Idea.

[DaveW]

I was having a look at all the great tutorials popping up all over the place on this site-great work to everyone who's contributed so far!

Anyway i was thinking about the idea of setting up a wiki for this website, as a sort of sister-site. That way, everyone can contribute what they know about. Anyone who's not used wikipedia should get their butt over there now, but if you still need it explained, a wiki works when everyone can contribute to one page. One guy will start it, another will finish it, and then everyone can add stuff in, or fix spelling, etc.

Anyway, i say this because one of the guys in my class set one up in about a week in his spare time, so it can't be that difficult methinks. Personally i havn't got the time at the moment to look into setting one up, as my exams are beginning to loom on the horizon, but i think this is a good idea that could really work, especially given the attitude of everyone on these boards. Although i personally havn't got a lot of time, as i said, if maybe 5 or 6 of us got together, we could set it up in no time.

I think there's a wiki-outline page or something on wikipedia, which the dude in my class used to set his up. Either that or he just ripped all their images to make his-a definate possibility.

Anyway, feedback, volunteers, ideas, please feel free-it would be a lot better, i think, than having everything floating around haphazardly in seperate threads all over the forums.

-Dave

[DaveW]

Aha! Have a look here. (http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/MediaWiki) Anyone fancy trying to set one of these up?

Or do you think it's a daft idea that will never take off?

-Dave

[Rankenphile]

No problem... I was just stumbling around and came across free personal wiki software... give me until Sunday and I'll get the details hammered out. I'll talk to Sky about getting it set up on this page, if we can't do that I'll use my own host.

[tybrenis]

I am currently working with a lot of the writers of these guides to set up a section on my web site where they can all be accessed. If you want a guide added, please contact me and I will be more than happy to edit, revise, and publish it!

[DaveW]

I know what you're trying to do tybrenis, and it's a good idea-plus it gives you some content for your site-but i think a specific wiki would be much more effective. I'm working today, and i'll be in Edinburgh tomorrow, i'll be building furniture, tutoring kids in computing, and taking driving lessons on monday-but currently tuesday's a free day for me, Rankenphile, i know that you're in the US so the timing is a little warped for us all here, but if i log onto MSN at around 8:00pm and stay online till 12ish, we could probably get this wiki idea sorted out. My e-mail address is mrniceguy_402@hotmail.com (fitting, eh?) and i'll invite anyone else who's interested to add me and log on on tuesday night as well. Might be able to log on for 5 mins before tuesday, but expect sporadic posts at best till then.

-Dave

[jdbnsn]

I think this is a great idea, there are tons of great tutorials and how-to's on this site but as Dave said, they are spread out and not always easy to find. Consolidating the walkthroughs would make info easier to find as well as sweep up clutter and streamline this site as well. I support the idea.

[tybrenis]

Yes, Dave, you are right. A wiki would be very effective, all I worry about is all of the incorrect, un edited tutorials on here. I am not saying they are all bad, for almost all of them are great. But I was looking through a few of which I have professional experience with, and many facts are wrong. Also, many tutorials are poorly written (ie. grammar and whatnot). If we could get some people to revise them and then wiki them, that would be great.

[Rankenphile]

I've talked with Sky and I've got the go-ahead to get the project started, I've already looked at a number of open-source wiki software packages out there. I'll get everything set up soon.

I can't get much more done today, for at least a few hours, as I've got to go to a memorial service - a good friend of mine was one of the victims in the mass shooting in Seattle last week, and his service is in an hour or so.

I'll post more news on the Wiki as it happens.