214: The Problem with Wikipedia - Revision history

OutOverThePa: Typo

2025-03-14T17:43:41Z

Typo

OutOverThePa: Forgot that the top half links to things. Fixed now.

2025-03-14T17:42:59Z

Forgot that the top half links to things. Fixed now.

OutOverThePa at 17:29, 14 March 2025

2025-03-14T17:29:06Z

OutOverThePa: It's been a decade, might as well update the paths

2025-03-14T17:28:28Z

It's been a decade, might as well update the paths

TheusafBOT: Reverted edit 338598 by 172.68.174.232 to 331799

2024-04-01T12:57:59Z

Reverted edit 338598 by 172.68.174.232 to 331799

172.68.174.232 at 12:57, 1 April 2024

2024-04-01T12:57:30Z

172.64.238.130: /* Explanation */ Learning isn't _really_ a waste of time

2024-01-01T22:35:15Z

‎Explanation: Learning isn't _really_ a waste of time

162.158.159.105: Undo revision 294127 by 162.158.22.13 (talk) Well, that didn't even work how you meant it to I think...

2022-09-04T20:09:27Z

Undo revision 294127 by 162.158.22.13 (talk) Well, that didn't even work how you meant it to I think...

162.158.22.13 at 20:03, 4 September 2022

2022-09-04T20:03:10Z

172.70.86.34: Undo revision 291650 by RonnyMerkleIsHere (talk) Never heard of him(/you?), and search gives deleted Wiki pages, so maybe a hoax persona. If true, try giving links that justify.

2022-08-02T02:20:39Z

Undo revision 291650 by RonnyMerkleIsHere (talk) Never heard of him(/you?), and search gives deleted Wiki pages, so maybe a hoax persona. If true, try giving links that justify.

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 |-
 |{{w|Taylor Hanson}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Oklahoma}} > {{w|List of people from Oklahoma}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Oklahoma}} > {{w|List of people from Oklahoma}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
 |-
 |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
 |}

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 |-
 |{{w|William Howard Taft}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|World War II}} > {{w|Harry S. Truman}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Asia}} > {{w|West Coast of the United States}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
 |-
 |{{w|24-hour analog dial}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|List of bridge failures}} > {{w|Robot}} > {{w|Clock}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Finland}} > {{w|Copper}} > {{w|Watch}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
 |-
 |{{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|United States}} > {{w|Human sexuality}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}} (page redirects to ''Lesbian erotica''.)
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Denmark}} >{{w|Pornography}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}} (page redirects to ''Lesbian erotica''.)
 |-
 |{{w|Fatal hilarity}} via {{w|Batman}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Paramount Pictures}} > {{w|Ben Affleck}} > {{w|Batman}} > {{w|Batman (1989 film)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the final page) > {{w|Fatal hilarity}} (page redirects to ''Death from laughter''.)
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Borneo}} > {{w|Bat}} > {{w|Batman}} > {{w|Batman (1989 film)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Fatal hilarity}} (page redirects to ''Death from laughter''.)
 |-
 |{{w|Taylor Hanson}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|National Film Registry}} > {{w|Airplane!}} > {{w|"Weird Al" Yankovic}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Oklahoma}} > {{w|List of people from Oklahoma}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
 |-
 |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Engineering}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (extra link needed) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (page redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'') > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
 |}

@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 |-
 |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Engineering)}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Engineering}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
 |}

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ;Table of paths
-Due to the ever changing nature of Wikipedia, the {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} entry on Wikipedia no longer links to [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Structural_collapse&redirect=no Structural collapse], requiring an intermediate step via {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}}, and since {{w|Structural collapse}} now redirects to {{w|Structural integrity and failure}}, most pages on Wikipedia that linked to Structural collapse have been changed to rename this link.
+The table below lists one possible option for the most efficient paths to each article, as found on March 14, 2025. ''Please note that these routes may be outdated or suboptimal in the future.''
 {| class="wikitable"
@@ Line 28: / Line 26: @@
 |-
 |{{w|William Howard Taft}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|George Washington Bridge}} > {{w|Washington Heights, Manhattan}} > {{w|George Washington}} > {{w|President of the United States}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|World War II}} > {{w|Harry S. Truman}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
 |-
 |{{w|24-hour analog dial}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Steel rope}} (now redirecting to ''Wire rope'') > {{w|Steel}} > {{w|Watch}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|List of bridge failures}} > {{w|Robot}} > {{w|Clock}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
 |-
 |{{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Fausto Veranzio}} > {{w|Zagreb}} > {{w|Animation}} > {{w|Anime}} > {{w|Hentai}} > {{w|Cartoon pornography}} > {{w|Pornography}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|United States}} > {{w|Human sexuality}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}} (page redirects to ''Lesbian erotica''.)
 |-
 |{{w|Fatal hilarity}} via {{w|Batman}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension Bridge}} > {{w|New York City}} > {{w|Washington Irving}} > {{w|Batman}} > {{w|Batman (1989 film)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the final page) > {{w|Fatal hilarity}} (this page now redirects to ''Death from laughter''. On the previous page the link to that page is called ''die laughing'')
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Paramount Pictures}} > {{w|Ben Affleck}} > {{w|Batman}} > {{w|Batman (1989 film)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the final page) > {{w|Fatal hilarity}} (page redirects to ''Death from laughter''.)
 |-
 |{{w|Taylor Hanson}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Burj Khalifa}} > {{w|Chicago}} > {{w|Baseball}} > {{w|Baseball rules}} > {{w|Hit by pitch}} > {{w|Homer Simpson}} > {{w|Namesake}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|National Film Registry}} > {{w|Airplane!}} > {{w|"Weird Al" Yankovic}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
 |-
 |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Engineering)}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
 |}

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==Explanation==
 This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many trivia-filled hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1501: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
@@ Line 20: / Line 28: @@
 |-
 |{{w|William Howard Taft}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|World War II}} > {{w|Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920)}} > {{w|Washington Heights, Manhattan}} > {{w|George Washington}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|George Washington Bridge}} > {{w|Washington Heights, Manhattan}} > {{w|George Washington}} > {{w|President of the United States}} > {{w|William Howard Taft}}
 |-
 |{{w|24-hour analog dial}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|United States}} > {{w|Coordinated Universal Time}} > {{w|Clock}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Steel rope}} (now redirecting to ''Wire rope'') > {{w|Steel}} > {{w|Watch}} > {{w|24-hour analog dial}}
 |-
 |{{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Paramount Pictures}} > {{w|X rating}} > {{w|Lesbian erotica}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Suspension bridge}} > {{w|Fausto Veranzio}} > {{w|Zagreb}} > {{w|Animation}} > {{w|Anime}} > {{w|Hentai}} > {{w|Cartoon pornography}} > {{w|Pornography}} > {{w|Lesbianism in erotica}}
 |-
 |{{w|Fatal hilarity}} via {{w|Batman}}
@@ Line 32: / Line 40: @@
 |-
 |{{w|Taylor Hanson}}
-|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Paramount Pictures}} > {{w|NickMusic}} > {{w|Total Request Live}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
+|{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Burj Khalifa}} > {{w|Chicago}} > {{w|Baseball}} > {{w|Baseball rules}} > {{w|Hit by pitch}} > {{w|Homer Simpson}} > {{w|Namesake}} > {{w|Taylor Hanson}}
 |-
 |{{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}} via {{w|T-Shirt}} and {{w|Cotton}}
 |{{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge}} > {{w|Tacoma Narrows Bridge (1940)}} (this extra link now needed to go to the next page) > {{w|Structural collapse}} (this page now redirects to ''Structural integrity and failure'' and is also called this on the previous page) > {{w|Maharashtra}} > {{w|Cotton}} > {{w|T-Shirt}} > {{w|Wet T-Shirt Contest}}
 |}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many wasted hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1501: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
+This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many trivia-filled hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1501: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
 One can also see this effect occur in other {{w|MediaWiki}}-powered wikis such as this very website, where one comic can lead to another of similar relation or category. In the [[#Table|table]] below, a possible route for each entry has been found.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{comic
-| number    = Companie érotique enfance nudities à Leverkusen en l'Allmagne
+| number    = 214
-| date      = January 24, 2023
+| date      = January 24, 2007
 | title     = The Problem with Wikipedia
 | image     = the_problem_with_wikipedia.png
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many wasted hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1998: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
+This {{w|Comics|comic}} {{w|Illustration|illustrates}} the {{w|Problem|"problems"}} of {{w|information explosion}} coupled with a {{w|Density|dense}} {{w|World_Wide_Web|web}} of {{w|hypertext}} {{w|Hyperlink|links}}. Through most of human history, written media has been both slow and linear. Hypertext allows a new type of information consumption, through small chunks of information linked together in a web of related concepts, and by being digital, each new chunk can be retrieved quickly and effortlessly. Wikipedia applies this principle very strongly, and because it covers so many topics, it is common for a reader to skim an article about a topic they need or want to know about, and end up following a series of links out of curiosity. Since each new page also has several links, the overall navigation pattern resembles a tree that branches out, "exploding" in size with each new level of link-clicking, thus resulting in many wasted hours (over three in this case) of reading stuff unrelated to the original goal, and lots of open browser tabs holding a wide variety of articles, which are seemingly unrelated, but have common "ancestors." (The problem, for [[Randall]], of wasting time on Wikipedia was later referenced in the title text of [[1501: Mysteries]], and the more general problem of getting trapped following a never-ending chain of interesting links was covered in [[609: Tab Explosion]].) The large diversity in end links may also be a reference to {{w|Wikipedia:Wiki Game|the Wikipedia game}}.
 One can also see this effect occur in other {{w|MediaWiki}}-powered wikis such as this very website, where one comic can lead to another of similar relation or category. In the [[#Table|table]] below, a possible route for each entry has been found.

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 :[This frame is followed by a chain of two others:]
 :Cotton; T-Shirt; Wet T-shirt contest
 {{comic discussion}}
 [[Category:Wikipedia]]
 [[Category:Flowcharts]]