Comment & Debate
Andrew Orlowski, “Wikipedia: magic, monkeys and typewriters,” The Register (24 Oct. 2005). – “But something is changing since we last wrote about Wikipedia a year ago. Even project founder Jimmy Wales has been obliged to admit its entries are “a horrific embarrassment”. Readability, which wasn’t great to begin with, has plummeted. Formerly coherent and reasonably accurate articles in the technical section have gotten worse as they’ve gotten longer. And most interesting of all, the public is beginning to notice. What they don’t like to talk about is that on Wikipedia, the truth is determined in the end by a physical contest: whoever has the endurance to stay awake at a keyboard and maintain his version of the edits wins.”