Wikipedia is a Great Thing

Michael Giberson

Speaking of Wikipedia, I just want to say it out loud: “Wikipedia is a great thing!???

A lot of ink, virtual and real, has been spilled in condemnation of Wikipedia. Most of the bashing seems to me to be based upon a misunderstanding of what Wikipediais and how to use it. The appropriate corrective is understanding what it is and how to use it.

James Grimmelman offers enlightenment.

UPDATE: Grimmelmann also links to Aaron Swartz, Who Writes Wikipedia?. For those who want more, Grimmelmann also cites an article appearing in the Journal of American History, available online at Can History be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past.