https://mobile.twitter.com/krmaher/stat ... 0345567237
How's that then? What is the precise scenario where people checking Wikipedia will find the truth about whether or not a celebrity is a actually dead, faster than a simple Google search?The world changes in real time. We are generally faster than a search engine in offering up-to-date information on world events - especially celebrity death hoaxes.
Obviously people close to the story can't add the truth, because it will be reverted for lack of a reliable source.
People who see reliable sources debunking a hoax, are obviously only going to find them using Google.
The truth is, Wikipedia is actually slower than Google in all scenarios where someone might need to know for sure if a celebrity is dead (and while we're at it, who really gives a fuck - if this is who Wikipedia readers are, if this is what interests them, then fuck them).
And in certain scenarios, where reliable sources are erroneously transmitting false information, Wikipedia happily tries to keep up with them. They're just that tiny bit slower, because Google is their source. So why wouldn't you simply be checking Google for new or updated news stories? Or even Twitter for that matter.....
Sometimes Wikipedia can get themselves in a real mess, as recently seen with Tom Petty, as his article flip flopped from dead to not dead and back again multiple times in almost real time (but inevitably slower than Google), all because reliable sources were similarly flip flopping.
Naturally, as all became clear, experienced Wikipedians tried to blame ignorant n00bs for having made poor edits which made Wikipedia look like it was just as unreliable and obsessed with speed over accuracy as the mass media - they were lying though - experienced Wikipedia editors had been to blame for the mess (as well as enthusiastic amateurs). These custodians were only doing what Wikipedians are supposed to do - find a reliable source (using Google) and adjust Wikipedia to reflect it. Not real time, let alone faster than Google, but as close to it as they can manage.
So fuck off Maher - you don't know what you're talking about.
