Wikipedia
Overview
Wikipedia is a free, multilingual, web-based encyclopedia created and maintained by a community of volunteer editors. It is the largest and most popular general reference work on the Internet, and is one of the most popular websites globally by traffic. Wikipedia is owned by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation.
History
Wikipedia was launched on January 15, 2001, by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. The name "Wikipedia" is a portmanteau of the words wiki (a type of collaborative website, from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning "quick") and encyclopedia. Sanger coined its name, as a blend of wiki and encyclopedia. Initially an English-language encyclopedia, versions in other languages were quickly developed.
Content
Wikipedia's content consists of millions of articles written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. All of these articles are freely available and freely editable by anyone with internet access. The content of Wikipedia covers a wide range of topics, from history and culture to science and technology.
Structure
Wikipedia is organized into articles, each of which has a separate page on the website. The articles are grouped into categories, and each article and category is interconnected through hyperlinks. This allows users to navigate from a general topic to more specific information.
Policies and guidelines
Wikipedia has a number of policies and guidelines that govern its content and behavior of its contributors. Some of the key policies include Neutral point of view, No original research, and Verifiability. These policies ensure that Wikipedia's content is reliable, unbiased, and verifiable.
Community
The Wikipedia community is made up of volunteers from around the world who write and edit Wikipedia's articles. These volunteers are coordinated through a system of policies, guidelines, and WikiProjects.
Impact
Wikipedia has had a significant impact on the dissemination of knowledge worldwide. It has become a primary source of information for many people, and has influenced the way information is presented and consumed on the internet.
Criticism and controversy
Despite its success, Wikipedia has faced criticism and controversy. Critics have raised concerns about its reliability, neutrality, and the lack of representation of certain groups in its content and among its editors.