I just registered with Wikipedia, but I'm so crummy at following their directions, I haven't yet been able to start writing or editing. Anybody else registered with Wikepedia? Thoughts on writing for Wikipedia, or just on Wikipedia in general?

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I joined about 6 months ago to help clean up the "Gen Y" articial. Basically the more sources you can quote the better. Unfortunatly a lot of topics now are just completely made from personal opinion.

I just registered with Wikipedia, but I'm so crummy at following their directions, I haven't yet been able to start writing or editing. Anybody else registered with Wikepedia? Thoughts on writing for Wikipedia, or just on Wikipedia in general?

http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/11/computer.gif


Wikipedia is a cool site.  Ypu can learn interesting things about all sorts of people, from Johnny Wadd to Mother Teresa.

Great place to do research for term papers.

Basically the more sources you can quote the better. Unfortunatly a lot of topics now are just completely made from personal opinion.
Source quoting, or lack there-of is the major downfall to wikipedia. If you a editing and article with brand new information, cite any information if you can. Whether it be a book, other website, TV, radio, magazine etc.

Wikipedia is a cool site.  Ypu can learn interesting things about all sorts of people, from Johnny Wadd to Mother Teresa.

Great place to do research for term papers.

I've heard college professors forbid the direct quoting of Wikipedia articles because they're not reliably accurate. However, Wikipedia is a good place to get general background on a topic if you don't know anything about it. The value is in the "cited sources" section.

I use wikipedia to find out information on bands and singers.  Many times, I find incorrect information, so I registered there, so I could accurately input the correct information.  I've probably edited over 50 wikipedia pages

I mostly signed up to update their "Peter Schilling" article- when I added some info one time- someone added some info about him that didn't turn up any articles mentioning it on Deutschland Google news. I emailed Wikipedia about the information and the same person that put the piece of information up had taken down the information the day after I emailed the website questioning what source the information had come from- because the funny thing was- the person who put the information up, didn't mention a source for the information!!

I've inserted information into one or two articles in Wikipedia, and I've corrected some false information as well. I also try and correct spelling errors whenever I catch them. Some weeks ago, I came across an article that seemed like it was written by someone whose English wasn't very good, so I spent quite a few minutes cleaning up the spelling and grammar.

I think Wikipedia's great. It's a perfect example of how the Internet has enhanced the exchange of information. It allows ordinary people, who wouldn't have been able to before, to contribute something to public knowledge.

In the first place, an online encyclopaedia is much more handy and convenient than a paper one like the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which requires a couple of bookshelves to store. And in a world where information is constantly changing, Wikipedia is more adaptable since it's updated continuously, as opposed to formal encyclopaedias that only get updated once a year.

You get entries on a more eclectic range of subjects in Wikipedia, too. And, as opposed to more formal information sources that avoid controversial topics in an effort to stay objective, Wikipedia isn't afraid of contentious subject matter.

I love Wikipedia.. it has info on EVERYTHING. I think they're a little harsh on deletion sometimes, but you have to be strict when you have open-editing like that.