Airliners-India.com Forum Index Airliners-India.com
Flickr Group & Facebook
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Wikipedia

 
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    Airliners-India.com Forum Index -> Non Aviation
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Aseem
Member


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 2841
Location: YYZ

PostPosted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:33 pm    Post subject: Wikipedia Reply with quote

Economist wrote:
Online encyclopedias

Fact or fiction?
Mar 10th 2007
From Economist.com


Wikipedia's wide variety of contributors is both a strength and a weakness of the online encyclopedia

The idea of an encyclopedia—a compendium of all the best available knowledge—is as tempting as it is flawed. Truth does not always come in bite-sized chunks. And the notion of an infinitely elastic internet encyclopedia, always up to date and distilling the collective wisdom of the wired is even more tempting. When open to all comers, anonymously, the problems are even more glaring.

This week a senior Wikipedia editor, who used the pseudonym Essjay, turned out not to be a professor of religious studies as he claimed, but in fact a 24-year-old college drop-out. That has highlighted both the strengths and the failings of the world’s biggest online encyclopedia, which now boasts well over 1.5m articles. The “Encyclopedia Britannica”, by contrast, has a mere 120,000.

Essjay (or Ryan Jordan in real life), got away with his pretence because Wikipedians jealously preserve their anonymity. With most entries, anyone can edit without even logging in; or they can create an entirely fictitious online identity before doing so. The effect is rather like an online role-playing game. Indeed, it is easy to imagine some sad fellow spending the morning pretending to be a polyglot professor on Wikipedia, and then becoming a buxom red-head on “Second Life”, a virtual online world, in the afternoon.

That anonymity creates a phoney equality, which puts cranks and experts on the same footing. The same egalitarian approach starts off by regarding all sources as equal, regardless of merit. If a peer-reviewed journal says one thing and a non-specialist newspaper report another, the Wikipedia entry is likely solemnly to cite them both, saying that the truth is disputed. If the cranky believe the latter and the experts the former, the result will be wearisome online editing wars before something approaching the academic mainstream consensus gains the weight it should.

Wikipedia has strengths too, chiefly the resilient power of collective common sense. It benefits from the volunteer efforts of many thousands of outside contributors and editors. If one drops out, another fills his place. People are vigilant on issues that interest them. When mistakes happen, they are usually resolved quickly. This correspondent’s modest Wikipedia entry was edited this week by an anonymous contributor who posted a series of entertaining but defamatory remarks; a mere four minutes later, another user had removed them.

Constant scrutiny and editing means even the worst articles are gradually getting better, while the best ones are kept nicely polished and up to date. Someone, eventually, will spot even the tiniest error, or tighten a patch of sloppy prose. Mr Jordan, for all his bragging, seems to have been a scrupulous and effective editor.

The most tiresome contributors do get banned eventually, though they can always log in under a new identity. Other shortcomings are the subject of earnest internal debate too, such as Wikipedia’s inherent bias towards trivial recent events rather than important historical ones. That is already changing, slowly, though subjects of interest to northern white computer-literate males are over-covered, while others are laughably neglected.

Wikipedia is the biggest collaborative online encyclopedia, but not the only one. Citizendium, supposedly launching soon, aims to be like Wikipedia but without anonymity, and with more weight given to recognised experts. Conservapedia aims to offer a version of the truth untainted by Wikipedia’s liberal secular bias on issues such as evolution.

So how useful is Wikipedia? Entries on uncontentious issues—logarithms, for example—are often admirable. The quality of writing is often a good guide to an entry’s usefulness: inelegant or ranting prose usually reflects muddled thoughts and incomplete information. A regular user soon gets a feel for what to trust.

Those on contentious issues are useful in a different way. The information may be only roughly balanced. But the furiously contested entries on, say, “Armenian genocide” or “Scientology”, and their attached discussion pages, do give the reader an useful idea about the contours of the arguments, and the conflicting sources and approaches. In short: it would be unwise to rely on Wikipedia as the final word, but it can be an excellent jumping off point.


I like the stuff knowing very well that it can be doctored. Especially good if the topic is not controversial.
rgds
VT-ASJ
_________________
[url=http://openflights.org/user/aseemsjohri]
[/url]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not very reliable source as Contributers vary.
regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
ABN397
Member


Joined: 27 Dec 2006
Posts: 113
Location: India

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps some senior member can create a Wikipedia entry for our group:-)
As Aseem may know, IRFCA has an entry.
I have done a bit of editing and additions to a few entries-mainly biographies of prominent Indian businessmen and academics.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Nimish
Member


Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've done a fair bit of editing to this wiki page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAL_Bangalore_International_Airport

I monitor it on a fairly frequent basis and add updates (just added Transmile Cargo as an operator today).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliners.net

The Link to A.net page.Which has a link to the Airliners-India.net group.

regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HAWK21M wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliners.net

The Link to A.net page.Which has a link to the Airliners-India.net group.

Did u add that? I mean i tried to but someone erased it off Crying or Very sad
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
Birendra
Member


Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 1411

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see no mention of AI net....

Please guide Crying or Very sad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Aseem
Member


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 2841
Location: YYZ

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 4:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the_380 wrote:
HAWK21M wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airliners.net

The Link to A.net page.Which has a link to the Airliners-India.net group.

Did u add that? I mean i tried to but someone erased it off Crying or Very sad

click on the link below,
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Airliners.net&action=history
it shows somebody deleted the entry by MEL
_________________
[url=http://openflights.org/user/aseemsjohri]
[/url]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Aseem, i tried to do it a lot of times before Very Happy but someone kept on deleting it constantly. If you remember i had sent a PM to you regarding that also.
Now I am thinking to write a complete new article on our forum and internally link it to Aviation pages in wikipedia related to India like for example add the relevant thread links in Wikipedia to Air India/ Indian articled, etc.
Lets see who deletes them Very Happy
AFAIK in this case i suspect that Planefan member doing some work in there in deleting Mel's posts
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
Akshay
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 315
Location: Mumbai

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the_380 wrote:

AFAIK in this case i suspect that Planefan member doing some work in there in deleting Mel's posts


Who is planefan? is he sort of enemy of MEL?

ABN397 wrote:
As Aseem may know, IRFCA has an entry.


Yes Wikipedia does have an entry. AFAIK, there are 4 IRFCAns on this group.
_________________
MRVC Mania. My blog dedicated to the new violet-white suburban rakes of Mumbai.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Akshay wrote:

Who is planefan? is he sort of enemy of MEL?

I dont think so. He's probably the member of Anet responsible for their wiki article...so must be keeping an eye on it
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Too bad Some one does not want our link there.Now there are two options.
1.I keep reposting. Smile
2.Lets launch our data on a seperate page.
If someone can prepare a good Article on our Anet-India group.It would be really helpfull.
regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
C-GHKR
Member


Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 626
Location: yyz

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hawk your actions amounted to vandalism and you have warnings as per wikipedia. not good news for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:HAWK21M
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
C-GHKR
Member


Joined: 26 Dec 2006
Posts: 626
Location: yyz

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IMO, this forum is no way related to Airliners.net.
So, it should have its own identity. A guy like me has no loyalty to JP.net, A.net or PP.net. I use all of them for my interests and I don't feel obliged to any.
I have had real good experience with JP.net forum when you have a real question. Very positive and encouraging unlike A.net where everyone thinks they are too smart. That being said only 0.1% of my posts are in JP compared to A.net (cos most of it is BS)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mel,
i have already suggested making a new article... i'll type it as soon as i am done with my exams. its better we post a new article altogether. i here totally agree with what c-ghkr. lets try and attract crowd towards indian aviation from all the aviation sites not just Anet Wink
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

C-GHKR wrote:
Hawk your actions amounted to vandalism and you have warnings as per wikipedia. not good news for you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:HAWK21M


I got a PM requesting same too.As our Forum was only having members of Anet from India & no link to the site.Which is true.

Avi.....I guess We can start on preparing our own page in future.

regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes i'll type the information soon ... meanwhile Aseem can you please help me out with the statistics? Date of starting the forum, date of shifting, average posts per day, average visitors per day (count me in everyday Wink ) and such other figures .. thanks
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
shivendrashukla
Member


Joined: 21 Dec 2006
Posts: 1354
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HAWK21M wrote:

.I guess We can start on preparing our own page in future.

regds
MEL


Yeah i too think the same. Lemme know if i can be of some help

Cheers
Shivendra
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
the_380
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 2329
Location: Mumbai, India

PostPosted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Everyone can! Lemme know your points...pen them down .. i'll start a new thread in non-avition where everyone will post their ideas
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good Idea.
Post a new thread & We all can add in our Inputs.
regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Birendra
Member


Joined: 15 Feb 2007
Posts: 1411

PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So we post here http://airlinersindia.s4.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=826&highlight= right Mel Razz
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
HAWK21M
Member


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 8132
Location: Mumbai, INDIA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right.
regds
MEL
_________________
Think of the Brighter side !!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    Airliners-India.com Forum Index -> Non Aviation All times are GMT + 5.5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group. Hosted by phpBB.BizHat.com