On 12/19/06, charles.r.matthews(a)ntlworld.com
<charles.r.matthews(a)ntlworld.com> wrote:
Sarah wrote
Any public library can order material that's
in a regular academic
library.
Sorry - any public library in Kerala, Kampala or even Lima can order up
anything from any academic library? Do remember that this is a global project. The
'populist' idea that anybody should be able to fact-check anything rather founders
on the reality that it at most refers to about 5% of the world population, selected just
about entirely on wealth.
We are really doing the opposite: making the cream of reliable-source material actually
globally available whereever there is a decent internet connection.
Charles, anyone in the English-speaking world should be able easily to
fact-check our material, and this is the English-language Wikipedia,
so that has to be our priority. Your argument seems to be that because
everyone in the world can't fact-check it, no one should be able to,
and that we should instead leave the writing and research to
self-selected Wikipiedia "experts," many of whom are anonymous and may
have no expertise at all, or if they do, may not be highly regarded by
other experts in the field.
I agree wholeheartedly that we should make the cream of
reliable-source material globally available, but I strongly disagree
with allowing Wikipedians to insert their own opinions and
interpretations between those sources and our readers.
Sarah
Sarah,
It seems to me that there are two related but separate issues that are
getting intertwined here. I'm not sure if I'm just reading you wrong, or
something else.
At times it seems that you are suggesting that reference material that
is not "generally available" is off limits for Wikipedia references.
While we might be able to discuss what level of unavailability makes a
reference unsatisfactory, but those responding here seem to think that,
for instance, a legal database, or a subscription-only database are
acceptable.
The other issue is that of Original Research, and where "collation and
organization" becomes OR.
My thought is that it's better to keep the two issues separate. If you
see them as directly related, please do make it clear how.
-Rich