Someone writes:
hi, i need help on my geography homework, i was wondering if you could help? ''what is the name of the ocean current in the atlantic to the west of the uk? and how does it affect our
climate?
We all want to be nice and helpful when someone asks us a question; it is only natural. But there is a great danger to directly answering questions like these: In a short amount of time Wikipedia might become known as a place where people can mail in requests for info, and then we will be flooded with thousands of requests each month for help on homework and research. We'd get questions from people in junior high, high school, and college.
I think if we get such requests, we should tell them to read the relevant articles on Wikipedia (as well as suggest to them that they need to use multiple sources). The only times we need to answer such questions is when the questions reveal a gap in Wikipedia articles. (i.e. if someone asks a good question that interests us, and Wikipedia has nothing on that topic, then maybe its a good idea to begin doing a little work on that topic.)
I don't like saying "No" to specific requests for information, but if the OED and the Encyclopedia Brittanica usually answered such requests, then they might never have completed the first edition of their works.
Your mileage may vary,
Robert (RK)
===== "I prefer a wicked person who knows he is wicked, to a righteous person who knows he is righteous". The Seer of Lublin [Jacob Isaac Ha-Hozeh Mi-Lublin, 1745-1815]
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Robert a écrit:
Someone writes:
hi, i need help on my geography homework, i was wondering if you could help? ''what is the name of the ocean current in the atlantic to the west of the uk? and how does it affect our
climate?
We all want to be nice and helpful when someone asks us a question; it is only natural. But there is a great danger to directly answering questions like these: In a short amount of time Wikipedia might become known as a place where people can mail in requests for info, and then we will be flooded with thousands of requests each month for help on homework and research. We'd get questions from people in junior high, high school, and college.
I think if we get such requests, we should tell them to read the relevant articles on Wikipedia (as well as suggest to them that they need to use multiple sources). The only times we need to answer such questions is when the questions reveal a gap in Wikipedia articles. (i.e. if someone asks a good question that interests us, and Wikipedia has nothing on that topic, then maybe its a good idea to begin doing a little work on that topic.)
me too
errr...sorry, I agree
it would be nice as well, that people do not reach so easily the mailing lists, so they could ask information on wikipedia itself. Perhaps the way is not clear enough ?
On Jan 28, 2004, at 5:07 PM, Anthere wrote:
it would be nice as well, that people do not reach so easily the mailing lists, so they could ask information on wikipedia itself. Perhaps the way is not clear enough ?
That's what I've never understood. One would think it would be easier to click "Edit this page" on a talk page, type in a question, and wait for a response, than to track down this mailing list, subscribe, confirm, write an email, and scan the entire list's traffic for replies. But maybe that's just me.
Peter
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Ed !
Come around here !
I think we found the mailing list next administrator !!
;-)
Peter Jaros a écrit:
On Jan 28, 2004, at 5:07 PM, Anthere wrote:
it would be nice as well, that people do not reach so easily the mailing lists, so they could ask information on wikipedia itself. Perhaps the way is not clear enough ?
That's what I've never understood. One would think it would be easier to click "Edit this page" on a talk page, type in a question, and wait for a response, than to track down this mailing list, subscribe, confirm, write an email, and scan the entire list's traffic for replies. But maybe that's just me.
Peter
-- ---<>--- -- A house without walls cannot fall. Help build the world's largest encyclopedia at Wikipedia.org -- ---<>--- --