[WikiEN-l] The vexed issue of sources

Fri Dec 8 22:34:26 UTC 2006

> For an edit to be verifiable it has to be verifiable by someone other
> than the person that made the edit. We're not talking about
> reliability of sources - it's obvious that a TV show is a perfectly
> reliable primary source - we're talking about whether someone else can
> come along and check that what the original editor said is true
> (assuming the source is right - a wikipedia article can never be more
> reliable than the sources it uses). It's not necessary that everyone
> be able to verify it, but a reasonable number of reasonably
> unconnected people should be able to, otherwise we're open to any
> number of hoaxes.

In fact, the policy is even stronger. [[Wikipedia:Verifiability]] says:

""Verifiable" in this context means that ***any reader*** should be
able to check that material added to Wikipedia has already been
published by a reliable source." (emphasis mine)

I'm not sure if I agree with that policy, but that's what the policy says.

"Any reader" cannot verify that Cmdr. Pickett gets eaten by a Florgbernian
Rumpox in Stargate episode 23 if said Stargate episode isn't publicly
available for viewing.