Hah, Lex. I'm a flaming Liberal. I found what you just said very true, regardless of whether or not the site exists. Good fun.

I don't use it for actual research. Often times I'm not even allowed to use it. However, when writing a paper on something I'm not quite familiar with, wikipedia often gives good ideas, which then can be researched using actual peer-reviewed articles.

It's also a really good time waster.

i love wikipedia but I too wasnt allowed to use it in school alot of the time because my professors said it wasnt accurate. Recently i heard thats not true and it actually is accurate, anyone know the truth?

One can't answer the question as to how accurate Wikipedia is with a simple yes or no. What has emerged, I think, is that some printed encyclopedias aren't much more accurate - which could point to a more general problem with non-specialized encyclopedias. I know two people (former colleagues) who have contributed to conventional reference works. One was interesting and well aware of new ideas, the other could be relied on to repeat the conventional line on most areas of his subject.

With Wikipedia I now make a point of looking at the discusssion page of anything likely to be controversial. Some people use Wikipedia rather like Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park. Out come the soap-boxes, and there are the ignorant gleefully rubbing shoulders with experts.

I've encountered some horrendous examples of ignorance and/or 'soap-box oratory' in Wikipedia and have drawn attention to them in this thread. The most recent is the article on a supposed medieval Kingdom of Germany. If you do a Google search for "Kingdom Germany" the only direct hit is that article. The other hits (if that's the right word) are for things like '... United Kingdom, Germany'

Having said all that, I still find Wikipedia useful for many purposes and often use it, with a pinch of salt.

i use it for a basis or an idea about something but i have caught so many mistakes on it that i dont use it for anythign that i realy need information on.

I like to use Wiki for looking up various classical composers. They have a lot on the lives and childhood of the composers, which helps analyse the meaning behind the music.