>>>>>
>>>>>Have I ever mentioned how much I love Wiki "facts"? ;)
>>>>
>>>>But it's on the internet. Surely it must be true!
>>>
>>>What exactly is wrong with Wikis ? Where exactly one is supposed to quick-check for facts?
>>>
>>>'Ministry of Truth' ?
>>
>>I think I do an adequate job of breaking down the issue with Wiki in message#1544675.
>>
>>I was responding to a post where the author cited a wiki writing Wikipedia seems to show that the biggest common denominators are: The author is using the wiki as a statement of fact. In my response I demonstrate how those wiki "facts" are not. Wiki can be modified by anyone and thus there is oversight but often that's to require citations. If one digs into the citations then the context of the statement can be flushed out. However, much more often than not, the citations are not followed and what's written in the wiki is cited as fact as it was in the message I responded to.
>
>
>Well on topic about Tea-Party and current political circus going on there, wikis should not be even written.
>When it comes to current (or any) politics, there would be always more then few hot heads ready to oppose/dispute whatever they dislike be that right or wrong.
>
>However, on majority of topics Wikis are just great source to dig. Will ask you the same question (my post to Bill was actually
>more belonging to you) ;
>
>Where else would would you go for some fast fact checking ?

My brain. ;)

It depends on what my level of knowledge on the subject is. If I'm well versed I'll use direct sources. If I've only a passing knowledge I tend to use search aggregators.

I agree with you that "Wikis are just great source to dig", however, I cannot use them for "fast fact checking". They provide a jumping off point from which one can examine the links provided and dig even further from there. I have found a number of great resources through links I found on wikis, but it's rare for me to quote or cite a wiki directly. Unless the topic is the wiki itself.

For a much more eggregious example of wiki distortion, see William Connolley on global warming wikis.