Wikipedia

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A portmanteau of Wiki (Hawaiian slang for fast) and Encyclopedia.

Wikipedia is a non-profit wiki-based encyclopedia. It's large amount of content is created collaboratively through volunteers, and organization designated staff. It is considered to be one of the most powerful and popular forms of reference in the world.

Good: Accessibility & Visibility

Depth of knowledge accessibility are the big ones.

It's primary benefit, is probably the sheer volume of content. It boasts almost 18 million articles, in assorted languages. It can also be considered on of the most accessible reference tools compared to a periodical darknet. One that may require some level of credentials or at the very least, an account with a participating library.

While volume and accessibility are the ruling benefits of the day. It must be noted that its growth and success prior to attaining these characteristics was the wiki-model of contribution. In the wiki-model, every page can be edited, regardless of credentials, thus releasing the burden of content creation. This is the largest most difficult task of an encyclopedia, which has the goal of describing not just one topic or field, but in in fact, all things.

Bad: Verifiable Content Only

No original thought (meaning that all content produced must have a verifiable source. By verifiable, Wikipedia means, that it must be referenced traditionally from published works.)

The criticisms for Wikipedia resides largely in this policy, that it must stem from previously published. On the surface this may seem a suitable way of steering the direction of content toward relevancy and accuracy. However, by creating this policy, Wikipedia transitions from the living organism of an internet information movement, to traditional and failing forms of media.

Many of which were instituted after it had become so large and popular. It is likely these policies were developed in reaction to some kind of abuse, which is bound to happen at its size. Regardless, the policies in place now in many ways countermand the virtues by which Wikipedia owes its growth to. At first, the gate was open to all, but now the gate has closed, and everyone after must pay a fee. (In this case, the fee is homage to traditional publication media)


Portland Wiki

Portland Wiki is a regional-specific center of knowledge and information that follows the original mandates of Wikipedia before it's verification policies.

It also uses a similar enterprise architectural platform, called MediaWiki

In many ways, the nobility of PortlandWiki.org can be found in the criticism of Wikipedia. At present state, there is not policy against non-published thought, which allows for an open collaboration of knowledge and information between a side variety of content producers and experts.

By instituting a free and open culture, Portland Wiki, is nurturing all forms of wisdom, which some would say is the spark of all men and women every where -- the ability to create wisdom. By creating a safe haven for knowledge that that can be either circumstantial or verifiable, the movement of collaboration is borne once again.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia (English Language)

Wikipedia Verification Policy

MediaWiki Wiki Platform

Darknets

Examples of knowlege sharing that is opposite to the open collabration that exists in wikis. Password protected private extranets. More information about a darknet

OneFile - For searching published periodicals

Proquest - For searching published periodicals