - and you would have more insight
into how wikipedia and it community works.


However you wouldnt have recived a pointer to the good article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Replies_to_common_objections

Another thing to consider is how we help our customers (and colleagues)
to understand wikipedia and its ilk - and get over the Wikipedia sucks
feelings.

I think it is always worth replying to the antis - by saying - but did
you fix it, well why not?

I like "Should I Cite Wikipedia? Probably not." 
http://www.williams.edu/library/citing/wikipedia.php 
as a good example of advice in one context

/paul



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