I feel that wikipedia is an excellent resource and should not be compromised. Because of the open nature of it though, sometimes inaccurate information can seep in and pollute the otherwise accurate articles. It is up to the users to maintain the integrity and quality of this site, and to recognize and act on any inapporpriate or inaccurate data found here.
That said, this is an encyclopedia, and like most encyclopedias, should not ever be used for any serious research or fact checking. It is, however, a very appropriate jumping-off point for research, especially in incredibly unfamiliar waters.