Wikipedia
hideWikipedia is a free, web-based and collaborative multilingual encyclopedia, born in the project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its name is a portmanteau of the words wiki (a technology for creating collaborative websites, from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning "quick") and encyclopedia. Wikipedia's 13 million articles (2.9 million in the English Wikipedia) have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone who can access the Wikipedia website. Proposed by Richard Stallman, it was launched in January 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, it is currently the most popular general reference work on the Internet.
Critics of Wikipedia accuse it of systemic bias and inconsistencies, and allege that it favors consensus over credentials in its editorial process. Wikipedia's reliability and accuracy are also an issue. Other criticisms center on its susceptibility to vandalism and the addition of spurious or unverified information, though scholarly work suggests that vandalism is generally short-lived.
Jonathan Dee, of The New York Times, and Andrew Lih, in the 5th International Symposium on Online Journalism, have cited the importance of Wikipedia not only as an encyclopedic reference but also as a frequently-updated news resource because of how quickly articles about recent events appear.
When Time magazine recognized You as its Person of the Year for 2006, acknowledging the accelerating success of online collaboration and interaction by millions of users around the world, it cited Wikipedia as one of three examples of Web 2.0 services, along with YouTube and MySpace.
For more information about Wikipedia, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with wikipedia
Webby Awards name top 10 Internet moments of the decade
Nov 19, 2009 |
3.5 / 5 (2) |
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The birth of Wikipedia, the death of Napster, the iPhone, Facebook, and Twitter were named by the Webby Awards on Wednesday as among the top 10 Internet moments of the decade.
New York Times publishes 'crowd-funded' article
Nov 11, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
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The science section of The New York Times contained an unusual article on Tuesday. The story about a huge floating garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean was not written by a Times reporter but by a freelance ...
Review: $99 WikiReader is a pocket encyclopedia
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Oct 28, 2009 |
4 / 5 (2) |
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(AP) -- When I was a kid, my dad bought a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica. It had 32 volumes and took up 4 feet in the book case. I loved to sit on the couch and flip through it, reading articles at random.
Self-managing internet applications flex their muscles
Technology / Computer Sciences
Oct 02, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A European research project that incubates self-managing internet applications is paying off. It has inspired a Wikipedia that?s better than the original and super-efficient streaming video, with more to ...
Wikipedia locks Polanski page after editing war
Sep 28, 2009 |
not rated yet |
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A Wikipedia page devoted to Roman Polanski was locked on Monday due to fighting over whether the entry should emphasize his accomplishments as a film-maker or his underage sex case.
Answers.com launches website for inquiring minds
Sep 24, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
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Answers.com on Wednesday debuted a website that merges the power of crowds with knowledge from encyclopedias to sate the curiosity of inquiring minds.
Wikipedia testing new method to curb false info
Aug 25, 2009 |
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(AP) -- Wikipedia says it is testing a new method for curbing false information on pages devoted to individual people.
Wikipedia operator gets $500,000 foundation grant
Aug 21, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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(AP) -- The nonprofit organization that operates the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia has received a $500,000 grant from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to expand its work bringing free educational content ...
Wikipedia launches iPhone application
Aug 20, 2009 |
5 / 5 (3) |
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Wikipedia said it has released an iPhone application as part of a drive to open the pages of its revered online encyclopedia to the booming ranks of smart phone users.
English Wikipedia hosts three millionth article
Aug 17, 2009 |
2.7 / 5 (6) |
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The English version of user-generated online encylopedia Wikipedia hosted its three millionth article on Monday -- an entry about a Norwegian actress.
Wired editor acknowledges lifting Wiki material
Jun 24, 2009 |
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(AP) -- The author of a new book about the wisdom of free products on the Web has acknowledged taking some liberties in his own work.
Study: CEOs not doing enough on social networks
Jun 24, 2009 |
1 / 5 (1) |
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(AP) -- A new study says top CEOs should do a better job managing their presence online, on social sites like Twitter and Facebook and even Wikipedia.
Wikipedia blocks Scientology from altering entries
May 30, 2009 |
4.9 / 5 (18) |
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Wikipedia has blocked the Church of Scientology from editing entries at the communally-crafted online encyclopedia due to an unrelenting battle over the group's image.
Probing Question: How is the computer age changing libraries?
May 21, 2009 |
3 / 5 (1) |
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For those of us of a certain age — no need to put a number on it, thank you -- the word "library" still conjures forth memories of solid wood cabinets filled with hand-typed cards, each pointing to a book ...
Wolfram Alpha 'Knowledge Engine' is Like a Modern Farmer's Almanac
May 08, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Currently, there's a lot of hype and skepticism surrounding the latest "Google rival," a so-called search engine named Wolfram Alpha. In the near future, anyone with Internet access will be ...
