ClubSNAP Wiki?

[Ah Pao]

For those who do not know what a wiki is, a good example is Wikipedia. There is no single author, and people are free to add, edit or even remove most (if not all) articles there.

I'm suggesting ClubSNAP can add a wiki here so that all the CSers here can accumulate knowledge on photography - be it basic topics from the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, to advanced topics like Photoshop techniques. And because it's a wiki, all registered CSers will be able to contribute their efforts ("wikify their knowledge") if they want to.

One immediate advantage is that newbies can have a one-stop place to read up on photography, without having to do a forum search. This will cut down on the server load significantly. And because the information is editable, any errors can immediately be spotted and corrected by fellow CSers. Dynamic information such as prices and camera models, etc. can also be updated over time without the messy structure of threads and posts.

Obviously, all wikis are susceptible to vandalism, but by limiting wiki write access to registered CSers, there is a system of accountability and hence cut down abuse.

The forum is a very integral part of CS, and the suggested wiki will not be able to replace it. However, it seeks to complement and preserve the ideas and knowledge that sometimes go together with CSers when they move on with their lives.

 

[nyxx88]

To 'safe guard' against abuse, the wiki has audit trails so that people can see who the 'vandals' are. And also, additional eligibilities such as must be registered for 3 months and have at least 100 posts would also help guard against those who register a new nick to create mischief.

 

[buckwheat]

For those who do not know what a wiki is, a good example is Wikipedia. There is no single author, and people are free to add, edit or even remove most (if not all) articles there.

I'm suggesting ClubSNAP can add a wiki here so that all the CSers here can accumulate knowledge on photography - be it basic topics from the relationship between aperture and shutter speed, to advanced topics like Photoshop techniques. And because it's a wiki, all registered CSers will be able to contribute their efforts ("wikify their knowledge") if they want to.

One immediate advantage is that newbies can have a one-stop place to read up on photography, without having to do a forum search. This will cut down on the server load significantly. And because the information is editable, any errors can immediately be spotted and corrected by fellow CSers. Dynamic information such as prices and camera models, etc. can also be updated over time without the messy structure of threads and posts.

Obviously, all wikis are susceptible to vandalism, but by limiting wiki write access to registered CSers, there is a system of accountability and hence cut down abuse.

The forum is a very integral part of CS, and the suggested wiki will not be able to replace it. However, it seeks to complement and preserve the ideas and knowledge that sometimes go together with CSers when they move on with their lives.

This is a great idea. Not only could it reduce the number of repititous questions being asked but it may even reduce the load on the main forum search function...

 

[acroamatic]

Not to be a wet blanket but there will still be people who are lazy to read the wiki and will post here asking questions which have been asked ad nauseum.

 

[Ah Pao]

Not to be a wet blanket but there will still be people who are lazy to read the wiki and will post here asking questions which have been asked ad nauseum.

Point them to the wiki then. Anyway I sense that the general culture in CS is, for people who are waiting to be spoon-fed, they get pointed to "search the forum".

One main advantage is that because topical, it's easier to search compared to searching the forum for past posts.

 

[foxtwo]

would this 'free' editing result in an editing 'battle' between people offering correct advice against people offering wrong advice? since it doesn't work like a thread, there's no discussion about correct and wrong unless they bring it into CS first. who regulates what is right? :dunno:

i don't know how it is settled in wikipedia. any ideas?

 

[Ah Pao]

That's where the wiki moderator's job comes in (well, it may or may not be the same people as the forum moderators) to ensure that whatever disputes do not reduce the effectiveness of the wiki. It is inevitable to have disputes and abuse on the wiki, but since the wiki works on open collaboration, the more people eyeball it, the smaller the chance it gets abused.