Much more than an encyclopedia

THERE IS one response that will answer all the questions your child can throw at you.
If you haven’t heard of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia, chances are you haven’t been on the Internet.
Wikipedia is a result of what is essentially a knowledge-hungry Internet community.
Wiki comes from the Hawaiian word meaning quick.
It’s a tag given to websites at which users can make direct, computer-mediated contributions to the content.
On Wikipedia, people can add encyclopedia entries, and edit or update existing ones.
So if you’re an expert on the given topic, and see an important slice of information missing from the entry, you’re free to insert it – just make sure you substantiate your facts.
Wikipedia is edited full-time, not only for grammatical and factual errors, but also to filter out entries from public relations firms, companies and anyone else with a vested interest in the topic.
Virtually anything can be searched for, as with Google, with a fully detailed encyclopedia entry and links to websites with more information returned as a result.
But Wikipedia is much more than an encyclopedia.
It can be an addictive experience that will hook its users in for hours, while stuffing your mind with information both useful and useless.
The main criticism of the free encyclopedia is its attraction – the ability for anyone to add information.
Unlike Encyclopedia Britannica and other credible, long-surviving brands of encyclopedias edited by professionals and academics, Wikipedia is purely community based.
It has only just completed an online fundraiser to ensure its survival.
In other words, tread with caution – but at the same time, don’t be afraid to explore what has undoubtedly revolutionised the way people search for information.