Wikisource talk:Project disclaimers/1911 Encyclopædia Britannica

It seems wrong to say not to use it for serious research. It is an excellent source on the subject of what people knew in 1911, and is a perfectly good source for "serious research" on this topic. Perhaps this could be rephrased. John Kenney 21:27, 11 June 2007 (UTC)

The disclaimer is a good idea, but perhaps some positive aspects can also be noted. It is probably riskier to use EB1911 rather than the current edition in isolation on many topics. But in biography there is coverage on people in EB1911 where the current edition has very little, and sometimes the coverage is rather different. For example, Franz Sigel is completely missing now, and for Sarah Bernhardt, EB1911 notes her productions of Hamlet (in the starring role) and various sculpture and painting projects. Both notable pieces of information which I did not see in the current edition. Having seen her work at the MFA Boston, I would say her sculpture is worth noting. So it could be useful there, and perhaps we could add a caveat to the current edition to say "check back on the old entry" -- which activity this project will facilitate. As goes for biography, goes for other topics, for example the topic "Lowell Institute" has disappeared in the current edition. And as the EB1911 writers sometimes refer back to earlier articles as still well worth reading as intelligent pieces of writing, criticism and/or analysis, certainly I imagine the same can be said for some of the EB1911 articles. Biases now are different in many areas, and getting the information from a different point of view, through a different filter, from a source closer to the actual event, can be enlightening. But really someone must be or should be doing a more comprehensive examination of how the two editions compare. Bob Burkhardt 17 September and 21 October 2008

Omissions
I can't find an entry for Louis Braille, inventor of the writing system for the blind, born 1809. Bob Burkhardt (talk) 15:09, 16 January 2009 (UTC)

And where is William Pitt the Elder (1708-1788)? I will start a missing persons section in the discussion for the main project page. Bob Burkhardt (talk) 14:59, 3 February 2009 (UTC)