Reading the Encyclopedia Britannica (2)

Podcast it...

The add-ons…
Ursula: It’s wacky enough to do a podcast or a blog.
George: Where will I get the time? I’ll be buried in reading. And the point being?
Ursula: Keep track of your progress.
George: I could just use a checklist. Less hassle.
Ursula: Think about it this way. Writing or talking about what you’re learning could help you actually remember it. Plus, you’d get to show off how smart you are.
George: This is not the Big Bang show. And it sounds like extra work.
Ursula: Yeah, but like Sheldon, you could extend your social contacts. You might even inspire other geeks to start their own quirky quests.
George: Inspiring others… nice. But what if I run out of things to say?
Ursula: With the Encyclopedia Britannica? Not a chance! And you could always bring in guest stars or interview experts to keep things fresh.
George: Interviews could be cool. But I’m still not sure it’s worth the effort.
__________
Voice-over
Ursula further urges George saying he could pick up skills like interviewing or media design and George has no quarrel with this. But Ursula wryly wonders if George as a podcaster could be comedic.

Reading the Encyclopedia Britannica

A cluttered study…

Ursula: You could free up some shelves by giving away those Encyclopedia Britannicas.
George: But that’s my project. To read the Encyclopedia Britannica, not all the articles, say half of them. Before, you know… end of life.
Ursula: That’s  a challenge.
George: There’s a plan. Restricting myself mainly to the Micropedia for starters.
Ursula: Do you think you can finish this… this mission?
George: There’s an existentialist element. The focus is on the journey rather than the destination.
_________
Voice-over
The discussion goes on to cover creating a reading schedule, setting goals, prioritzing articles, taking notes and taking breaks, tracking progress. And the intrinsic value and enjoyment of the undertaking. Ursula asks if George intends to include the Macropedia but he replies he’s saving that for the afterlife.

Wikification of General Knowledge

The Expert and the Fan

The natures of the expert and the fan are debated…

Expert: You can’t write an article unless you are an expert.

Fan: And an expert is…

Expert: Someone who has passed muster. Done their time. Gone the distance. Looked into things. Reviewed the research. In other words, someone with formal qualifications.

Fan: Doesn’t an enthusiast or a fan do the same thing?

Expert: Difference is the expert can differentiate between the main points and the minutiae. Separate the chaff from the grain. See the wood through the trees. Fans can quote you dates and places. Experts can tell you the story.

Fan: So why did the Wikipedia fans push the Encyclopedia Britannica experts off the shelves?

___________

Voice-over

Much is made about expert opinion. Much is also made about the wisdom of collective intelligence. Both sides have a point.

EB articles were generally the responsibility of one expert. But when you have a collection of experts and fans, discussion can be more lively and offer a better perspective.

Short film: Wikification of General Knowledge at

http://youtu.be/RxPsp-hqUpw