Re: Wikipedia, Open Access and Cognitive Virology

From: Stevan Harnad <amsciforum_at_GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 11:21:16 -0400

On Sun, May 16, 2010 at 10:39 AM, Benjamin Geer <benjamin.geer_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Stevan, if the Wikipedia article on OA is inaccurate, why don't you correct
> it yourself?  That's the whole idea of Wikipedia.

I tried. I was over-ruled by the anonymous trolls.

As I said, in the scholarly/scientific sector of Wikipedia, this
happens not infrequently, because of Wikipedia's explicit disavowal of
expertise as a criterion. Anonymous opinion inevitably prevails,
especially if it has the force of numbers (and persistence) behind it
-- and particularly if anything raises the hackles of the anonymous
trolls by way of invoking expertise (or questioning it!)...

I don't know how David Goodman (the only troll whose identity I know,
but an exceptional one, being indeed someone with expertise in matters
related to biology librarianship) can stand it! Perhaps he will be
willing to share some of his reflections with us about his past few
years' experience in the bowels of the beast!

Stevan
Received on Sun May 16 2010 - 16:21:49 BST