Wikipedia

1. Honestly, I love Wiki! I know that it could be totally false since others are able to change information or give you unreliable facts, but I still go there. Anytime I want quick information Wiki is one of the first places I look. I never use it for school related research, but I still go there for the “quick” tips. I use Wiki when I need definitions, dates, or little tid-bits when talking with my friends. I use reliable sources when I need actual information that may be important or when I will need to back up my facts. I remember using it when I was in grade school doing small projects for my classes. My teachers never said anything about not using it until I got to high school. It was there that I was told that it no longer counted as a “source”, needless to say, I was devastated.

2. I do not believe that Wikipedia could ever conquer expertise. First, of all everyone out there could change information on the site and not everyone out there is for the good of the site. People change information just to be funny, or change information because they believe they are experts, when in fact they are not. I know that I personally believe a lot of what I read on the site, but obviously not all of the information would prove factual. I don’t believe that Wiki could ever replace expertise, but I do think it is a neat way for actual experts out there to share information and build on one another. After reading Schiff’s work, I see that the creation and information on the site took a lot of effort from many, but the pure fact that anyone can change information makes it kind of a waste because of those few that want to ruin it for everyone else. After reading, I see that Wiki is trying hard to make themselves credible, but until there is some sort of filter, I don’t see it happening.

3. I think that people give up their time so easily to this because it’s actually kind of relaxing. Looking up information of interest and sharing it can be kind of addicting and a sort of past time for many. I know that I am guilty of this to some extent. I feel that we all are in some way. I even consider celebrity gossiping a form of what he is talking about. I know that when I see news about my favorite celeb on TV, I Google it, and then talk to my friends about it or talk about it online. I am not a big time blogger, but through facebook and email it comes out. I think a good example of this would be when people go online, find great videos on YouTube and then post them on each other’s Facebook sites. I am guilty of that and many other examples of this.