On 5/9/05, Ray Saintonge saintonge@telus.net wrote:
I have never used Usenet as a source of information, and, given the controversy that it engenders, I would only do so with extreme caution. I would make no absolute rule against using it, but a critical reader needs to be aware that its use as a reference will taint the credibility of the material. The value of an article depends on the combined credibility of its sources and integrity of its contributors.
UseNet is a great source of facts for UseNet-related information. Other editors have described using it to test the period of use of words, phrases, abbreviations and memes. It is a good source for certain types of information so long as used wisely and selectively.
But using it as a checkable source for general knowledge - the sort of material one would generally expect to find in an encyclopaedia - well, I think you've hit the nail on the head with your remarks above.
Having said that, I note that Wikipedia is not as authoritative a source as we would like. Editors all too often post material that belongs in the realm of "community myth" rather than "checkable fact". Just like UseNet.