The battle between Wikipedia and Britannica has been an never-ending battle. Jimmy Wales and Andrew Keen can debate for over an hour on the issue of Wikipedia but it all crumbles down to how the public utilizes the tool.
Being a college student, I have found myself stumbling across Wikipedia while working on class homework. Even though the majority of my professors do not allow Wikipedia, no college student can deny that they do not use it. I do not believe in using Wikipedia as a major source in a research paper but I do believe that Wikipedia is a jump start of knowledge. It is a way to receive a knowledge base on a certain topic.
My biggest concern with Wikipedia is the fact that anybody can edit and put in their "knowledge". On the other hand, that is Wikipedia's biggest strengths. Its weakness because, as Steven Colbert accomplished with the elephant, the public can put rubbish that has nothing to do with a certain topic. Its strength comes from the variety of knowledge that has the capability to inform on a topic. It has no boundaries therefore people with first hand experiences can inform the world on their knowledge.
Therefore, I am in limbo. I do not believe in completely giving in to Wikipedia yet, I do believe it is a great jump start to get your brain moving.
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