Comments on: How to read Wikipedia http://akahele.org/2009/07/how-to-read-wikipedia/ Cautious web criticism Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:36:44 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Gregory Kohs http://akahele.org/2009/07/how-to-read-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-2265 Gregory Kohs Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:30:06 +0000 http://akahele.org/?p=921#comment-2265 I just tried the tool to check out the authors of articles. Strangely, even though I wrote most of the Wikipedia article about Arch Coal, my name doesn't appear in the list, though a sockpuppet of mine does come in at 4th place. Interesting how attribution gets less and less reliable, the more the data is parsed and processed. I just tried the tool to check out the authors of articles. Strangely, even though I wrote most of the Wikipedia article about Arch Coal, my name doesn’t appear in the list, though a sockpuppet of mine does come in at 4th place.

Interesting how attribution gets less and less reliable, the more the data is parsed and processed.

]]> By: Raffaello http://akahele.org/2009/07/how-to-read-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-2010 Raffaello Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:39:31 +0000 http://akahele.org/?p=921#comment-2010 Chuthya: people are getting lazier these days, so they want information while sitting on a chair in front on their PC. And for most of them, quality doesn't matter much as long as it's entertaining... otherwise, why would "Banana Phone" or "Coke + Menthos = BANG!" be so popular? Wikipedia is popular because it contains trivial facts (and because it is spammed to the max on top of any search thanks to Google). If it was like Encyclopedia Britannica it would be boring and not really appealing to the average Joe who browses the net casually, doesn't have a critical mind, and clicks anything that appears in the first lines of the first page. Chuthya: people are getting lazier these days, so they want information while sitting on a chair in front on their PC. And for most of them, quality doesn’t matter much as long as it’s entertaining… otherwise, why would “Banana Phone” or “Coke + Menthos = BANG!” be so popular?
Wikipedia is popular because it contains trivial facts (and because it is spammed to the max on top of any search thanks to Google). If it was like Encyclopedia Britannica it would be boring and not really appealing to the average Joe who browses the net casually, doesn’t have a critical mind, and clicks anything that appears in the first lines of the first page.

]]> By: Chuthya http://akahele.org/2009/07/how-to-read-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-1973 Chuthya Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:26:50 +0000 http://akahele.org/?p=921#comment-1973 Wouldn't it be a lot quicker to just, say, go to the library to do the research on a subject? Wouldn’t it be a lot quicker to just, say, go to the library to do the research on a subject?

]]> By: Gregory Kohs http://akahele.org/2009/07/how-to-read-wikipedia/comment-page-1/#comment-1970 Gregory Kohs Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:24:29 +0000 http://akahele.org/?p=921#comment-1970 Sir, I have just now followed all of your tips so that I could read, review, and examine the authors, links, and histories of a short article like [[Morton Salt]] in only about four-and-a-half hours. Next, I'm thinking about editing the article to include information about "Controversies and scandals" associated with Morton Salt. Do you have any similar tips to better prepare me for editing Wikipedia? Maybe a subject for a future post on <i>Akahele</i>. Sir, I have just now followed all of your tips so that I could read, review, and examine the authors, links, and histories of a short article like [[Morton Salt]] in only about four-and-a-half hours.

Next, I’m thinking about editing the article to include information about “Controversies and scandals” associated with Morton Salt. Do you have any similar tips to better prepare me for editing Wikipedia? Maybe a subject for a future post on Akahele.

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