Comments on: Wikitravel to publish up-to-the-month print editions of its guides http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:52:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: joe http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128002 joe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128002 Their Chicago guide is 468 pages? That's not a travel guide, that's a travel <b>novel</b>. You'd spend the majority of your trip reading the beast. Their Chicago guide is 468 pages? That’s not a travel guide, that’s a travel novel. You’d spend the majority of your trip reading the beast.

]]> By: Fnarf http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128067 Fnarf Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128067 Typical Wikipedia dross. I used to support Wikipedia, when the chief charge against it was that it was "inaccurate" (it wasn't). But it has been completely infiltrated by the trivia experts now, and the know-it-alls, and the microscopic detail hounds, none of whom can write a simple declarative sentence to save their lives, to the point where most articles are no longer comprehensible to a general reader. When you can't look up any medical-related topic without encountering fifty pages of jargon copied out of a medical textbook; or a political article without having the most basic information obscured by mountains of trivia (did you know that the most important thing to know about Super Tuesday is that someone once called it "The Tuesday of Destiny"?) Travel articles are heading the same way. The amount of "information" is vanishingly small compared to the B.S., and the ratio is shrinking by the second. Typical Wikipedia dross. I used to support Wikipedia, when the chief charge against it was that it was “inaccurate” (it wasn’t). But it has been completely infiltrated by the trivia experts now, and the know-it-alls, and the microscopic detail hounds, none of whom can write a simple declarative sentence to save their lives, to the point where most articles are no longer comprehensible to a general reader.

When you can’t look up any medical-related topic without encountering fifty pages of jargon copied out of a medical textbook; or a political article without having the most basic information obscured by mountains of trivia (did you know that the most important thing to know about Super Tuesday is that someone once called it “The Tuesday of Destiny”?)

Travel articles are heading the same way. The amount of “information” is vanishingly small compared to the B.S., and the ratio is shrinking by the second.

]]> By: Takuan http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128074 Takuan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128074 then you have to develop a better filter then you have to develop a better filter

]]> By: peterfitzgerald http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-129114 peterfitzgerald Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-129114 Hello all! Just wanted to stop by to explain why the Chicago guide is so long--it covers the entire city. My co-editor & I got interested in this project in part because other commercial guides were so disappointingly shallow in their coverage outside the central business district. Anyway, let the guide speak for itself--all the content is available for free online, so check it out! -Peter Fitzgerald Hello all! Just wanted to stop by to explain why the Chicago guide is so long–it covers the entire city. My co-editor & I got interested in this project in part because other commercial guides were so disappointingly shallow in their coverage outside the central business district. Anyway, let the guide speak for itself–all the content is available for free online, so check it out!

-Peter Fitzgerald

]]> By: Kid http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128092 Kid Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128092 #3: Perhaps someone should invent a "Simple Wikipedia" then, I'm sure that the new word would not be [citation needed], but [simplification needed]. ;) (I guess there is already one.) #3: Perhaps someone should invent a “Simple Wikipedia” then, I’m sure that the new word would not be [citation needed], but [simplification needed]. ;) (I guess there is already one.)

]]> By: Danny O'Brien http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128105 Danny O'Brien Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128105 #3 -- It might not affect your conclusions, but you should know that Wikitravel isn't a Wikimedia (Wikipedia) project. #3 — It might not affect your conclusions, but you should know that Wikitravel isn’t a Wikimedia (Wikipedia) project.

]]> By: ratdreams http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128135 ratdreams Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128135 It's the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! it needs to be digital and wireless It’s the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy! it needs to be digital and wireless

]]> By: colin http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128238 colin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128238 Ratdreams hit the nail on the head. Why would you want to print this thing out, when you could access even more current info by logging into the site... This seems to be moving backwards. What we really need are better e-books. -- A "real book" publisher Ratdreams hit the nail on the head. Why would you want to print this thing out, when you could access even more current info by logging into the site… This seems to be moving backwards. What we really need are better e-books.
– A “real book” publisher

]]> By: Jeff http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-127992 Jeff Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-127992 It sounds like a good idea. At least for the people making the money, but also for very up-to-date travel data. It sounds like a good idea. At least for the people making the money, but also for very up-to-date travel data.

]]> By: jpatokal http://boingboing.net/2008/02/19/wikitravel-to-publis.html#comment-128250 jpatokal Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-128250 It <b>is</b> digital and wireless (well, depending on your Internet connection). Every word in the printed guide is available here: http://wikitravel.org/en/Chicago Wikitravel Press just provides the same info in a handy package for those moments on the road when Internet access is not possible or practical. It is digital and wireless (well, depending on your Internet connection). Every word in the printed guide is available here:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Chicago

Wikitravel Press just provides the same info in a handy package for those moments on the road when Internet access is not possible or practical.

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