# Wikipedia - Random Article. Has it led you down an interesting line of learning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 7, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144 "2008-06-07T17:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/1 "2008-06-07T17:27:15Z")
Or have you got into a subject by coming across it on wiki random? Here is the link [Revelation Nausea - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random) I got a little into learning the history of communism from it. On the whole a lot of the articles are obscure, but I’m hoping I’ll find some gems eventually. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/2 "2008-06-07T18:25:32Z")
I had never used that before, until you posted. I went through a few clicks, and just got to Religious reaction to the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill (Fiji). Fun! Susan ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/3 "2008-06-07T18:25:32Z")
I use it on occasion. I haven’t gotten any grand revelations from it, but I have learned a few interesting bits of trivia from it. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/4 "2008-06-07T18:27:38Z")
I do it ever now and then,was even gonn start a weekly random wiki thread here at the dope for kicks,never did though. ---
**Author:** ![Skylark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Skylark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skylark)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/5 "2008-06-08T05:44:44Z")
I can lose an afternoon to Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![IvanTheMute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c89c15/32.png) [@IvanTheMute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvanTheMute)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/6 "2008-06-08T21:34:49Z")
My god yes! When I’m sitting at work, bored (and no new threads on the SDMB catch my eye) I’ll click it once and follow internal links. Great way to learn some useless (and sometimes useful) trivia. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/7 "2008-06-08T22:54:08Z")
[And that’s all I have to say on that subject.](http://xkcd.com/214/) ---
**Author:** ![qubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f07891/32.png) [@qubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qubed)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/8 "2008-06-08T22:58:17Z")
I used to use it quite a bit a few years ago when I was bored. It did lead down interesting paths. Now that wikipedia has grown so big and so many of the articles are stubs and as you said obscure, i find the random article feature a lot less useful. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/9 "2008-06-09T15:09:33Z")
I only use the random function to play Wikington Crescent ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/10 "2008-06-09T15:19:23Z")
[QUOTE=Skylark] I can lose an afternoon to Wikipedia. [/QUOTE] Just an afternoon? I can lose a good week on there. I admire your restraint. Quitting heroin would be easier. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/11 "2008-06-10T00:52:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Wikipedia - Random Article. Has it led you down an interesting line of learning? Many, many times. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/12 "2008-06-10T01:10:44Z")
Get off my lawn, you damn kids! One of my favorite childhood distractions was browsing the World Book. I’d read something in one, get intrigued by something that I would have to look up in another volume, etc. One of the things I’ve lamented as a parent is that my son hasn’t been able to do that. He hasn’t expressed much interest in browsing our 11th edition Encyclopaedia Brittanica. 😛 I’ll have to show him the Wikipedia random link thing. I’m in favor of anything that promotes non-linear thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/13 "2008-06-10T01:47:08Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree] I’ll have to show him the Wikipedia random link thing. I’m in favor of anything that promotes non-linear thinking. [/QUOTE] Non linear thinking…huh…back in MY DAY they called it Short Attention Span. get off mah lawn! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/14 "2008-06-10T03:15:01Z")
Actually, the random link thingy does nothing for me. What I will do is open up a Wikipedia article on some subject that I have a mild interest in, then follow the interesting links to new and fascinating places. And lose hours that way… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/15 "2008-06-10T14:13:57Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] …What I will do is open up a Wikipedia article on some subject that I have a mild interest in, then follow the interesting links to new and fascinating places. And lose hours that way… [/QUOTE] Me too. And when I begin editing the articles for grammar, or adding some info that I think might be useful or interesting to others, watch out. The hours can fly by. ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wikipedia-random-article-has-it-led-you-down-an-interesting-line-of-learning/452144/16 "2008-06-10T14:59:45Z")
Wouldn’t you know it? I clicked on the link and got [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonsense). :dubious: