Mithat Konar

2013-03-11

• wiki: “a Web application whose content is collaboratively added, updated, and organized by its users.” (Mitchell)
• Emphasis in a wiki is on:
  • Letting users create pages quickly.
  • Making it easy to link pages to each other.
• wiki engine: the program that runs a wiki.
• wiki markup language: simple text-based system for writing pages.

“Wikis can be dated to 1995, when American computer programmer Ward Cunningham created a new collaborative technology for organizing information on Web sites. Using a Hawaiian term meaning 'quick,' he called this new software WikiWikiWeb.” (Britannica)

• Easy writing
• Editing history
• Editing protection

• Central features of a wiki markup language:
  • simple text syntax for creating new pages
  • simple text syntax for creating crosslinks between internal pages
  • support for hyperlinks
• Each wiki engine tends to have its own markup language.
  • Creole is an attempt to create a standard markup language for wikis.

• Sometimes, a toolbar will be provided on the editing screen with icons to insert the most commonly used markup.
• Sometimes a wiki will supply a WYSIWYG interface for writing pages, similar to what you would find in a word processor.

• Many wiki engines maintain a history of your page editing.
  • Every change you make to a page is kept track of so you can compare the current version to an older one.
  • Especially important in an open wiki in case someone makes some really bad changes–on purpose or by accident.

• Wikis can be
  • open: anyone can view and edit pages
  • closed: anyone can view pages, you must have an account to edit pages
  • private: you must have an account to view and edit the wiki

• It is easy to create your own wiki.
• Two choices:
  • Use a hosted service.
  • Install a service yourself.

• There are a number of service providers that let you create a wiki on their servers (often at no cost).
• Pro:
  • They've done the hard work of setting up the service for you.
• Cons:
  • Typically will insert advertising into your pages to make money.
  • Many limit the number and/or size of pages in their free offerings.
  • May go out of business–and take your wiki with them!

• Popular hosted wiki services:
  • Wikia
  • wikihost.org
  • wiki spot
  • Wikispaces

• To install your own wiki service, you will need to have an account with a Web hosting service.
• Then you can usually install a wiki engine by uploading the needed files or sometimes just enabling an engine in the Web host's control panel.
• Pro
  • Your wiki will be free from advertising and won't have space and other limitations.
• Con
  • You may have to fix any problems that come up and make backups yourself.

• Popular and/or easy to install wiki engines include:
  • Dokuwiki
  • LionWiki
  • PmWiki
  • MediaWiki

Mitchell, Scott. “Easy Wiki Hosting, Scott Hanselman's blog, and Snagging Screens.” MSDN | Microsoft Development, Subscriptions, Resources, and More. Microsoft, Inc., 1 July 2008. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc700339.aspx>.

“Wiki: What Is Wiki.” Wiki: Welcome Visitors. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki>.

“wiki (Web site) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia.” Encyclopedia - Britannica Online Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1192819/wiki>.