Wikipedia:About - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wikipedia vs. paper encyclopedias
Main article: Wiki is not paper (on Wikimedia Meta-Wiki)
Wikipedia has advantages over traditional paper encyclopedias. Wikipedia has a very low "publishing" cost for adding or expanding entries and a low environmental impact, since it need never be printed. Also, Wikipedia has wikilinks instead of in-line explanations and it incorporates overview summaries (article introductions) with the extensive detail of a full article. Additionally, the editorial cycle is short.
A paper encyclopedia stays the same until the next edition, whereas writers update Wikipedia at every instant, around the clock, ensuring that it stays abreast of the most recent events and scholarship.
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Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia