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Ex-Britannica Editor Reviews Wikipedia

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the something-to-think-about dept.

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?"

5 of 869 comments (clear)

  1. Re:My Favourite by lukewarmfusion · · Score: 4, Funny

    "encyclypedia"

    This reminds me of Bart's discovery that he was drinking "smilk."

    Good luck with your encyclypedia.

  2. MMmonkeys by Quixote · · Score: 4, Funny
    A million monkeys might eventually write Shakespeare, but how would they recognise it once they had?

    So true! Thats like saying a million monkeys might write a great open-source operating system, but how would they recognise it once they had?

    ermm.. wait...

  3. Re:Bias?! by NardofDoom · · Score: 4, Funny
    The Karl Rove ariticle basically made him out to be a reincarnated Goebbels.

    Yeah, Goebbels was more hands on.

    --
    You have two hands and one brain, so always code twice as much as you think!
  4. How in the hell... by gosand · · Score: 4, Funny
    This is perhaps the most compelling point made in the article, to me. Of course, the cynic's read into that statement is that Wikipedia will never get to the truth (see Asymptote [wikipedia.org]).


    Now how in the hell am I supposed to trust this definition of Asymptote?

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

  5. Re:My Favourite by Sivar · · Score: 4, Funny
    I study computer science at the university level, by the by.
    Wow -- That is simply unheard of at Slashdot!
    --
    Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. --E. W. Dijkstra