stable?

For a quick run down on a topic just to get the gist, I think Wikipedia is PERFECT. If I'm writing a research paper I might start at Wikipedia to get an idea of the topic and possible sub topics within that, but I never quote any information because it's not scholarly writing and the fact that any one can edit it deters me from doing so. However, some topics have some really good creditable links in their sources section on the bottom of the page (newpapers, books, etc). For me at least, Wikipedia is the best stepping stone to learn about any topic.

It is a good source but I would not say it was stable or reliable. Anyone can go online and change information about a subject. I prefer to use other online encyclopedias like Brittanica which are far more reliable and stable.

I like wikipedia as you said users can modify the info but it is also open to criticism and easy to search so it is one of my favorite sites