As far as resources go ...
I admit it - I use the Wikipedia. I refer to it rather often, though only in the
manner that (to my mind at least) encyclopedias should be used - in order to get
a quick overview of a topic. I also follow its development, which means, among other things, that I've been able to observe the sometimes subtle shifts in emphasis in its goals.
More often than not, I refer to the Wikipedia before committing
myself in writing to what might seem to be a rather strong statement of a perhaps
unsubstantiated fact. Perhaps this should be called a security precaution - checking
before I leap. It doesn't really matter to me that I'm checking a source that
may not be fully trustworthy since more often than not, when I turn to the Wikipedia I'm
pretty sure that I'm correct or accurate about something, and am simply checking
to make sure that somebody else thinks the same. A check such as this simply boosts
my confidence that I really do know what I'm talking about. If what I'm discovering
is actually that someone else is as wrong as I am, then "safety in numbers"
comes into play. It's a no-lose situation.
Go to: Don't Bogart that Info