Whether you love Wikipedia or hate it, if you have strong opinions about just about anything you are very likely going to want to go over there at some point and give them a piece of your mind. If you don’t prepare beforehand, you’re very likely going to be ignored or called names. Here’s how to avoid that fate.
1. Register for an editor’s account.
2. Pick two or three topics you’re interested in that are a bit off the beaten path and tend not to be controversial.
3. Create some solid, boring edits in your non-controversial topics, at least 10 edits if you’re not running an anonymizer or 100 edits if you’re coming in through an anonymizer like TOR.
4. Put up a basic description of yourself on your user page that’s noncontroversial.
Once you’ve done these things and your account has a bit of longevity to it you’ve passed the participation hurdle of Wikipedia and you’ve paid your dues. The classic Wikipedia excuses that are used to not listen to new users don’t quite apply to you. If a page is semi-protected, you can still participate in the discussion and any voting.
You also might consider continuing the non-controversial edits, just for fun. Outside hot button topics such as politics and furry webcomics (really, don’t ask), Wikipedia actually does very good, neutral work on a whole host of topics. If more people were involved, especially in underrepresented groups like conservatives, it would be a better tool for everybody.
I find wiki very useful on NONCONTROVERSIAL topics-it is a convenient place to start,at the least.If you want Ohm’s Law or what voltage Italian State Railways uses, it is perfect. On emotionally charged subjects-caveat lector.Leftists are losers-that is often why they are leftists, to begin with.Unlike ordinary human beings who have their own affairs to care for, these people having little business of their own, have abundent time on their hands to think about how other people should live their lives. What better way to be important than to take over Wiki on controversial subjects?
Public awareness is the first step.Thanks for the posting.
Good advice! Thanks!