Why the world needs WikiLeaks

Here is a video of Julian Assange, editor in chief of WikiLeaks, talking about why is WikiLeaks important to the world. As WikiLeaks has become so popular, loved by ones and hated by others.

Important Wikis now

People nowadays use Wikis for most of their works and to inform themselves, most of the people use http://www.wikipedia.org/ as an easy way to search information , but now a new Wiki has born, wiht many controversial articles that had shown and  published many secret articles from the goverments, politicians, etc, that has have a very big impact in the world: http://www.wikileaks.org/.

What are the downsides?

Because users can modify the content of a wiki (add to, edit, Delete materials), allowing such manipulation of the site’s information carries some risks. Thus, wikis are often monitored to ensure that inappropriate language, spam, and incorrect or inappropriate content are not allowed. This can be both time-consuming and personnel intensive. As a result, many wikis require authorization so only group members can modify content.

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Why is a wiki significant?

Wikis offer a powerful yet flexible collaborative communication tool for developing content-specific Web sites. Because wikis grow and evolve as a direct result of people adding material to the site, they can address a variety of pedagogical needs—student involvement, group activities, and so on. Since wikis reside on the Internet, students can access and participate from any location, provided they have Internet access. From an instructional technology perspective, wikis allow faculty and students to engage in collaborative activities that might not be possible in a classroom. Their flexibility will encourage broader adoption—by both students and faculty.



http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

Where do wikis come from?

The first wiki appeared in the 1990´s. Scientists and engineers used them to create dynamic knowledge bases. Wiki content --contributed "on the fly" by subject-matter specialist--could be immediately (and widely) viewed and commented on. Adapted as an instructional technology in the past few years, wikis are being used for a wilde variety of collaborative activities. In addition to compiling on formation, faculty and staff in higher education use wikis as repositories for meeting notes. Agenda items are contributed prior to meeting are saved in a public archive. The ability to export notes  to Microsoft Word makes reporting easy and adds versatility to the meeting of wiki. Some institutions are experimenting with wikis as e-portfolios. Artifacts within a wiki-folio are easily shared when the wiki is used as presentation tool.

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7004.pdf

WHAT IS A WIKI?

A WIKI is website that allows the creation of an informative web page, were multiple people add and edit the content with a web browser, to create collaborative blogs, what means that any person that reads it can change its content if they desire, but it can also be used for personal note taking.