Make a Wiki?

[Rob Timmerman]

Re: Make a Wiki?

Wikis are excellent tools for storing information, but they are not without their own problems. The biggest problems I have seen have been wikiwars (not really an issue with a small community of users), and poor structuring. It's the latter issue that is the biggest one IMO.



While I haven't played much with MediaWiki (which appears to be a flat-view wiki), threaded wikis such as Twiki can end up as a tangled mess if they aren't structured well *before* the bulk of the content is created. If MediaWiki suffers from this same problem, it may be best to have a moderator create the wiki pages, and only let users modify previously created pages.



Thoughts from those who have used MediaWiki? Requests for content?

 

[jeffsw6]

Re: Make a Wiki?

Rob, I agree with you that good structure is important to making it easy to find the things you're looking for in a niche Wiki. I do not think we have to worry about that just yet, because there is not very much content.



I imagine that structure will take care of itself as the amount of pages increases. If not, maybe you or others will volunteer to be moderators/editors of it, and make decisions about the structure and resolve any conflicts about article content.



For right now, I think it is more important that anyone be able to contribute to it with a low ''barrier to entry.''

 

[Stuart Høgg]

Re: Make a Wiki?

Requests for content?

I'd say that one of the primary purposes of the Wiki is to act as a repository for some of the commonly asked questions. For example, when the inevitable kick drum mic question comes up, the poster could be pointed to that part of the Wiki. The advantage of this over an older thread, is that the info can be laid out a bit more succinctly and added to over time. (E.g. when a groundbreaking new kick mic is released)



As well as having a ''search cop'' we could have a ''Wiki cop'' who directs new posters to the topics.



It might be possible to lift quality threads, edit them a bit (e.g. removing tangents from the conversation) and add them to the Wiki, in the same way that there used to be archives of chats on PSW. It could act as a useful showcase for people new to the forum - a bit of a shop window with some of the best content.

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Make a Wiki?

I forget the guys name now, but one enthusiastic LABee tried to do a professional sound wiki years ago. I wasted some time I will never get back writing some copy for it.



Being able to draw upon the community for content and editing, is useful but without a critical mass of interest it may meet a similar fate.



Since we are kind of starting from scratch again perhaps we need to make this driven by the actual need for the information in real time.



Over at the PSW I would regularly get people PM'img me with similar questions to what is asked on the forum. I would generally advise the PM'er to post the question publicly and I would answer, or not. That way the whole community could benefit from the answer(s).



Perhaps an interactive FAQ, where people can ask a FAQ, and the community responds. This would take about the same effort as responding to normal questions, but the FAQ could be self organizing, Where people would hopefully not ask the same questions twice. Related questions could be tacked onto the original FAQ item thread to keep the answers together.



I could imagine an ''Ask FAQ'' or ''Ask Wiki'' sub forum attached to each of the different primary forums.



Or not.



JR

 

[Jeff Hague]

Re: Make a Wiki?

Perhaps an interactive FAQ, where people can ask a FAQ, and the community responds. This would take about the same effort as responding to normal questions, but the FAQ could be self organizing, Where people would hopefully not ask the same questions twice. Related questions could be tacked onto the original FAQ item thread to keep the answers together.



I could imagine an ''Ask FAQ'' or ''Ask Wiki'' sub forum attached to each of the different primary forums.



Or not.



JR

Are you thinking of a software package that already is an interactive FAQ? Im not sure of any but am happy to look around. Being in Higher Ed Comp Sci and IT, I have a lot of contacts at places that may know of something.



As far as needing content, I agree 100%! If we cant put interesting and helpful stuff in there the WIKI will get dusty and grow cobwebs... Perhaps we could start a thread of articles we would like to see posted so folks would have a starting point. I find the hardest part of writing is choosing a topic. Instead of creating a topic simply called microphones, maybe we could go ahead and add empty subtopics like pickup patterns and hopefully someone will be compelled to add some content?

 

[John Roberts]

Re: Make a Wiki?

No I am not thinking of some canned solution... Just a forum architecture to organize questions and answers together into threads with say a small handful of sub fora to organize beginner type questions separately from serious pro level stuff. FAQ for installers is likely to involve different questions, than varsity or Jr forums.



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While there is surely enough talent here to write a lot of articles, it isn't going to happen just because the community would like it to (IMO).



A question and answer format, is already the natural ebb and flow of how people who know the answers generally share them with web communities gratis.



I only suggest organizing these questions into specific sub forums so they can grow to some day be fully fleshed out FAQ full of answers,,, but to start will be more open questions than answers.



The organization is to reduce the irritating repeated questions..since one would hopefully search the FAQ sub forum before posting a new question there.



In my judgement the problem with some grander plan, is getting enough people willing to do all the work involved. While answering individual questions is less painful, and can include links to more detailed articles.



or not... Build a wiki if you want. I just offer that it has been tried before in this same general community and didn't reach critical mass last time.



JR