2009/4/23 David Goodman dgoodmanny@gmail.com:
Competent writing, enforced by actual editors, volunteer or otherwise.
The evolved Wikipedia house style does seem to be where good writing goes to be mummified. At least it's easy for not so good writers to contribute usefully. Given the choice, I'd rather have all the useful detail rather than beautiful writing, but both would be nice thanks.
(You can see this in articles - you have a well-written article, someone adds something not well written that sticks out like a sore thumb but is clearly relevant, then it gets rewritten over time. Repeat until digested into grey mush.)
- d.