Wikipedia (was: DITA)

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Rob Hudson wondered: <<I agree with you, Fred, that I could have done  
Wikipedia and Google. However, I figured the expertise here would  
give me a nice foundation from which to further research Dita.>>

And I agree with that approach. People here are more than willing to  
share their expertise, and I always find the real-world stories more  
helpful than the more theoretical reference material found in most  
sites. That's particularly true for things like product comparisons.

<<Regarding Wikipedia: Can I trust it more than I can trust a list of  
experts? Is it more valid for technical matters than for other types  
of issues?>>

There was a study (last year?) that compared WikiPedia with the  
esteemed Encyclopedia Britannica, and found them comparable in  
accuracy overall. Didn't see the study firsthand (only saw the news  
reports), so I can't say whether I trust the comparison. My own  
experience with Wikipedia has been mixed, but getting better over the  
years. Technical information tends to be less debatable than  
sociological or cultural or historical information, but even there,  
the "anyone can edit" nature of most wikis means that you have to be  
careful using WikiPedia as a final source. No field is immune from  
politics and tampering with the literature.

More importantly, one of the biggest lessons I learned in grad school  
was the concept of triangulation: Everyone screws up occasionally*,  
and some people screw up intentionally to support a prejudice or  
political (in the broad sense) agenda. So always confirm important  
facts from multiple sources. I use WikiPedia daily for a quick  
reality check or refresher course, but keep my wits about me, look  
for inconsistencies with my existing body of knowledge, and always  
verify what I find through other sources when it's important that I  
understand something thoroughly and correctly.

*In a good week, I _only_ screw up occasionally. Sigh.


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
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