This is a pretty cool site to visit. You can watch people around the world edit Wikipedia entries in real-time (almost). I find myself using Wikipedia every day, sometimes several times a day. I used it in class today, in fact, to pull up an audio clip of "Dixie." (We were discussing Langston Hughes' "Song for a Dark Girl," which quotes lines from that song.)
I love the ethos of the entire Wikipedia project--people counting on other people to write reliable information. And for the most part, they get it right. It's neat to watch it happen right in front of you--and makes you realize there are real people with real interests (things they care enough to write about and edit) out there doing the work.
By the way, did you know that someone posted my dissertation on Wikipedia? That made me feel just a little bit famous. Then I got over myself. (And no, I have no idea who did it.)
6 comments:
Hey Heidi!!
You are so totally famous!!! Now... if you can get Jane's people to mention you in there blogs.... (I am still feeling almost famous about that!!)
I love how you feel you needed to justify why you played a clip of "Dixie!" Also, soooo cool that your dissertation is on there. With you on Wikipedia and Shannon famous on blogs, I feel as if I am in the presence of greatness.
Ok... so I just followed the link to your dissertation (very cool!) ... 249 pages!!! holy freakin' cow! I think my these was like 40 pages...and 20 of them were pictures/graphs!!!
Amber: In my defense, don't you think it makes sense to explain why I was playing "Dixie" in an American literature survey class? By the way, I knew so very little about that song before I looked it up on Wikipedia. I had no idea that it started as a staple of minstrel shows. And I had no knowledge of its earlier versions in slave dialect. That puts it in a whole new light for me. (One that you probably don't like very much!)
Shannon: Yeah--I am kind of proud of the 249 pages. The sad thing is that it could have been even more!
Oh, I don't think you need to defend yourself. I think we need to start submitting audiotape comments, because I think our tones are getting lost in the typing!
I am not a big Dixie apologist or anything. (I think it is funny how this is getting all turned around.) It is fun to sing if it pops into my head or I hear it on tv or something, but it's not like it's my favorite song in the world or I walk around singing it everyday.
So, anyway, just remember that I am not going to attack you, so you don't need to defend yourself! (I hope all is cool now.)
Awwww...now I feel bad, because my tone didn't translate that well either. I really really really didn't mean anything by my explanation. I promise. I like talking (commenting?) about this stuff with you. It's fun. I was interested in your comment and thought I'd indicate that (by anticipating what your next response might be). Seriously.
And you can feel free to "attack" (in the friendly sense, if such a sense exists--perhaps "debate," "discuss," and "question" are better words) all you want. I know you said that that's not what you were doing, and I believe you, but if ever you want to, go ahead. That makes this whole blogging thing a lot more interesting.
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