Wikis and Podcasts

     Two terms that I had heard, but never thought about.  To me, wikis have included Wikipedia and Wikipedia alone.  It was for finding a basis at what you were looking for and finding references.  Lately, I have looked at other wikis and thought of them as just a part of Wikipedia.  I have been wrong. 
     First off, wikis are online databases with info edited by users or members, depending on the wiki.  Wikipedia is written by anyone, so its credibility is rather low (despite the fact that factual information is often correct.)  I find it's great for getting a good idea of what you're looking at.  While that sharing of information is great, it opens up for abuse, such as deliberately providing false or slanderous information. 
    Second, Wikipedia is simply a very large wiki, and one of the first.  However, companies are starting to use it as a way of sharing information with each other, and with clients.  They also use them for idea generating and editing ideas or projects.  Also, gaming wikis are becoming popular, allowing easy access to any information that can be found about a particular game, including information given out only in published resources. 
     Podcasts are something else entirely to me.  I had no interest in them, and thought of them as a way for silly people to talk about how drunk they got last night, or to show off what stupid thing they did the night before.  I am embarrassed to say how wrong I am.
    Podcasts are now an important part of businesses and design as they reach a broad audience.  Teachers can use it to share lecturers, which is especially handy for anyone who has to miss a day.  They promote products, and a single podcast can reach more people than can fit into the average lecture hall.  Literally, you can have a million people learn about something you have posted.  That kind of reach was impossible to achieve before as cheaply and effectively as a podcast can now. 
    To think such simple concepts were beyond my understanding a few minutes ago.