Lies on Wikkipedia?

[Mick F]

Yes, but the Wiki was written from a set of "facts" from a book.

I was following on from what you were suggesting about someone writing "history" and it's taken verbatim. Go into the pub, and they'll tell you the "truth" as they believe it too.

I don't believe it, but I have no proof.

[Psamathe]

One big difference between Wikimedia projects and e.g. personal blogs, text books, etc. is that if you see something incorrect on under Wikimedia you can put it right (argue your case, provide evidence, or just raise "alternative possibilities" in the entry). But that freedom need some protections as well e.g. when Michael Green and Sebastian Fox start altering entries to improve the entries for certain Conservative politicians or when UK Westminster IP addresses start anonymously trying to improve the Governments recorded blunders ...

As this thread has highlighted, there can be different view points and just because I believe something that does not make it proven. My experience is that most people contributing to WikiMedia projects generally have a strong desire to make the record as accurate and representative as possible and to ensure some balance on controversial or fictitious subjects.

Also, to make the works useful and readable subjects have to be well presented and easily readable (suitable language, no typos, etc.). That necessarily introduces a degree of complexity. Add that it has very limited resources (e.g. no ad income) and is quite dependent on volunteers I think it is a magnificent achievement.

One of the aspects I'm very impressed with is that of "consensus". I have "strong opinions" about one particular aspect of the publication guidelines on WikiVoyage (because of my significant experience in the particular area). I have had long discussions about changes to the guidelines through the "consensus" mechanisms and some agree with me, others disagree and there has never been enough of a balance either way for a "consensus" to be arrived at and without "consensus" guidelines wont change. e.g. on WikiVoyage pages have a banner across the top with links to sections (sort of menu thing) e.g. https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Edinburgh. The text links used to be below the banner image until somebody thought they'd be better inside the banner image. So that person created a dummy page with them inside the banner and posted it as a suggestion and waited for "consensus". Some agreed, others disagreed and after some time the "consensus" was clearly in favour so that individual made the global change. Of course they could have just gone in and made the global change and doing that would have seen it reverted pretty quickly (as done without "consensus"). And generally it seems to be a system that works - and these days with the division and aggravation within humanity, that something significant can work through such arriving at consensus ... a good way to work.

Ian

[Cyril Haearn]

My main gripe with Wiki, is that despite the fact that I'm contributing to them (a paltry £3 per month, but it all adds up), they still routinely pester me for funds - in fact they don't appear to recognise my having registered with the site. Perhaps someone can explain?
.....

I wonder if it's because you are already a donor. I'm registered (so they have my e-mail address), used to contribute a lot more than I do these days but don't contribute money and have never received a request for money (beyond the standard web page banners).

Ian

I suspect it is easier to get existing donors to upgrade than to win new donors
I have never donated to wykedpia or the Grauniad
Have spent hundreds of pounds on paper copies of the latter, mind

[Cyril Haearn]

Wykedpia seems a bit like a democracy, "alternative facts welcome" (?)

[roubaixtuesday]

Wykedpia seems a bit like a democracy, "alternative facts welcome" (?)

Wiki is not a democracy, and insists on citations of reputable sources. You'll note that Mick's link includes "citation needed". If you see that in Wiki, you know that you should treat the statement with caution.

Articles should be based on reliable, third-party, published sources with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia ... le_sources

[Mick F]

Have spent hundreds of pounds on paper copies of the latter, mind

A grumpy friend of mine cannot get to grips with the fact that his wife has a mobile phone contract and they have an internet and landline contract. Can't remember the figures that they pay per year, but it works out maybe £500 a year ........ and he objects to it. Grumpy sod!

I asked if he bought his beloved Daily Mail every day, and he said he did. How much is one per day for six days a week all year?
He added that he bought the Mail on Sunday too.

I asked what he did with them after he'd read them, and all he does is recycle them. No-one else reads them, just him, then he disposes of them.
Maybe a tenner a week for 52 weeks a year = £520 just on newspaper which he then throws away!

I suggested he took his news from the internet and saved his £520.

[Cyril Haearn]

When will the next newspaper stop printing? The Independent stopped 2016, the circulation of the Grauniad is falling

I still buy newspapers mind, I think a lot of the news and features are easier to read that way

But young people under 30, do they buy papers? Still an awful lot of magazines for sale

[merseymouth]

Hello There, I agree fully about the use of proper newsprint! The life skills I acquired yonks ago still function fine, but we are constantly told to "Up-Skill"? My 100 + year old books are still accessible, yet 100 month old computers are a problem!
Progress or change? TTFN MM

[Psamathe]

Hello There, I agree fully about the use of proper newsprint! The life skills I acquired yonks ago still function fine, but we are constantly told to "Up-Skill"? My 100 + year old books are still accessible, yet 100 month old computers are a problem!
Progress or change? TTFN MM

Mature technologies vs developing technologies. As technologies develop and mature so the rate of change slows. Moores Law in 1965 was a doubling every 2 years but in 2015 it was every 2½ years and now is thought to be 3 years. In 2015 Moore said he thought the "law" would die with a decade.

Print technology matured some time ago, computer technology is still developing so this is bound to happen. Same with e.g. reel to reel tape decks, vinyl LPs, cassettes,8-track, VHS recorders, etc. We all spent money on them and most of those are in landfill.

Ian

[merseymouth]

Hello Ian, You forgot the Philips Video Disc and also Betamax, which had superior quality to VHS! Quality often loses out to sheer market power.
But maybe hope springs eternal? A resurgence of Vinyl, the revival of silver-halide technology in photography? The tonal range of good film stock out performs the immediacy & convenience of digital. You'd be surprise at how much professional photography is done on quality reversal film stock!
If my pension could stretch to it I'd contemplate switching to an Apple computer, I've heard they don't mess around with things quite so often as Microsoft. (But they I might be wrong?)
IGICB MM

[Cyril Haearn]

The Grauniad reports that over 80% of wykepedia volunteer editors are male
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