Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Wikipedia like psub building wiki

[Alex <spm2@nomad.ignorelist.com>]

Jon,

Yeah I see what you mean about the accuracy of the content. I guess a
publically editable wiki isn't something that can be relied upon for accuracy.

Wikipedia is a special case where there seems to be a large mysteriously funded
force that keeps it maintained, they way they want it. If you change something
on wikipedia, it seems to get changed back almost immediately. If psubs.org did
have a regular wiki, and there was an expert in each submarine building field
who verified each change to the wiki every day, I think that it would end up
being very accurate. But of course, that would mean having to pay people,
which can't really be done.

Alex


On 30-Oct-2009 Jon Wallace wrote:
> 
> Alex,
> 
> I also considered wiki's for PSUBS.ORG and have been playing with 
> numerous wiki's for some time since we need to get our FAQ page up to 
> date and more manageable.  The problem with open wiki's is:
> 
> 1) They are difficult to customize for a particular look and feel.
> 2) They require special notation for formatting, links, photos, etc.
> 3) There is no control of content, accuracy, or accountability.  Anyone 
> can write anything they want.
> 
> Originally designed for team collaboration on documentation editing, 
> it's purpose on the web has been essentially as an over-glorified 
> traditional FAQ.  The most effective FAQ for PSUBS is one that promotes 
> community participation.  Unfortunately, a large number of people will 
> not understand the special notation required for customizing a wiki 
> page.  While text can just be entered without special notation, so can a 
> traditional FAQ without the overhead or maintenance of a traditional wiki.
> 
> For a group like PSUBS.ORG, accuracy of content and restricting access 
> from trolls and troublemakers who might jeopardize content accuracy is 
> paramount. Unable to find wiki software that suited our special 
> requirements, I simply wrote my own.  I have not announced it yet 
> because I was waiting until I finished copying content from the existing 
> FAQ to the new WikiFAQ (which I think is exactly what I will call it).  
> However, you can view the limited existing content at 
> http://www.psubs.org/faq/.  I can even supply a separate SEARCH for the 
> FAQ's only.  I have not decided whether to keep the answer section in a 
> separate pane, or pop it out into it's own window.
> 
> I'm still willing to entertain a traditional wiki if the three issues 
> listed above can be handled.  It's not a problem for people who are use 
> to writing software code, but anyone who doesn't know how (or does not 
> want to know how) to write HTML pages is likely not going to be 
> interested in writing wiki pages either.
> 
> As always, we are open to further discussion and ideas on this issue.
> 
> Jon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alex wrote:
>> On the minisubs list someone suggested a sub building wiki. I thought this
>> was
>> a good idea. How does everyone here feel about this idea?
>>
>> I installed wikimedia here to see what it can do. It's just like wikipedia
>> except it doesn't have any pages yet. You can get on it here if you like:
>>
>> ** http://nomad.ignorelist.com/wiki/ **
>>
>> Feel free to go on it and experiment with any of the features there and
>> create
>> a page or something so you can get an idea as to whether it is the kind of
>> thing that could be made in to a useful psub resource. Remember anyone can
>> edit, and anyone can undo the changes and fix it back, just like wikipedia.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>>   
> 
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
Mailed with XFmail on 30-Oct-2009.
God saved Noah, but Noah had to build an ark!



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