[kwlug disc.] Microsoft in trouble for wanting Wikipedia edits

[Warrick Wilson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Unsolicited [mailto:unsolicited at gto.net] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 3:06 PM
> To: kwlug-disc at kwlug.org
> Subject: Re: [kwlug disc.] Microsoft in trouble for wanting 
> Wikipedia edits
> 
> Chris wrote:
>  > and ruled that the original articles didn't have an obvious bias.
> 
> I didn't get that out of the original link. Only that the 
> whole thing was verboten. Nothing about bias or lack of it that I saw.
> 
> Sy wrote:
>  > They want the information presented, especially the 
> technical  > information, to be as accurate as possible.  
> They care enough that  > they're willing to pay people to 
> take the time to keep articles  > up-to-date, write well, 
> cite sources and contribute to the Wikipedia.
>  > More companies should take this route.
> 
> I don't agree, at least not strictly. The rules for vendors 
> not posting / protection for bias seem to me to be there for 
> good reason. Especially to remove to as great extent as 
> possible any 'spin'ning.
> 
> Mind you, MS was beat before it started - past FUD makes 
> everyone suspect MS of everything and anything. And, I 
> suspect, rightly so more often than not, and probably more 
> often than I think in a worst case scenario.

I deleted lots of good stuff, interesting comments, etc...

My daughters are in Gr 10 and Gr 9 respectively. Their teachers do not allow
Wikipedia as a source for any research papers - there is a lot of distrust
in the whole construct, at least in the academic world out here in
Washington state. I've had to teach them that they can use it as a start -
the information there can be used as a start, and often a good start - but
they then need to double-check the information against a more "reputable"
source on the Internet.

Although, oddly, it seems that they can cite some generic web page of
someone who claims to have credentials or experience with a topic. Again, I
had to step in and say "find another source that doesn't use this page as
the source..."

It all depends on how much you trust the next guy. Anyone open the email
attachment about the deaths from the storm??...

Warrick