User:Stewartadcock/notes

An introduction to the wonderful world of WikiWikiWebs and one research group's experiences

Or, a short Wiki case-study

See also: An associated article

Wiki - a powerful, community-based, collaborative editing environment

• enables documents to be authored collectively using a web browser
• e.g. Wikipedia

• the world's largest encyclopedia.
• Alexa traffic data for Wikipedia

• Freely editable.

• e.g. Tessella (company)

• Auditable history

• e.g. Page history

The McCammon group had an internal website

• awkward to maintain content.

• Hand-crafted HTML.
• Non-standard Apache configuration.
• "Secret" passwords.

• progressively more out-dated content.

The "McWiki"

• Implemented using Zwiki.
• 

Many lessons

• Good...

• Easily maintained contact information
• Constantly maintained HOWTO and FAQ documents.
• A collaborative forum.
• Interactive documents.
• Auditable history.

• ...and bad (but not so many!)

• slight learning curve (more behavioural than technical)
• no formal editorial or peer-review process
• poor medium for discussions and debates
• addictive!