Andrew Orlowski has had more than a little problem with the truth in the past: http://thomashawk.com/2005/10/andrew-orlowski-writes-article.html.

(The number of dashes in the URL seem to be triggering the filter.)

I say “uncharacteristically self-critical”, because it has been my overwhelming experience that the most vocal and zealous supporters of wikipedia assume, as an article of faith, that (a) wikipedia is already higher quality than “traditional” encyclopedias and/or (b) it is inevitable that wikipedia will become highter quality than “traditional” encyclopedias. Indeed, it precisely this faith the Nick Carr bemoaned in his “amorality” post. We see this attitude throughout the blogosphere, on wikipedia talk pages, and yes, on the WikiEN list itself. E.g.,

“I cannot remember the last time I accessed a Wikipedia article that was not of apparent professional quality.”

“The quality of Wikipedia Articles, at the very least, at a moment in time are better than they were before and will improve over time.”

“I for one think Wikipedia is more prestigious [than Britannica].”

“But like good wine, articles in Wikipedia get better with time.”

In fact, Anthony DiPierro put it succiently when he wrote on wikien-l: “You know, if it was anyone else complaining about article quality, the response would be something more like “{{sofixit}}”.

You, personally, Jimmy, are often frank about Wikipedia’s shortcomings and are “hardcore about quality”. Others, indeed many others, are not–as you yourself have dealt with on that thread (example 1, example 2, example 3). This is also helps explain why Wikipedia is “as good as it is”.

I agree Orlowski blew your remarks out of proporition. The headline in particular was, let’s face it, sensationalism. Yet that doesn’t make his general or specific critique invalid.

Wikipedians are hardcore about quality and always have been. That’s why Wikipedia is as good as it is. Andrew Orlowski can try to blow up random remarks on the mailing list as if they are news, but the truth is, this is just all part of the ongoing story of Wikipedia.