DIY Project Wiki: If we build it, will you come? March 5, 2014 13:59 14 Comments
For a while now, we've been struggling to keep the DIY Project Directory accurate and up to date. As we've become busier and busier with our own projects the DIY community has become more and more prolific. Our "to do" list of projects to document has become embarrassingly long, and an increasing amount of entries feature dead links or old information. With that in mind, we're strongly considering converting the Directory into a wiki. The DIYRE Wiki would be like any other: anyone could create an account and start adding or editing content, all of the content would available under a Creative Commons License, and the community as a whole (ourselves included) would be responsible for keeping it healthy and accurate. So, here are my questions for you, dear DIYer:
- Could you see yourself contributing to the wiki?
- Do you see any potential problems with turning the Directory into a wiki?
- Would making a community-based wiki dilute, or otherwise harm, the excellent community that is the GroupDIY forum?
- Do you have any recommendations for self-hosted wiki scripts? We're currently looking at a WordPress plugin called WordPress Wiki.
Comments
Joshua Unitt on November 12, 2014 18:05
Liking this idea! Especially with how dynamic and volatile the projects can be. Prices change, part numbers change, websites change, mods/revisions are made, etc. I also think the folks who follow this pursuit tend to have a lot of integrity and interest in the betterment of the DIY community at large, which definitely would help offset some of the negative possibilities involved in a public wiki.
A to the D on November 12, 2014 18:05
it sounds very reasonable
Cédric on November 12, 2014 18:05
What Joshua said !
Simon Söderberg on November 12, 2014 18:05
Sounds like a supurb idea! Compared to the present system I see no drawbacks whatsoever.
TiBounise on November 12, 2014 18:05
I think MediaWiki is one of the best Wiki solutions (it is used by Wikipedia). It is powerfull, and flexible.
Peterson Goodwyn on November 12, 2014 18:05
Thanks for your feedback, Josh, glad you think it’s a good idea! Perhaps we’ve found our first moderator? :)
Peterson Goodwyn on November 12, 2014 18:05
Great, thanks for the tip. This looks like a much more robust solution than the WordPress plugin.
Dd rivers on November 12, 2014 18:05
Wikis can be great but they come with security risks. The home recording show’s website was repeatedly crased by their wiki.
Peterson Goodwyn on November 12, 2014 18:05
Interesting. This and user spam were the main reasons I shut down the Q&A Board here last month. I will talk to Jon and Ryan to see what their experience was with MediaWiki.
Daniel on November 12, 2014 18:05
Being fairly new to the DIYRE I could see this being very helpful and hope that I could learn a lot more this way. But there is a fear in me of inaccurate information being posted. So I hope that those who do truly know the information will post and read each others post to maintain accuracy.
Joshua Unitt on November 12, 2014 18:05
Haha xD
Damian Panitz on November 12, 2014 18:05
Sounds like a good plan. If it makes it easier for you and the community then lets do it :D
Nicholas Martins on November 12, 2014 18:05
Yeah, I love the idea, I would be willing to contribute with any code for HTML5, javascript to aggregate features like audio, an interpreter and perhaps 3D modeling to enrich community collaboration in projects
Peterson Goodwyn on November 12, 2014 18:05
Whoah, man! That’s awesome, thank you for your offer of help. We are hoping to migrate the directory to a wiki sometime early next year, after we have completed the rack version of Colour. I will be in touch then!
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