In a message dated 3/4/2007 6:39:10 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, stanshebs@earthlink.net writes:
You're one in a million, and that's not flattery. :-) While it's theoretically possible to have unbiased edits from a paid source, in practice it hasn't gone well so far, and in these days of corporations looking for every imaginable advertising venue, people are ultra-paranoid.
I think if a leading historian were to announce that he had received a commission to work on a company's WP article, editing under his own name, people would struggle with that one. The historian's overt participation would be a boost to WP's credibility, and the historian is putting personal reputation on the line, but it's also setting a precedent to later accept paid edits from a less-leading historian, then the underpaid instructor at the community college, then the "Company Historian" in the marketing department.
Stan
Yes, I think that being paid to write articles should be against the rules. It's ironic that I have gotten flak writing about a subject I don't get paid for but work with.
Vincent <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.