Main Page

Zobacz też:

Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. 2,471,360 articles in English

Arts Biography Geography

History Mathematics Science

Society Technology All portals

Overview · Editing · Questions · Help

Contents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z index

Today's featured article William Gibson (born 1948) is an American-Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the cyberpunk subgenre of science fiction. In 1982, Gibson coined the term "cyberspace" and popularized the concept in his debut novel, Neuromancer. Gibson is best known for depicting a visualised, worldwide communications network before it became ubiquitous in the 1990s, and he is credited with anticipating and establishing the conceptual foundations of the Internet and the World Wide Web in particular. Gibson's early works are bleak, noir near-future stories about the effect of cybernetics and computer networks on humans – "lowlife meets high tech". Gibson is one of the most highly acclaimed North American science fiction writers, feted by The Guardian in 1999 as "probably the most important novelist of the past two decades". To date, Gibson has written more than twenty short stories, nine critically acclaimed novels (one in collaboration), a nonfiction artist's book, and has contributed articles to several major publications and collaborated extensively with performance artists, filmmakers and musicians. His thought has been cited as an influence on science fiction authors, academia, cyberculture, and technology. (more...) Recently featured: Exmoor – SS Christopher Columbus – The Power of Nightmares Archive – By email – More featured articles... Did you know... From Wikipedia's newest articles: ... that there are approximately 2,000 species of mantis (example pictured)? ... that a grand jury found Arizona Territory's "Thieving Thirteenth" legislature exceeded a US$4,000 legal limitation for operating expenses by US$46,744.50? ... that Reinhard von Werneck gave Munich's Englischer Garten much of its current form by almost doubling its area and by creating a new lake, the Kleinhesseloher See? ... that the world's first successful demonstration of laser surgery was held at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital in Melrose, Massachusetts? ... that when playing at the 2008 NME Awards in support of their triple-nominated single "Flux", indie rock band Bloc Party were stunned by the scale of the gig? ... that 30-year Seattle City Council member David Levine served as Seattle's acting mayor on over 250 occasions? ... that diaphragmatic rupture can allow abdominal organs to herniate into the chest cavity and interfere with breathing? ... that the Houston lobbyist Stephen Payne was caught on hidden camera in July 2008 offering access to senior U.S. officials in return for a US$250,000 donation to the George W. Bush Presidential Library? Archive – Start a new article...

In the news The International Olympic Committee bans Iraq's team from competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics because of interference by the government in the national-level committee. Cape Verde joins the World Trade Organization, becoming its 153rd member. India's United Progressive Alliance-led government (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pictured) survives a confidence vote, held after the Left Front withdraws its support over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The first trial of a Guantanamo Bay detention camp inmate begins with Salim Hamdan, the former driver and bodyguard of Osama bin Laden, pleading not guilty to charges of conspiracy and supporting terrorism. Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić is arrested by security forces in Serbia on war crimes charges, including genocide, after a 12-year manhunt. Hurricane Dolly, currently near the United States–Mexico border, kills at least 17 in Guatemala. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events... On this day... July 25: Commonwealth Constitution Day in Puerto Rico; Galicia Day in Galicia, Spain 306 – Constantine I (statue pictured) was proclaimed Roman Emperor by his troops after the death of Constantius Chlorus. 1536 – Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar founded Santiago de Cali in present-day western Colombia while on his search for the mythical city of El Dorado. 1792 – French Revolutionary Wars: Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick issued the Brunswick Manifesto to the population of Paris, promising vengeance if King Louis XVI and other members of the French Royal Family were harmed. 1978 – Two Puerto Rican pro-independence activists were killed by police at Cerro Maravilla in Villalba, Puerto Rico, sparking a series of political controversies where the police officers were eventually convicted of murder and several high-ranking local government officials were accused of covering up the incident. 2000 – Air France Concorde Flight 4590, en route from Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, crashed in Gonesse, France. More events: July 24 – July 25 – July 26 Archive – By email – More anniversaries... It is now 01:15, July 25, 2008 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture Two Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) chicks, one day after fledging. The Welcome Swallow is a small passerine bird in the swallow family native to Australia and nearby islands, but not until recently to New Zealand. It is very similar to the Pacific Swallow. Photo credit: Benjamint444 Recently featured: U.S. Navy recruitment poster for women – J'accuse – Spinning wheel Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

• Help desk — Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
• Reference desk — Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
• Village pump — For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.
• Community portal — Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
• Site news — Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
• Local embassy — For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.

Wikipedia's sister projects

Wikipedia is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization that also hosts a range of other projects:

	Commons Free media repository		Wikinews Free-content news		Wiktionary Dictionary and thesaurus
	Wikiquote Collection of quotations		Wikibooks Free textbooks and manuals		Wikisource Free-content library
	Wikispecies Directory of species		Wikiversity Free learning materials and activities		Meta-Wiki Wikimedia project coordination

Wikipedia languages