Fighting it out on Wikipedia

The writeup is about Ruchika Girhotra Case in India. Today, that is January 1, 2010, fresh applications for fresh FIRs are being taken up in the court. The Ruchika Girhotra case is in news for many days for now and to be specific since the day the accused Mr. SPS Rathore, IPS (Retd) had been proved guilty and sentenced to six month imprionsment with a fine of Rs. 1000/- (around $22 ) in a case which continued for 19 years. This was even investigated by the CBI, the most prestigious investigation agency in India. As such, the case is  in news every day. It was while checking the Google News syndication of news, that I located that there was an article which was on Wikipedia.

The one of the best thing about this article is that it is very nicely written. It seems that it has been written by an expert.

It is being categorized under India group and there is no rider to it like that it is a current issue or other similar tags which are placed as per the Wikipedia Editing policy.

There is a little discussion hinged to it.

In the reference section, there are links for every available fact added in the body of the article and virtually all of them are from Print news media as well as Television media. In addition to that there are links to Rahul Rathore and Abha Rathore, the two persons who are related to the culprit Rathor IPS (Retd).

In case of external links, there is a link to the group which has shown courage to fight against the system in India.

In one of my earlier comments, I have objected to such articles, wherein some grievance is publicized through Wikipedia. The article in question is very nicely written. I personally admire the courage of the people who have shown courage to fight against the excesses of the high ups in India especially in the All India Services as well as the local government authorities. In democratic India, there still survives the Raj mentality and genetically implanted servile character which is legacy of a thousand years of servitude starting from 999 AD. Hence, when some courage is depicted here in India, I feel confident of my country India. However, even then, the issue remains, that should such articles be permitted on Wikipedia.

Last time, I was reading about a suspected Al Qaida operative from Nigeria who tried to blow up a flight from Europe to America. The article carried a tag of objection. I wanted to comment on that but just missed because I continued to explore further links and that took lot of my time. However, therein, I wished to state that the article should be retained. However, herein, the purpose of the article is something else. No doubt, it is rightly written and there is a balanced information. I do not think that the Rathore group would approve this article. They may take this issue with the government because the issue is now sub-judice. However, it is not going to effect Wikpedia at all as Wikipedia does not come under the jurisdiction of Indian judiciary. There should have been a section, wherein Rathore group version should also be incorporated.

On the whole, the article can be retained because of the fineness with which it is written. It can be useful for the people who desire to legal studies or undertake some research related to that field. Secondly, it is showing another dimension of possibility of the utility of Wikipedia. Wikipedia should shed it luggage of being called an Encyclopedia. It should call itself as Information Processing Site.

Startling Concept Essay but Bemusing Background

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I believe that the users of Wikipedia will approve my observation that many of the philosophy, arithmetic and concept articles are really of good quality. One can learn from them. It is very difficult to learn and imbibe the actual meaning of concepts in the field of sciences. You have to read again and again the same thing and as many elaboration on a concept in order to fully appreciate the meaning behind the concept. Some of the articles in these categories on Wikipedia are worth praising.

However, today I came across an article on Open System and Closed System which covered the definition for different field of knowledge. I was really impressed by the opening lines. I reached this article while I was trying to search for Reinhart Koselleck, a theorist in History. But this article has studied the relevance of concept of open system and closed system for all the sciences. Before, I read further, as it is a practice with me, I tried to check the discussion and also the edit history. There was no discussion as such. However, in edit section, I found that it was a fresh article which was just started in the month of April 2009. The writer is one Nbaig. I tried to check the User link. I found that the same article appears there also. Similarly, in the Discussion section of the User, I found that he was well received by one Marcel Douwe Dekker but again below his invitation and welcome message the article again reappeared. It is surprising. Should the Wikipedia veteran Editors look into this incongruity!? It must be taking unnecessary space on their server. I have yet to read the whole article but this feature has diverted my attention.

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Open and closed systems in social science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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James Bowie -Featured Article

On October 19, 2009, the featured article on the Main page is James Bowie who was famous for his Knife fight in the history of United States of America. I am always interested in the articles related to American history because it form the part of my professional duty as a teacher. I found this article more significant because it had helped me to get an authentication and evidence for a statement which had been regularly made by the historians on American history. I had been reading about the westward movement of the Americans. I was not able to convince myself that how that had happened. There were only assertions that Americans kept moving towards west. But How? I have never found any convincing explanation. However, in this article, I have found a paragraph which gives historic account on how the senior Bowie kept moving after every five to eight years from one plantation to other plantation buying and selling and making profit every time. I now need a authentication of this information as there is no citation. I do not know whether those who have written it had the perception that they would be explaining and describing one of an important point in American history. I do not think so. I have made a note of this article and going to borrow the references about the practices adopted by people who were moving westward during the Antebellum Period of American history.

This article also shows the gap in writing of history. Herein, there is another case which demonstrates that the psychological profiling of the period and personality which is described is must for history writing. The Ranke  school of historians would be happy to find such articles wherein only the mater of fact content is given and the content as a whole conveys the meaning. However, it is not that simple. I had a question. I was not satisfied with the reading of American history wherein mere facts that Americans moved towards west was given and repeated again and again without elucidation. I wanted to read and learn about those forces and the processes that went along with them. The question was with me. If any other casual reader read this article, he may not able to appreciate the significance of the data provided in there. On the other hand, if the author of the article just hinted at the dimension which could also be derived from here, then it could have been a more fruitful exercise. Anyhow, I understand that my argument will be rejected as a matter of one's opinion.

If interested then read the whole article. There are interesting details especially about speculation and high level manipulation which is presently called the Business. Also read the discussion section. There is heading about the actual pronunciation of the word 'Bowie'. Anyhow, as the Mumbaiya Mafia world or Ram Gopal writers would say, Ganda Hai per Dhanda hai. It is dirty but it's a business.

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James Bowie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image Source: In the link given above

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Writing Style Make You Stay and Read

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The article is about Western Australia. I did not have any interest in the information but even then I stopped to read it. The thing which attracted me was single assertive sentences. Each sentence gives a fact. The paragraph are not big.

The way it was presented just made me to read. When I read the title further reading, it has an amusing entry. I quote it.

* (1830) Account of Peron's Peninsula, in Shark's Bay, Western Australia : with remarks on its capabilities and fitness to receive a small fishing settlement : compiled from various sources by a gentleman in the service of the Hon. East India Company. From the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science, Vol. II, 1830, pp. 249-257.

(available as a photocopy at

I hope the readers may identify the amusing feature of the reference. The person who started this article is an experienced person with four years standing on Wikipedia. S/He is probably a student or research scholar and definitely in field of academics. The person teases by calling his reference as a result of efforts by "a gentleman". Probably, the person has forgotten to record the name of the author as the source material has appeared in a journal.

Further, there is an innocent sincerity in revealing that the article is available in the library (Battye Library) in form of photocopy. So Sweet. I just remember that when Google tried to make available the books online under the heading Print Google (Now it is Book Google) there were flood of litigations and uproar of infringement of copyright. But I just ask all such people, that getting a photocopy and then referring the contents in ones own material is an offence. Is it? Should it be?  A book, sitting like Daffodils in virgin forest, untouched by any reader, if gets attention because some research scholar ventured to pick it, becomes an act of crime. Was that book laying eggs for you? (If you do not understand the preceding line then in Hindi and Punjabi, it is quite a pugnacious taunt bordering limits of an offence!!!)

Just Check the following link to substantiate the comments above.

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Peron Peninsula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Texas A&M University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Today is September 30, 2009, the date of birth of Sharadha Ram Phillauri. Today, the featured article is TAMU or the Texas A&M University.

I am attracted towards Texas. I teach American History in an Indian College and therein I teach the Civil War and Reconstruction period. I am not satisfied with the material with which I teach the history of America. There are numerous questions and area of interest about which I remain attentive. Among such quests, I am interested in learning about the Texas. For me, it was the part of the American surge towards the south. It has a fascinating history atleast for me as how it was incorporated as the one of the states of America from being a Lone star state. My curiosity is also about the people behind the Declaration of Secession, as it was the second state to pass that resolution during Civil War. While reading the article I read the sections about its president L S Ross who is mentioned as one of the Confederate General.

Anyhow, it is quite a long article about the university at College Station in Brazos County Texas. The whole article is very nicely written as there are many aspects which are covered. No doubt, it has been rated as one of the best article written by Wikipedia community.

Comment: A Peculiar Feature: Edit War is quite Aggressive

However, in the discussion session, I find that there were no issues about this article debated on the discussion page. On the other hand on View History page, the whole page is having log of edits which has taken place today itself. It means that this article is under great pressure and there is ongoing war between the main editors and those who want to edit it. It is a peculiar feature of this article which I have not observed earlier.

Texas A&M University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Video Games Entries: Random

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Alternative Heading: Is Wikipedia a Magazine or a Marketing Agency 

One may come across many video games entries on Random Article. They are numerous. As I have commented earlier, probably in case of Noble M15 car, they seem to be a part of marketing strategy. They virtually reduce the level of Encyclopaedia. I know that there are arguments against my statement. Let me delve some more what I say.

Check any of such entries. It is about one product and that is a commercial product. Secondly, it discusses the contents of the Video Game and nothing of long lasting nature. Try to understand, that when next set of games come, the previous games go out of favour. It is a fad, a mania, a fashion, a curiosity and nothing else. Give any game to a child or a teenager. He may get hooked to it for some days. Then he will become bored and reluctant. He may seek some new games.

Secondly, it is a commercial product. It is just a  product on the market just like any other white goods. If it is there, then every white goods company should be allowed to tell about the features of their product and the exhibits they are showing elsewhere. Then it will not be an encyclopaedia. Then it will be Wikiadvertisement Agency.

On the other hand, there are some good points also. All the new games are coming with animation and they are gradually coming near to realism. Hence, it is a demonstration of development in the field of animation through computers.

Secondly, every video game discusses the System Requirement which specify the hardware needed to run the new graphics. It helps you to learn about the new changes in the field of hardware of computers. It helps to understand that if you are going for a new computer then what should you get assembled or buy for the present.

On the whole, you find numerous articles on Video games. Wikipedia becomes a magazine describing such products. Even in the external links, at the maximum, you may find the link to the official site of the game or the developer where in you are asked to pay for the product if you are interested. They are getting audience without spending money on advertisement and Wikipedia is asking for donation. Got the point.

It is not that I am totally against such articles. Even, in my field of study which is history, even the leading brains in our field have taken notice of the development in the field of animation in Video games. They are observing that how the story plots are being based on some historic stories and used in the Video games. They believe that it is promoting the sense of historicism. But, there is need to review the paradigm of articles which generally refers to a commercial product.

I am not promoting the link as giving below. It is just that I have been finding many articles on video games while using the Random click that finally I decided to comment on them. The link below is that article after which I made this comment.

Death to Spies: Moment of Truth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Dance and Dancers in Ancient Egypt - Flip to Selection

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Dances and Dancers in Ancient Egypt seems to have many 'firsts' to it.

It has a different formatting.

It is a long article but does not have a single interlink.

There are references but all of them are from online digital sources. There is a book in reference and even that has a link on books.google.com.

There is no discussion at present.

It is a recent article which started on July 17, 2009. It is a long article but very few edits. It is started by editor N.said which does not have given any biodata about himself.

The article has only one category and that is Ancient Egyptian Culture.

The opening paragraph is very nicely written and shows that it is original writing written by a person who has good understanding of the topic from historic perspective.However, the rest of the detail is not all that impressive. It lacks the quality because there are very less number of references and quotes. Secondly, interlinks are not there.

On the whole, I have found it a unique article.

This link is as follows:
Dance and Dancers in Ancient Egypt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Over enthusiast forgets the country

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While browsing the Wikipedia through Random Article route, you may come across such places and towns on the earth about which you could have never dreamt of or heard about. To your surprise, you may learn that such places are hidden heavens on the earth and probably they were kept hidden from you just for that reason.

Anyhow, there are many places mentioned on Wikipedia, about you may have no idea. One thing which sometimes struck you is the absence of any reference to the country within the article where they are located. I have made entries on such articles on one or two places. However, I have generally desisted from doing it for every such place as it can be wrong entry as I have already mentioned they are such places about which you learn for the first time. When you come to learn about them for the first time, I believe, the right approach should be to receive the information than to become critical.

Castletown entry was such an entry wherein I found that one should not show over enthusiasm in editing any or every article with your own established mind sets. However, when I visited the Casteltown page, I tried to explore the article in order to know the location of the place. There was a clue that it was on the Isle of Man. But, where is the Isle of Man? It was again a new information to me. There was an internal link. But I went for the next step which has become a practice with me. I opened up a search engine and sought for Castletown entry. Again, I did not find any satisfying result as five of the results out of 10 (I have intentionally kept my preference for only 10 results on one page.) were from Wikipedia group itself. I went for the third option as it was a geographical identity and the option was to explore the Google Earth. I soon landed on the town at 100 m eyelevel. I just got infatuated by the place. I actually landed at a football ground. It was quite clear as the glimpse was from 100m. Then I realised that it was on an island between UK and Ireland. Now, I went for the entry on the Isle of Man. Then and there I came to learn about the actual status of the Isle. Well, in this case, it was not desired to mention the country as such. This is how I felt after reading the contents of the place. There can be an objection to what I have just written above. I can understand.

The geographical coordinates are given. I can guess that if people from Wikipedia read this, they may counter me with such an argument. Well, that is right that giving coordinates of the place is more scientific way of telling the location of a place. Even then, I believe that it communicates to lesser people. If there is an entry that it is politically associated with UK then it may sound good. On the other, there are many places mentioned on the Wikipedia, wherein, the country of their location is not mentioned. You have to make extra efforts to locate the name of the country. They are sometimes mentioned in the categorization given at the end of the article or on the side bar.

On the whole, it was an experience to watch the place on Google Map. It has given me a desire and I wish that someday I may visit that place. But, alas, I do not have the passport. To get the paper work done in India is a big problem. For a person like me, I do not swallow it that I have to seek services of a government office and to give bride bribe to agents and a polcia or spata would visit me for verification and I have to persuade my neighbours to provide authentication for me by providing Photostat of their documents. Nilkani, When are you going to spend those 15 lakhs crore rupees on IUIDs?

Well, till then, Hail the Wikipedia and Google Map.

The Link to the Castletown entry on Wikipedia is given below.

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Castletown Link on Wikipedia:
Castletown - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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