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Answer Benefacto
I don't know if that's a proper term, but I'm using it ...

I use wikipedia all the time, but take what it says with a grain of salt, because it has (as will Wikibooks, and any other global effort in public information amalgamation) fallen into the "Answer Benefacto" trap - that is, the commonly agreed upon answer is the one most people think is right, NOT the one that has actually been proven correct by science, math, or whatever specialty it relates to.

I've seen a couple in Wikipedia, and actually corrected one, to have it changed back within a day. I've read them in newspapers, and seen them in magazines, and yes, even on ZDNet (WOW, what a shocker).

If I were finished my first Coffee of teh day, I'd probably be able to think of an example, but as it is, sorry, no example as yet - actually, it's sort of a simple one, but ... no matter how many people I tell that the thing they turn on to use their computer IS the computer, and not the Hard Drive, it is rapidly becoming common to call a computer a "Hard Drive".

I love this globalization thing, and the sharing of information is mega-cool, but somehow, we have to ensure that the information we share does not fall prone to the rumour effect - if that starts to happen, think about society in 200 years.

As always, just my opinion, take it or leave it ...

Ludo
Posted by: Ludovit   Posted on: 09/28/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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This kind of Open Source activity  bjbrock | 09/28/05
Open Source is only a check and balance.  nucrash | 09/28/05
Well  bjbrock | 09/28/05
Viability and Authenticity?  putchavn | 09/28/05
I like to think formyself and hope I can  bjbrock | 09/28/05
World doesn't work that way, especially in the sciences  CobraA1 | 09/28/05
Oh Please...  nucrash | 09/28/05
Now to be serious  nucrash | 09/28/05
That is exactly how it works!!!  bjbrock | 09/28/05
Scientific truth is not so flexible  tic swayback | 09/28/05
We can teach those viewpoints  nucrash | 09/28/05
Again,how much time do you have?  tic swayback | 09/28/05
Time for a lesson in FSM  nucrash | 09/28/05
Ah, a fellow Pastafarian  tic swayback | 09/28/05
There is a difference between a Viewpoint and a Fact  Ludovit | 09/28/05
Viewpoints become facts everyday.  bjbrock | 09/28/05
But we don't teach them until they become provable facts  tic swayback | 09/28/05
Only when they are true  CobraA1 | 09/29/05
re: There is a difference between a Viewpoint and a Fact  richdave | 12/08/05
sorry  CobraA1 | 09/29/05
re: sorry  richdave | 12/08/05
Answer Benefacto  Ludovit | 09/28/05
Wikibooks and Quality  dhopp@... | 09/28/05
Why does everything have to be free in cost?  osreinstall | 09/28/05
Why is the profit motive the only "sustainable" motive?  Judas I. | 09/28/05
You have to make money to go on.  osreinstall | 09/28/05
So, the authors of Debian and FreeBSD aren't eating?  Judas I. | 09/28/05
They are, but not on good china.  osreinstall | 09/28/05
All I can say is "Huh?" Don't even understand half of your post.  Judas I. | 09/28/05
Here goes  osreinstall | 09/28/05
osreinstall: Ah! Okay ... better ...  Judas I. | 09/28/05
But, for textbooks, I have to agree with tic.  Judas I. | 09/28/05
I agree with him too mostly.  osreinstall | 09/28/05
Has same problems as wikipedia  CobraA1 | 09/28/05
Free books?  Protector | 09/28/05
Not Free, but reasonable  Otto_Delete | 09/28/05
You are not even close  osreinstall | 09/28/05
Economics  tic swayback | 09/28/05
Interesting concept  tic swayback | 09/28/05

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