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Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at 11:00 AM EDT
Wikipedia: Open Intelligence
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By host Tom Ashbrook:

For generations, when Americans had a question about Gettysburg or Galileo or the state bird of Indiana, chances were they turned to the big old encyclopedia in the family den or school library. Today, a new world turns to Wikipedia — the interactive online encyclopedia written by everyone.

You can read the entry on Antarctica, or you can change it. There are more than a million entries now — ten times Encyclopedia Britannica’s number — and many millions of avid users around the globe. It’s becoming the ultimate instant resource on reality. But is it reliable?

Hear a conversation with the founder of the site about the life and limits of collective wisdom on Wikipedia.

Guests:

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia

John Palfrey, Director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Harvard Law School

Simon Pulsifer, one of Wikipedia’s most prolific contributors

Jaron Lanier, computer scientist and author.

 
 

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