So I've been thinking...
I got to thinking about the wiki after class and I can't get it out of my mind the question that I posed: How do we know if the wiki or wikipedia is valid? How do we know what we are reading is fact? I am especially concerned with the wikipedia being as that I have used that in the past as a reference. If anyone can go and edit it- who is to say that they are not lying or making stuff up? What's to keep me from going in and inserting "fart" all over a page. I mean I have a wiki account and isn't it my right as a wiki user to write "fart" where ever I deem it necessary? Not that I would really do that but I think you get my point.
In other news:
I was at the paper last night until 11:30 and when I got the paper today I thought it would be a good one because we worked so hard last night. But to my surprise there were stupid little mistakes all over. One of the jumps doesn't go to the right page, One jumps sentance is cut off so they don't make sense. A photo cutline kind of contradicts the story. A photo looks like shit. And that is only after glancing at the paper. I am not pointing the finger at anybody because there I had part in some of those mistakes- its just that I wish I saw them last night. People are so qucik to make fun of the paper when they don't realize the amount of hard work that goes into making it. (Matt I think you can back me up on that one) I mean its my name that is on that paper and its embarrassing when your paper looks like shit. I think its the beginning of the year and we need to get our stuff together I just want it to happen sooner than later.
Antoher thing I was thinking about.
Last night at the paper someone was critisizing the story about the protest in D.C. over the war in Iraq. They were saying how innappropriate the march was because of everything that has happened with Hurricane Katrina. Are we supposed to forget about the senseless war, forget about the soldiers that died, forget about it all just because we have a disaster on our soil? Times are crazy right now but we shouldn't forget about one to focus on another. The fact remains that soldiers are being killed and what for? My heart goes out to both.
Ok this post is wayyy too long. So it's time to retire to the nerdery. Adios!
In other news:
I was at the paper last night until 11:30 and when I got the paper today I thought it would be a good one because we worked so hard last night. But to my surprise there were stupid little mistakes all over. One of the jumps doesn't go to the right page, One jumps sentance is cut off so they don't make sense. A photo cutline kind of contradicts the story. A photo looks like shit. And that is only after glancing at the paper. I am not pointing the finger at anybody because there I had part in some of those mistakes- its just that I wish I saw them last night. People are so qucik to make fun of the paper when they don't realize the amount of hard work that goes into making it. (Matt I think you can back me up on that one) I mean its my name that is on that paper and its embarrassing when your paper looks like shit. I think its the beginning of the year and we need to get our stuff together I just want it to happen sooner than later.
Antoher thing I was thinking about.
Last night at the paper someone was critisizing the story about the protest in D.C. over the war in Iraq. They were saying how innappropriate the march was because of everything that has happened with Hurricane Katrina. Are we supposed to forget about the senseless war, forget about the soldiers that died, forget about it all just because we have a disaster on our soil? Times are crazy right now but we shouldn't forget about one to focus on another. The fact remains that soldiers are being killed and what for? My heart goes out to both.
Ok this post is wayyy too long. So it's time to retire to the nerdery. Adios!
posted by Chelsea @ 12:49 PM
10 Comments:
At 4:48 PM,
That One Girl said…
How do we know any websites are valid? I guess I would start with that question. I don't have a good answer for it. What do you think? I mean, I guess it's obvious that we'd probably trust something from an accredited organization over a website that Billy Bob made from home. I have not thought too much about this question, but it's a good one that I think will help us think more about the wiki.
I think part of is that a wiki is a community. Although there will be some deviants, part of a community is a commitment to trust, right? I would assume it would work this way for a wiki. What do you think?
At 9:17 PM,
cbd said…
Go write "fart" on ten random Wikipedia pages. It'll be gone in minutes. One of my friends has written about this sort of thing (though she didn't write anything that obnoxious).
Regardless, Julie's right; credibility is an issue for many web sites, not just Wikipedia. Heck, it goes way beyond web sites; can we believe everything we read in the New York Times? That we are told by our president?
Credibility, and culpability, are exactly the issue when someone says, "You can't talk about that now." If not now, when?
At 10:04 PM,
That One Girl said…
That we are told by our president?
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What are Wikipedia's consequences for doing something like writing "fart" on 10 different pages? Do you lose privileges? If not, I'll try it!
At 8:56 AM,
cbd said…
I think if you do enough foolishness on Wikipedia, you're outta there. And maybe your IP address as well.
I imagine they have standards for behavior somewhere...
At 11:59 AM,
Rob said…
I agree with the question about the validity of Wiki. If I chose I could go to a page that is about 17th century lit and start changing all the stuff to hold up some theory I might have, and use language that mirrors what the "experts" use. A novice, like myself, may not know the difference. So in general I don't think I would use it for something important, but it seems like a good place to go and read opinions, or see if there is a concensus on a topic.
As for the paper, I know what you mean. Before I came back to school I worked in the printing and fininshing departments of two different printing houses. When you strip up a paper and think "This is perfect!" you go home happy. Then you come back tomorrow and the press guy grabs the plate after eating potatoe chips, or worse scratches it, so his finger prints are on all your cover pages. Then you realize you should have taken the time to put it in a folder so that wouldn't happen (they usually wear gloves when putting them on but not when they go get them). The newspaper industry sucks, because so many things can go wrong at every stage, and it's your name on it.
"I imagine they have standards for behavior somewhere..." - They seem to be everywhere.
Sorry for the long post, I was rambling.
Rob.
At 7:59 PM,
Kate said…
I worked at the Courier last year and previously had no idea how much work went into it. I would spend a hour insisting why a semicolon should go in a specific place only to see it the next day with ads that were so riddled with errors it was embarrassing. It all comes down to proofreading (or so people blame) and then to never know that the ad guy wrote an ad after everyone left that had a wrong word every other word. It was frustrating hearing people criticize it after spending way too many hours on it the night before and having to drag myself to class after a long night. Some people have pride in their work while others do not. But for those who do, a comment about work ethic is not desired. Considering that I worked til the wee hours of the morning every Thursday night says something while everyone else was 'educating' themselves at the bars.
Thanks for the chance to rant.
At 4:32 PM,
Trisha said…
I was going to say "how do we know if anything is valid?" but cbd beat me to it. For example, I have been reading some pretty complex pieces in 199 and for all I know, they are complete and utter nonsense. Are they valid because our professor gave them to us? because the author has a degree? or because they sound "smart"? I think that Wikipedia is a genius idea. So much of our society is based on opinion and intellectual thought. Why not have a place where an individual can weed out the nonsense and maybe leave with a new idea that they have never thought of before? Pick and Choose, like the candy bins.
At 4:52 PM,
kjh said…
I agree, we cant forget about the soldiers that are being blown apart and also the civilians that lose thier arms, legs, and homes due to military inaccuracy. There is nothing we could have done to stop the hurricane, but the war is completely different.
At 3:40 PM,
Matt Stonecipher said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
At 3:41 PM,
Matt Stonecipher said…
Yeah, people who know the least tend to speak the loudest. That's no more apparent than the people who give us shit at the Courier.
I'd like to know if there is someone that goes through the wiki and checks it for vandalism type stuff like that.
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