I just did a small experiment. I hit the random button twenty times and recorded the articles that came up. Judging by this random sample there are three types of information presented in the wikipedia - 1)lists and templates 2)pathetic stubs and 3)complete articles. Out of my twenty hits, six were templated lists of varying degrees of completeness, seven were stubs with very little information, and seven were lengthy articles that appeared complete whether they actually were or not. This suggests to me that there is a LOT of work to be done... but then we knew that already! In most entries the ratio of completed vs uncreated links seemed pretty good too. Having a few blank links invites people to contribute, but if they're ALL blank is just looks like nobody's doing the work!
Karen
Here's the results:
1) 1620s - blank year template.
2) The Cain Mutiny - fairly lengthy and complete article on the movie and the US Navy's response to it. Plenty of created links, and five blanks.
3) Jean François La Pérouse - fairly stubby, but contains several paragraphs of complete information so it looks like an 'article' to the casual passerby. Three active links, and three blanks.
4) Columbus Blue Jackets - stub. Contains blank template and a very little information. Four active links, and one blank.
5) Neoconservative - stub with very little information. Currently unwikified and unlinked
6) Zambesi - mini factoid stub (2 sentences) that supplies the necessary factual information in a compact form. Several active links.
7) Thermal mass - five short paragraphs. Could be longer and more detailed, but appears to be a complete article to the casual observer. No blank links.
8) Okapi - Fairly complete article with species table inserted. Bunch of links. two blank. All that seems to be missing is a photo.
9) Saul Kripke - one very very long paragraph. I got lost in the text so I have no idea who he actually is. Five active links, no blanks.
10) Geosynchronous satellite - complete and informative article. Many links, two blanks.
11) International Organisation for Migration - stub, two links
12) Kawasaki - list of company info. Not yet an article. No links
13) Context-sensitive language - looks fairly complete to me. Has sub-headers. Several links, no blanks.
14) Pure qubit state - mathematical article. Looks complete. Five links, three blanks.
15) Government of Nigeria - CIA factbook information page. Essentially complete but unlinked and possibly out of date.
16) Centerville - list of US placenames, all blank links. (Are there no 'centreville's in other countries?)
17) Pomatomidae - minute stub.
18) Carolingian Dynasty - long list of links.
19) Moraceae - minute stub for a plant family, not yet taxonomised.
20) Boron - one of the complete-seeming chemical articles. Several links, two blank.