I do not believe Wikipedia is the end of the Encyclopedia. Many do rely on wikipedia now a days more than the books in general. People don't even read as much as they used to because everything is made easier for them by being placing online for easy access. Wikipedia is a quick fix to find unreliable facts. People have become so dependent on wikipedia and for that reason have become lazy to do research for themselves. The encyclopedia goes much more into depth and in detail than Wikipedia whose information is editable by anyone who comes across it. While wikipedia is just a click away it is still quite limited. Many professors if any at that, do not allow wikipedia as a reliable source when doing research papers. That in it itself says a lot.
I too have gone to wikipedia for quick answers but understand it has it's limitations. The encycolpedia has it's strengths and weaknesses as well. By the time the latest encycolpedia comes out the information is already outdated. Still, it is down on paper and more reliable unlike wikipedia where it can be changed and revised day to day. When you go back to refer to your source online a different answer may appear. The encyclopedia can also be found online but some information is at a cost. They have access for those who prefer to use the web and those who prefer to have it the information in the palm of their hands.
In the end we have a choice. We can either choose to believe in those who place information on Wikipedia or believe in those who gather the facts and publish them in the encyclopedia. Either or we have to choose in what and who to believe in and make that our primary source.
http://www.britannica.com/
http://www.wikipedia.org/
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