It's been quite a week to be a Wikipedia critic.

The Wikicritic market, previously one of a few concerned voices drowned out by the tidal din of Wiki-love-chants, is now itself flooded with me-toos. I can't go anywhere without hearing about this "controversy" that is bouncing around places that normally give Wikipedia nothing but a big hug and a pat on the ass.

In case you've been missing out on it, the short form is this: a popular editor of Wikipedia was hired by the Wikia company and in doing so revealed that he wasn't a guy with some college degrees but in fact was a 24-year old kid from Kentucky. This made a lot of people unhappy, and in the ensuing discussions, Jimbo Wales and strongly alleganced Wikipedians have tried to downplay it, mostly because that position's always worked before. It's not working as well this time.

That's the short form, which is not all that accurate. Here's some elaboration.

Jason is one of those critics that sort of reminds me of Rush Limbaugh. I agree with some of what he says, I disagree with some of what he says, but no matter what he says, I usually come away doing two things: I'm laughing, and I'm thinking. Both are good. ;)

Or in other words, keep the salt shaker handy, but his comments are worth a look.

Elonka :)

Jason Scott comments on the Wikipedia/Essjay scandal