On Fri, 16 Dec 2005 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Vo, Jed, > Wikipedia is a model of free speech (not free screech) and democracy but I > guess what we really mean by free speech is *informed* free speech and what > we really mean by democracy is an educated populous (adult, not a-dolt), non > salacious media (not power without responsibility) and trustworthy leaders.
But Wikipedia is an experiment in *anonymous* free speech, where abusive people with mild mental problems cannot be blocked, and where all users can duck responsibility. It's ike Usenet, or like a call-in radio show where the callers have no names and they all disguise their voices. That type of setup has major consequences (e.g. the difference between sci.physics.fusion versus vortex-L.) If Wikipedia started out using the simple email-verified registration which nearly all WWW forums use to exclude trolls/flamers/spammers, it would be a very different resource today. (((((((((((((((((( ( ( ( ( (O) ) ) ) ) ))))))))))))))))))) William J. Beaty SCIENCE HOBBYIST website billb at amasci com http://amasci.com EE/programmer/sci-exhibits amateur science, hobby projects, sci fair Seattle, WA 206-789-0775 unusual phenomena, tesla coils, weird sci
