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Wikipedia's Lamest Edit Wars
Hugh Pickens DOT Com writes "Who says Wikipedians don't have a sense of humor? While perusing Wikipedia I recently came across an article documenting the lamest examples of wikipedia edit wars over the most trivial things. As one wikipedian says: 'Some discussions are born lame; some achieve lameness; some have lameness thrust upon them.' A few of the most amusing examples include: Was Chopin Polish, French, Polish–French, or French–Polish? Can you emigrate from a country of which you are not a citizen? Can you receive citizenship if you already have it? The possibilities for intensive study are endless. Next up, Are U2 an 'Irish band' or simply a band that happen to be from Ireland, since two of their members were born in the UK? A heated discussion took place for over two-and-a-half weeks that resulted in at least one editor getting blocked and many more getting warnings. Next, should members of the Beatles be listed in the 'traditional' order or in alphabetical order? Another edit war which flares up continuously in The Beatles involves whether to identify the band as 'The Beatles' with a capital T or 'the Beatles' with a lower case t. The issue became so contentious it merited an article in the Wall Street Journal. One such installment of this saga was brought before the arbitration committee (by an administrator, no less) where it was quickly declared 'silly.' Next, Is J. K. Rowling's name pronounced like 'rolling' or to rhyme with 'howling'? Rowling is on record claiming she pronounces her name like 'rolling'. An irate editor argues that this is a 'British' pronunciation and the 'American" pronunciation of her name should also be noted. 'This is slightly ridiculous as she is English, and therefore of course will pronounce it in an English manner. Perhaps it rhymes with "Trolling"?' Finally did Jimmy Wales found Wikipedia or co-found it? 'Not surprisingly, those who actually were around at the time and know the answer stayed far away from this one. The casualty list has yet to be compiled, but no doubt editor egos will be among the worst hit.'"
People get territorial about Wikipedia articles and don't like to be told they are wrong. Just try editing a Wikipedia article introduce a deliberate mistake and see what happens :)
Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.
They are endless and I think it is best just to overlook it like: America is a continent not a country that's why it is called the United States OF America, because it is OF. The other one the American bulldog it's an English Bulldog and the U.S. have no native breeds of dogs. They simply cross a Bull mastiff, which is half Bulldog with a English Bulldog. Likewise with an "American pitbull" it's an English breed favourite fighting dog of the black and tans British army who took them to Ireland during the occupation to entertain themselves with dogfighting it is an English, breed not British and certainly not a U.S. breed. The same again with the "American Staffordshire pitbull" it's an English breed from Staffordshire England. The U.S. is made up of many different nationalities it is an immigrant nation and they lay claim to what their ancestors would have naturally lay claim to as in English Scottish Irish and Welsh settlers. For example the U.S. has no official language the languages English and not British as in Scotland doesn't have an official language and the Welsh language is the official language of the Welsh. When you speak to somebody from the U.S. you know immediately what kind of education they have received. Most people in the U.S. are just plain ignorant and they don't know they are ignorant. I think it is easier to just leave them that way. It doesn't matter to some people the same as reading and writing doesn't matter to some people. It is their Internet as well leave them alone. I'm of neither nationality so I can just laugh about it.