As a computer type I have been doing the Internet since there were only 12 sites, WOW that was a long time ago. But the net started as a way for collaborative research to be done between scientists.
Now sites like FR are doing the research on just about everything. Not science, but research nonetheless. The promise of the original Internet is being fulfilled. It's a good thing, as MS would say. The funny part is the MSM is becoming just so much day old road kill. Bloggers are taking over as columnists. You read who you like, not who the MSM chooses to print. It's easy to distill real hard news from the trash you get in the wires.
When people collaborate on subjects you simply get the most reasoning power that can be brought to bear on a subject. A varied audience like FR is ideal because of the diversity of participants. There might just be some life left in the 'ole US Republic yet.