PSINet

Article summary

PSINet, formerly Performance Systems International, was an American internet service provider based in Ashburn, Virginia. As one of the first commercial Internet service providers (ISPs), it was involved in the commercialization of the Internet until the company's bankruptcy in 2001 during the dot-com bubble and subsequent acquisition by Cogent Communications in 2002. It was founded on December 5, 1989, and began offering services, including limited for-profit access to the Internet, on January 1, 1990, becoming one of the first companies to sell Internet connectivity.

Key claims

1. date of foundation: 1989-12-05 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of foundation: 1989 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of foundation is "1989-12-05". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of foundation is "1989". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371722997