Wikipedia reaches impressive milestone
Wikipedia, the free web-based encyclopedia, has just hit the impressive milestone of 3 million articles for the English version of the popular site.
An article about Beate Marie Eriksen, a Norwegian soap star and film director — and daughter of renowned WWII flying ACE Marius Eriksen — was the three millionth entry for the English version of Wikipedia.org, the Internet’s biggest free encyclopedia that lets any registered user submit or edit entries.
Launched just eight years ago, Wikipedia has roughly 10 million registered users and more than 13 million pages spread throughout all languages — which total 272 in number.
Previously, the Yongle Encyclopedia was the world’s largest encyclopedia, commissioned by the Chinese Ming Dynasty emperor, Yongle, in 1402 (and completed six years later).
Do you use Wikipedia? Contribute to it? What do you love (or loathe) about the site?
Filed Under: Found on the Web > Web/Tech
Tags: 3, best, encyclopedia, milestone, million, popular, three, wiki, wikipedia
There are many cons and pros to wikipedia, it’s easily accessible to all, it’s free (with regards to the cost of using it), and is normally a great reference to quench your curiosity. However, many of the articles are not written quite well, have a predominant North American world view, and tend to favor the “wisdom of the masses” as opposed to the “wisdom of the knowledgeable”. Still, as said, it’s an excellent resource to use to answer some of your more simple questions, and to pique your curiosity on others. Just don’t attempt to contribute to it, as often you’ll be navigating a bureaucratic minefield =).
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I have always seen this encyclopedia to be on forefront to my any queiry.
Above all its free without any conditions. It portrays a different image of American “CORPORATE CULTURE” where without money nothing can be thought of. God may bless those who have done this marvelous gigantic work. I keep on thinking how such a work was possible to be achieved and that too in a world where every thing is for sale.
Keep it up , these are the achievements to be proud of.
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Wikipedia is a wonderful information resource but like anything else on the Internet that is publicly authored and is a brilliant idea to engage the public at large to spread their factual knowledge. However one must be careful to assess the accuracy and relevancy of the information being published and I’ve seen some glaring conceptual errors that got published (although I don’t know if they’ve been corrected presently). Also it is entirely possible for one author to edit another author’s contributions although the system does keep track of who changed what.
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I remember once I looked at what caused athlete’s foot and it said that getting a** raped in prison did it… Other than that, it’s pretty helpful.
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wikipedia indeed another milestone for human kind may the heavens bless this most wonderous creation of intellect.
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I am a WP contributor under this username. WP is a great resource when trying to find quick info about a topic. There are little communities dedicated to fixing the problems described above. Come on in and help us write the ‘pedia!
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Being a world renowned concert photographer I used to contribute with hard to get photographs of musicians but quit immediately after I had been targeted by power tripping admin. Since then I’ve dedicated my time and effort to my own projects and benefited from it myself, instead of donating it to a thankless bunch that doesn’t appreciate your work. I’m glad I cut my ties sooner than later. I’ve been reaping benefits of working for myself ever since.
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Less expensive than the massive Britanica books of the past and no sales people to harrass. Most of the masses of hardnocks individuals who are too simple and are not willing to pay for a expensive education for at best a maybe. Why do the well to do seem to know how to credit card as badly as the masses?
I’m degressing from the bigger focus on things in the moment and now. Wikipedia is having trouble making itself relevant economically and intellectually at the same time.
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