Ex-Britannica Editor Reviews Wikipedia

0-9a-f writes "Robert McHenry, one-time Editor in Chief of Encyclopædia Britannica, offers his thoughts on Wikipedia at Tech Central Station. While many Wikipedia zealots might discount his obvious bias outright, his broad argument is difficult to ignore. A million monkeys might eventually write Shakespeare, but how would they recognise it once they had?"

Comments

He doesn't get it

[Kohath]

A million monkeys might eventually write Shakespeare, but how would they recognise it once they had?"

It's not a top-down society anymore. We don't need to be led. No thanks.

If the "monkeys" decide they like what they wrote, that's good enough -- it doesn't have to be Shakespeare. Experts, journalists, pundits, and cultural leaders don't matter anymore. Anyone can publish anything without asking for permission from the elite.

Elites should go get jobs and create something, rather than trading on their alleged celebrity and stature. Because no one cares anymore.

It's good.

Who gives a rats ass?

[honestmonkey]

The funny thing about (this particular instance) is that who really gives a crap whether it was 1755 or 1757? Really? Does it make any difference to anything at all? Jeez, just say he was born around 1756 and be done with it. This guy goes and picks this particular nit that doesn't even matter. It's not like it's a difference between feet and meters (thus causing us to crash into the infertile soil of Mars), it's two freaking years of someone born centuries ago. Alexander Hamilton didn't even care.

"Two fricking years, yeah, all of Wikipedia is crap." This guy needs a damn life.

Re:Shakepsearmonkey.pl

[Chrax]

Or Java.

import useless.package.*;

public static void main(String[] args)
{
Article wikiArticle = new Article();
Monkeys millionMonkeys = new Monkeys(1000000);

while(!wikiArticle.isShakespeare())
millionMonkeys.write(wikiArticle);
}

Now all we gotta do is let this badboy run and let the garbage collection do its ...
+++ATH
NO CARRIER

Re:My Favourite

[freedom_india]

I study computer science at the university level, by the by

Wow !!! A real, educated, computer professional...Hail to the Chief...