FIRSTWiki

[Max Lobovsky]

Originally Posted by KyleGilbert45

I would say you are incompetent for posting such a stupid child like reply.

ok, enough fighting kids, we are all just joking around.

seriously though, good idea. If anyone does start one, Use wikipedia's software, i think its the most excellent one available.

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by maxlobovsky

ok, enough fighting kids, we are all just joking around.

seriously though, good idea. If anyone does start one, Use wikipedia's software, i think its the most excellent one available.

I'll look into that, although I don't have any real secured webspace. Really, though, I think this is a great idea.

I was looking at the WikiPedia. Great idea...


But what would we use it for?

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

I was looking at the WikiPedia. Great idea...


But what would we use it for?

I'm envisioning something like ChiefDelphi's Whitepapers section meets a collaboration system, meets a comprehensive FIRST encyclopedia. Hey, this could even address recent talks of a code repository...

In short, we can use it for almost anything!

I think ChiefDelphi stands on its own. It seems enough for our current needs.

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

I think ChiefDelphi stands on its own. It seems enough for our current needs.

I don't mean to imply that we need to compete with CD!

CD is geared towards discussion, and aims to be more a communication's medium more then anything. This would be more for the exchange of technical musings, and also as a "encyclopedia". Think FIRST History, Newbie's Intro to FIRST, etc.

Just one caution:

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but if there is a FIRST Wiki, only registered users should be able to contribute. I was looking through the Wikipedia logs and there are so many bad users that randomly vandalize/delete pages. If the ChiefDelphi user database could somehow be incorporated into it, that would be great.

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

Just one caution:

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but if there is a FIRST Wiki, only registered users should be able to contribute. I was looking through the Wikipedia logs and there are so many bad users that randomly vandalize/delete pages. If the ChiefDelphi user database could somehow be incorporated into it, that would be great.

The principle that anyone can edit is highly held in the wiki community...

Usually, any vandals are negated swiftly because people notice and revert thanks to wiki's versioning system. Wiki accounts are built in, but they really only exist for attribution. Besides, even if we could interface to CD's username system (which would be nigh-impossible) what would it accomplish? CD doesn't really have a bouncer at the door

[mtrawls]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

Just one caution:

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but if there is a FIRST Wiki, only registered users should be able to contribute. I was looking through the Wikipedia logs and there are so many bad users that randomly vandalize/delete pages.

I disagree. Completely. The reason that such projects as Wikipedia have been succesful is the lack of required registration. The aim is to lower the threshold requried to give information, not raise it. Someone can delete the *text* on a page ... but another person can restore it from the archives. And if a certain IP address presents a continuing problem, it can be banned from editing for a while. See here (though their servers seem to still be suffering from strain). The wiki concept succeeds because it is open ... close it, or at least make it less open and it will not flourish as easily.

Originally Posted by mtrawls

I disagree. Completely. The reason that such projects as Wikipedia have been succesful is the lack of required registration. The aim is to lower the threshold requried to give information, not raise it. Someone can delete the *text* on a page ... but another person can restore it from the archives. And if a certain IP address presents a continuing problem, it can be banned from editing for a while. See here (though their servers seem to still be suffering from strain). The wiki concept succeeds because it is open ... close it, or at least make it less open and it will not flourish as easily.

We all registered from ChiefDelphi, didn't we? So if we can somehow use our accounts from ChiefDelphi... what's wrong?

[Max Lobovsky]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

We all registered from ChiefDelphi, didn't we? So if we can somehow use our accounts from ChiefDelphi... what's wrong?

The only thing using a CD registered user provides is an email address to go along with the account. This does about as much good as an IP address, which can be logged and banned by Wikis, because both can be spoofed. I think the reason for not requiring registering is allowing anonymity. Wikis want contributers to contribute as freely as possible, even if that means contributing anonymously to avoid any sort of negative feelings or whatever might result from their post.

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by SilverStar

Just one caution:

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but if there is a FIRST Wiki, only registered users should be able to contribute. I was looking through the Wikipedia logs and there are so many bad users that randomly vandalize/delete pages. If the ChiefDelphi user database could somehow be incorporated into it, that would be great.

Possibly. Stuff like team pages, rule stuff, etc. should definately be limited edit. But things like 'How to get an EDU to talk to a Palm I through USB' should probably be public. Mixed permissions?

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Possibly. Stuff like team pages, rule stuff, etc. should definately be limited edit. But things like 'How to get an EDU to talk to a Palm I through USB' should probably be public. Mixed permissions?

Yeah, the MediaWiki engine allows for that, and it seems like common sense to me.

[phrontist]

Hmmmm... Well, I like wikipedia's software, but lets not rule out others. I'd prefer one of the following:

ModWiki - I use this for my personal wiki, and really like it. I don't like the way it handles uploads though! It works for me, but for a large public one we might run into issues.

Twiki - Has a cult following...

As max mentioned earlier, WikiPedia's software is nice, but I don't know much about it...

UPDATE:

After looking into Wikipedia's features list, I have mixed feelings. I'm not sure the complexity is warranted in this situation...

[Max Lobovsky]

Wether or not its the best choice, im gonna have a wikimedia setup on my webspace probably by the end of monday for FIRST purposes. I have been wanting to set one up and play around with it, so here is the perfect excuse to waste time. I'd be willing to run the official unofficial one, if people don't mind, but if thats the case, i, and hopefully other people, will have to really decide which software is the best.