Eptp Blog #1

I think wikipedia is both a blessing and a burden.  It is a blessing because it's intentions are good and when those intentions are fallowed though, wikipedia is a good collection of knowledge.  but it can be a burden because where there is the option to post whatever you'd like, then there will always be vandalism. 

Even with all attempts at security, there will always be the "facts" that fall through the cracks.  For instance, my comp I teacher, as a demonstration against wikipedia, put edited the page for some date; saying that a queen of Persia named after her friend was born on that date long ago.  My teacher said it was on the site for nearly six months before it was taken down.  I feel like if you're subtle enough and clever enough, you could pass lies off as facts. 

I do think that the pages that have citations at the bottom are good.  The wikipedia page might not be a credible source but the links to other pages and articles might be. I know a college librarian who, when she needs to write a paper, will actually start by going to wikipedia and going to those external sources. 

I don't feel like wikipedia should be a main source for information on a school paper, but if you want to know the discography for some band then go for it.  With matters of school, I think wikipedia should be used more as a gateway to other sources than as a source itself.