Wikis The Wild, Wild World of the Wiki Web 2.0: Why it matters and what you need to know a practical guide ALPSP Training Course London, April 2008

What is a Wiki?

“… software that allows users to collaboratively create, edit, link , and organize the content of a website, usually for reference material.” - Wikipedia “ the simplest online database that could possibly work ” -- Ward Cunningham, What Is Wiki

The Essence of Wiki Software

Edit This Page … Edit Any Page

… Edit Any Page

Creating New Content Blog Post Document But a Wiki is about Pages

Blog Post

Document

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name Read more about Social Bookmarking

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Read more about Social Bookmarking

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name Read more about Social Bookmarking

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Read more about Social Bookmarking

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name Read more about Social Bookmarking

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Read more about Social Bookmarking

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name Read more about Social Bookmarking ?

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Read more about Social Bookmarking ?

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name Read more about Social Bookmarking

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Read more about Social Bookmarking

Creating New Pages Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist Click on the link to Edit the Page The link text becomes the page name

Link to Content That Doesn’t Exist

Click on the link to Edit the Page

The link text becomes the page name

Wiki Text

Wiki Text One of the original intentions of the [Wiki] environment was to make it really simple to both edit ’’and’’ style text. This includes * lists * paragraphs * links and other basic text formatting Typically there are two types of list: # bulleted, and # numbered

One of the original intentions of the [Wiki]

environment was to make it really simple to both

edit ’’and’’ style text.

This includes

* lists

* paragraphs

* links and other basic text formatting

Typically there are two types of list:

# bulleted, and

# numbered

Wiki Text One of the original intentions of the Wiki environment was to make it really simple to both edit and style text. This includes lists paragraphs links and other basic text formatting Typically there are two types of list: bulleted, and numbered

One of the original intentions of the Wiki environment was to make it really simple to both edit and style text.

This includes

lists

paragraphs

links and other basic text formatting

Typically there are two types of list:

bulleted, and

numbered

Wiki Text Wiki Text was intended to avoid people having to learn HTML markup Generally works well, very easy to pick up BUT… There is no standard text formatting, which can be frustrating! The majority of wikis only use text formatting Increasingly many also offer a WYSIWYG editor

Wiki Text was intended to avoid people having to learn HTML markup

Generally works well, very easy to pick up

BUT…

There is no standard text formatting, which can be frustrating!

The majority of wikis only use text formatting

Increasingly many also offer a WYSIWYG editor

Wiki Text

Wiki Text

Other Wiki Features

Other Wiki Features Page History Compare and view previous versions of a page “Recent Changes” View recently edited pages View recent visitors Pages That Link Here View other pages that link to the one you’re reading Categories Assign pages to categories to better organize them

Page History

Compare and view previous versions of a page

“Recent Changes”

View recently edited pages

View recent visitors

Pages That Link Here

View other pages that link to the one you’re reading

Categories

Assign pages to categories to better organize them

The Evolution of the Wiki

C2 Wiki The First!

The First!

Wikipedia Most Popular Largest Wiki

Most Popular

Largest Wiki

Citizendium Addresses Issues of Anonymity

Addresses Issues of Anonymity

Freebase Structured Data Entry

Structured Data Entry

Creating a Successful Wiki

Creating a Successful Wiki Choose the Environment

Creating a Successful Wiki Build Your Community

Creating a Successful Wiki Seed the Wiki with Content and Structure

Creating a Successful Wiki Stay Relevant

Creating a Successful Wiki Encourage Good Wiki Etiquette

Creating a Successful Wiki Practice Wiki Gardening

Creating a Successful Wiki Avoid a Wiki Explosion

Creating a Successful Wiki Choosing the Environment Building Your Community Seeding the Wiki with Content and Structure Stay Relevant Encourage Good Wiki Etiquette Wiki Gardening Avoid a Wiki Explosion

Choosing the Environment

Building Your Community

Seeding the Wiki with Content and Structure

Stay Relevant

Encourage Good Wiki Etiquette

Wiki Gardening

Avoid a Wiki Explosion

Questions?