TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Bias, Sabotage Haunt Wikipedia's Free World

Re: Bias, Sabotage Haunt Wikipedia's Free World

Phil Earnhardt (pae@dim.com)
16 Feb 2006 13:49:59 -0800

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 15:05:56 UTC, nospam4me@mytrashmail.com wrote:

> Mark Crispin <mrc@cac.washington.edu> wrote:

>> I decided that it wasn't worth fighting.

> Fine, then don't bother with Wikipedia for anything that could
> possibly have any kind of political or ideological content.

With all due respect, I'm not sure there's a clear line to be drawn on
which entries could have ideological content.

For instance: the Wikipedia entry on Pilates has some strange
criticisms of that form of exercise. About a third of that criticism
has to do with the claim that Pilates equipment is similar to
already-existing gear: a reformer is similar to a rowing machine, a
Cadillac is similar to a gymnast's parallel bars, etc. I regularly use
both a Pilates reformer and a rowing machine; these are radically
different pieces of equipment. Anyone who would place such an entry in
the Wikipedia entry either is ignorant of how the equipment is used
(and seemingly disqualified to contribute to that entry), has an
ideological ax to grind, or both.

I haven't investigated the process of "correcting" an entry yet; I'm
somewhat concerned by Mr. Crispin's reports on his attempts to do
that.

At the same time, I am tremendously encouraged by the Wikipedia. I
regularly use it personally and professionally. Even if the ridding of
bias is problematic, it seems the best game in town.

> Herb Oxley

--phil

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: Henry: "Re: Last Laugh! Bush in 2008"
Go to Previous message: telecomdirect_daily: "TelecomDirect News Daily Update - February 17, 2006"
May be in reply to: Monty Solomon: "Bias, Sabotage Haunt Wikipedia's Free World"
Next in thread: Mark Crispin: "Re: Bias, Sabotage Haunt Wikipedia's Free World"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page