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

[Andrew Kohlsmith]

On Wednesday 24 January 2007 11:36 pm, Warrick Wilson wrote:
> 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.

More reputable as in who?  It's becoming increasingly difficult to find 
information on the Internet -- Wikipedia is a good starting place, I agree, 
as they often have a "citing" section where I can go look at the original 
data, but I also agree with Rick when he says that Wikipedia can be a far 
*better* source of unbiased information as it's constantly under tension and 
scrutiny.

My daughters are 7 and 3 (years, not grade) so I have a bit to go before I hit 
your particular point, but I'm already starting to wonder where to get them 
pointed off to... Do I buy the Encyclopedia Britannica DVD set?  Are they 
considered more reputable?  What about subscriptions to National Geographic, 
Nature, and Scientific American's online content?

I actually preferred how it was when I was in school -- with the three or four 
encyclopedia sets, the card catalogue (actual cards, not online), and a whole 
floor full of bookshelves filled with books.  Finding things online is 
becoming increasingly an exercise in futility for me.

Ask me to find a datasheet or application note, ask me to research something 
relatively geeky... no problem.  All the manufacturers have this information 
easily accessible (although sometimes behind idiotic login screens), and 
newsgroups abound... but what for my children?

-A.