2009/2/9 Carcharoth carcharothwp@googlemail.com:
To pick another example. The reference desks (which I think are great) are technically a bit divorced from the encyclopedia building, but I think are a legitimate side operation, especially when article do (sometimes) get improved as a result. It's also legitimate because some people prefer to ask humans a question and have them look it up, rather than look things up themselves. The side effect is quite a lot of chatter around the questions and answers.
It's definitely right in line with the mission. Also a chance for us to show off our erudition.
(e.g. going down the pub, there's three Wikipedians at the table talking obscure military history they've picked up in the course of just hanging around and a fourth person looking slightly boggled.)
- d.