Google or Wikipedia - Which is Your First Stop?

dwarfking asks: "Over the last several months I have noticed that more and more often, when I am searching for information on the web, I find myself starting at Wikipedia instead of Google. It used to be that the first hit on many of my Google searches linked to Wikipedia articles, so I started going there first. I've found that except for searching for current events, by starting with Wikipedia I get a good explanation of the topic of interest and the pages generally have links to other good resources that are right on topic (without the need to scroll through dozens of hits). Are others of you seeing similar shifts in your search usage and if so, do any of you think this could become a trend for the larger community? If so, then what could that potentially mean for Google?"

Comments

Google wins

[crazyjeremy]

Although Wikipedia is certainly a top ranking search engine result for many subjects, it is certainly not an exhaustive resource. It's an encyclopedia. As such, I find that when I search google that sooner or later (usually 1 - 3 tries) I find keywords that give some sort of appropriate results. If I am searching for specific subjects that I know may be found in an encyclopedia, I start with google again and search "site:wikipedia.org somesubject" or even "wikipedia somesubject". The latter search is because many people will have an informative page on their own website with more/different information than wikipedia, but they will reference wikipedia for some of their text.

Good question, but personally I still always start with google. Unless I'm simply in wikipedia research mode, then I can sit for hours in front of the thing going from one article to the next...

Re:Google wins

[senatorpjt]

If the information you want is in wikipedia, it's far more pleasant than wading through all the irrelevant ads and garbage that come up on Google.

I'll use google if I want to buy something, or for specific sorts of preprogrammed searches, like Google Calculator, or tracking UPS packages, or if I already know something is on another site, and then include the site address in the search. Looking for anything general on Google is just asking for irritation.

Depends

[gellenburg]

Depends on what I'm searching for. If its something thats specialized then I start with Wikipedia. If its broad and general then I start with Google.

Although, I've got to admit, there's this extension for FireFox that embeds the Wikipedia entries into the Google search results page. I use it at work, and for the life of me I can't remember its name right now, but its awesome.

Wiki provides instant content...

[TeleoMan]

If I want deep-texture content on a particular subject (e.g., polynomial rings) I hit Wiki first. Boom. Instant content. Google will give links *to* the content...why take two steps?

Re:Google

[Anonymous Coward]

Sometimes I (seriously) write "wikipedia" followed by my search term. :) Hey, Google is on top right of my Firefox, not Wikipedia ... And two clicks to go to Wikipedia is too much for me ! Takes less time to write.

Googlepædia

[AberBeta]

I do both at once!

With a Firefox extension called Googlepedia, I "Google" happily, and it'll include (if found) a relevant Wikipedia page to the side of the search results.

Google

[neonstz]

I always use google for searching, but often I add wikipedia to my search query to get the wikipedia article. I find it faster than using the wikipedia search.

Firefox extension: Googlepedia

[l_smieth]

http://www.amusd.com/Googlepedia

Re:Google

[Robotech_Master]

I'll actually often just type http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/name_of_thing_I'm_loo king_for as it's faster than searching Google or Wikipedia. :)

Wikipedia first, but not last

[DesireCampbell]

I usually check Wikipedia first. Usually has whatever information I need, reviewed by hundreds (if not thousands) of people, and relevant links and references. But, I also always check the 'Talk Page' to see if any information is being disputed, or if there have been bouts of vandalism. Sometimes I'll try search Google for "wiki [subject]" to see if there's a wiki for that topic specifically, but often such specificity is not necessary - and if such a wiki exists it's usually referenced in the Wikipedia entry as well. If I see anything that appears out-of-order, or if my questions about the topic aren't answered fully, I always turn to Google.

So, while Wikipedia is my first stop, it's rarely my final stop.

Re:Google

[DesireCampbell]

I use Wikipedia Lookup Firefox extension. No typing, one click.

Re:Google

[masklinn]

I've bound the Wikipedia search to the "wp" keyword in Firefox, ergo when I type "wp something", Firefox starts a wikipedia search for "something" (I've also bound Uncyclopedia to "up", but I use it slightly less often)

Re:Googlepædia LINK

[Anonymous Coward]

Googlepedia link

Re:Google

[aymanh]

Create a keyword search for Wikipedia and you will be able to search it by directly typing your search terms in the location bar. Here is how to do it:

1. Go to Wikipedia.org.
2. Right-click in the search field, and select "Add a keyword for this search...".
3. Enter a keyword for your search. Personally, I use "wp".
4. That's it, now try it by typing "wp starcraft" into your location bar for example.

This feature isn't limited to Wikipedia by the way, and I believe a previous version of Firefox used to ship with several keyword searches by default, including Wikipedia.

reference mode: answers.com; others: google

[Bad Boy Marty]

If I want some sort of traditional reference material, the first best stop for me is http://answers.com/.

If I'm looking for almost anything else, I go directly to http://google.com/.

Re:Google

[Anonymous Coward]

A "wiki" command is already built into firefox IIRC. You can just type "wiki topic" in the address bar and it'll send you to wikipedia. Works for me anyway, using Firefox 1.5.0.7

Re:Google still wins

[SilentOneNCW]

Where my usage has really changed is when my first choice of keywords for Google leads to too many wrong responses (too much verbiage about Paris Hilton when looking for hotels in Paris). When this happens I now often look for a Wikipedia article to scan for better keywords to feed to Google. This is a very slick way of quickly narrowing the scope of the search.

Try searching for paris -hilton...

Ta-Dah!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=paris+-hilton&sta rt=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

CustomizeGoogle

[kcbnac]

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/743/
http://www.customizegoogle.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CustomizeGoogle

I use it as well. It is WONDERFUL. (If you install it; check the options - TONS of hidden not-default-enabled options)

Re:Google

[epine]

A few months back, google would sometimes spew up eight copies of the same terrible article in Wikipedia if the search phrase was sufficiently obscure (sackbutt, anyone?) on the first results page. Then Google wised up and began to filter all the Wikipedia knock-offs, but unwisely, I now often find high quality Wikipedia pages halfway down my search results after a bundle of terrible results. In my opinion, Google has now gone a little too far in suppressing Wikipedia page results. I would generally like to see the good quality material in Wikipedia returned among the top three results. Note that I distinguish quality from accuracy, since I'm able to tell the difference, unlike some credentialistic forkers who've been in the news lately. I tend to view Wikipedia as the world's best-stocked bait shop. You're not supposed to *eat* the bait you find there (although much of it is hale, nutritious, and squirming fresh), you're supposed to fish with it, and then eat the *fish* that you catch later from elsewhere.

Re:Google

[Grey Ninja]

Go to about:config

middlemouse.contentLoadURL = false
general.autoscroll = true

Set those values to gain autoscroll, and disable the bloody feature responsible for the random page views. :)