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Jason ScottThe Great Failure of Wikipedia (April 8, 2006)

"The Great Failure of Wikipedia": Presentation by Jason Scott at Notacon 3 in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday, April 8, 2006. Covers the universally-editable encyclopedia-like site Wikipedia, architectural and procedural choices by co-founder Jimbo Wales and the often-unintended consequences of these choices and philosophy. Includes short overviews of the Brian Peppers Debacle, the Ashida Kim Controversy, and the fallacy of "Notability" and "Neutral Point of View" as implemented in Wikipedia as it currently stands.

Not intended to be a "Wikipedia shouldn't exist" screed, this speech/presentation is instead a quick-paced, profane listing of the results of Wikipedia's great experiment and how reality is changing the endeavor inherently and permanently.

Jason Scott runs TEXTFILES.COM and has made a number of essays and statements regarding Wikipedia at his weblog, ascii.textfiles.com.


This audio is part of the collection: Textfiles BBS Audio

Artist/Composer: Jason Scott
Date: 2006-04-08
Source: Jason Scott
Keywords: Wikipedia; Jason Scott; Notacon

Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivs

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Reviewer: NotGodot - - November 28, 2008
Subject: Pro-click
While the talk doesn't go as in-depth as I'd like, Scott provides a solid and listenable review of the problems with wikipedia. Anyone criticizing him for profanity is a child who should grow the fuck up.

Reviewer: contend hotly - - November 1, 2008
Subject: titleMaybe he should use Wikipedia to find out that antibiotics have NEVER worked
Jason Scott is great? I don't think so.. anyone that uses swear words, bad analogies and labels
("Spain exports this crap...", "liberals say this...")
He tries to use an analogy that "superviruses" are developed through the use of anitbiotics, and they can;t be killed. Maybe he should use Wikipedia to find out that antibiotics have NEVER worked against viruses, only bacteria.
The orator is a clown, with flawed reasoning, poor thinking habits, and a potty mouth.
Skip this if you have a brain.www.cars.com

Reviewer: mrfomoco - - July 17, 2008
Subject: This guy needs an editor, Ritalin and a mirror
Not long ago, when a speaker combined marginal grooming with too-urgent, rambling & vulgar speechifying, he likely would have been dismissed as brain-addled, or a kook...or maybe a drunk. Nowadays, when the same disheveled, semi-coherent guy wangles a speaking gig at even a 3rd-tier industry event - why, then he must be some kind of genius. Quick, everyone, gather around for illumination! Call the children!

I'm sure Mr. Scott (AKA: Jason Scott Sadofsky) does some things well. But you couldn't tell, from listening to this. His errors are so many - and so basic - that I'd need equal time to lay them out. This is a textbook case of What Not to Do, starting with: Don't address a group of like-minded acquaintances, in a manner suited only to such occasions, if a recording will be made public, later.

Does he have valid points to make? Yes, several. Good luck in finding them. Does he have a valid point of view? Perhaps, but its plainly evident that he has a substantial chip on his shoulder, regarding both Wikipedia and Mr. Wales, specifically. Perhaps Jimbo did not show appropriate gratitude for Mr. Scott's sharing of his acumen on critical topics like 'Xanadu' (the movie) and 80s-era BBS services.

Bottom line: If you enjoyed high school debate class (ie: smarmy, rapid-fire jeremiads on vaporous topics of the day, complete with a Greek chorus of sniggering toadies), then by all means go ahead and click 'play'. But if you're merely looking for useful information on this topic, I suggest that you skim through a transcript, instead...or, just Google 'Wikipedia problems'.

Reviewer: CluePhone - - June 24, 2008
Subject: Don't waste your time
This presentation was a complete waste of time.

The presenter was only familiar with the topics on a very surface level. His attempts at deeper analysis were pathetic.

This was really just a shoddy copy and paste job from recent Internet news.

Reviewer: mjgoins - - March 11, 2008
Subject: Very interesting and extremely entertaining.
Funny, and full of insight. I don't care if he exaggerates a little bit about how bad wikipedia is, this is a fascinating talk, and you should definitely listen to it if you're interested in the future of information.

Reviewer: 6billionghosts - - March 7, 2008
Subject: Uhhh.
Of the reviewers below who give this a poor review, the first fails to say anything at all and the second relies on straw men - jason's oratorical style instead of addressing actual arguments in the speech.

I beg to differ. I think that it's a very interesting and worthwhile speech.

Reviewer: 6JJJJJJ - - August 20, 2007
Subject: No. it isn't
Not really very good, as reveiwed, Jason doesn't come across very well, kinda half baked. Best use your time for something else, I wish I had.

Reviewer: Don't listen - - August 20, 2007
Subject: Dumb
Jason Scott is great? I don't think so.. anyone that uses swear words, bad analogies and labels
("Spain exports this crap...", "liberals say this...")
He tries to use an analogy that "superviruses" are developed through the use of anitbiotics, and they can;t be killed. Maybe he should use Wikipedia to find out that antibiotics have NEVER worked against viruses, only bacteria.
The orator is a clown, with flawed reasoning, poor thinking habits, and a potty mouth.
Skip this if you have a brain.

Reviewer: clumpy - - August 20, 2007
Subject: Wikipedia is no good!
Here is why! A must listen for any person with a brain that can read this sentence.

Reviewer: cassiel.randomson - - December 17, 2006
Subject: A speech everyone should listen to
No matter if you are pro or con WP, this speech is a must listen to for everyone who ever heard of WP.
Jason Scott describes in Detail why WP is a monster.
If you want to look through WP and see the ugly face behind the mask, listen to this. You'd be amazed how logically and convincing Scott picks WP into little ugly pieces.