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Blending Colors
When you are familiar with software applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Flash and other drawing programs, I know you are also very much familiar with the swatches. Swatches contain selection of different colors that you can use during the creation...
EXTRA! EXTRA! - California Newspaper Publishers Association selects gomembers’ e-communicator
[Herndon, VA] --- gomembers, Inc. (http://www.gomembers.com), is pleased to announce that the California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA: http://www.cnpa.com) has selected gomembers’ e-communicator, a web-based promotional broadcast and email...
gomembers sets association management software seminar dates and locations
Herndon, VA --- gomembers, Inc. (http://www.gomembers.com) announced today that they will be offering free seminars on association management software (AMS). Each RUGS (Regional Users Group Seminar) offers a detailed look at AMS, and features Q,...
Navision Customization: C/SIDE, C/ODBC, C/FRONT, XBRL – development options
Microsoft bought Navision, Denmark based software development company, along with Great Plains Software. Now Microsoft Business Solutions offers following ERP applications: Navision (former Navision Attain), Microsoft Great Plains (former Great...
The Essential Data Recovery Report
Your worst nightmare just became a horrifying reality. You keep hearing that little voice in your head mockingly shout “you should have backed that stuff up” The voice keeps echoing throughout your head as you perform a quick inventory all of the...
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What Is Wiki?
Wiki is web server software that allows users to contribute content. Collaboration is the key to Wiki, which is designed as a powerful system for online communities to build web pages and web sites. Unlike blogs and forums, all users are allowed to contribute and edit existing content. Wiki is derived from the Hawaiian term "wiki wiki" meaning "quick". The concept behind a Wiki is that collaboration on projects will move it along quicker.
Wikis generally allow web pages to be written, edited and created collectively in a web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and simple text. Most Wikis are open, and allow any user the ability to edit the contents of a Wiki web page. While some say this opens the concept to abuse, Wiki moderators and self-policing in the Wiki sector appear to be taking hold. Wiki supporters generally feel that it is generally easier to correct mistakes than create the content from scratch. Wikipedia is a standing symbol of what many would consider a succesful Wiki.
Wikipedia - Wikipedia is a popular content encyclopedia that anyone can edit. http://www.wikipedia.com
Other topic-specific Wikis like Robin Good's RSS Wiki are proving that collaborative efforts in niche markets can work.
RSS Wiki - http://www.masternewmedia.org/reports/newsmasterstoolkit/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
It is true that Wikis are open to abuse, but by design, it is very easy for a Wiki moderator or other editor to revert the Wiki to how it appeared prior to edits, essentially rolling back the Wiki and removing any content deemed inappropriate or unrelated. Many Wikis track the IP address of visitors and editors, making it easy to track changes and roll back any edits from individuals that appear to be abusing their privileges. In
rare cases Wiki operators can protect pages, making them read-only, which restricts any edits from occurring. While such actions are against the true Wiki philosophy, restrictions can be used to preserve the structure of fully-developed Wikis and protect pages from abuse.
What can Wikis be used for?
Wikis have spawned some interesting uses, including the development of knowledge bases on both intranets and the Internet. Product documentation, tutorials and online FAQs are increasingly created using Wiki collaboration. Other collaborative Wiki projects that have been spawned include a Wiki dictionary and directory of famous quotes.
Wikitionary - Wikitionary, a collaborative project to produce a free multilingual dictionary in every language, with definitions, etymologies, pronunciations and quotations. - http://en.wiktionary.org
Wiki Quote - Wikiquote, a free online compendium of quotations in every language, including sources (where known), and translations of non-English quotes. - http://en.wikiquote.org
Ultimately, Wikis are ideally suited for internal corporate projects or committee groups, when all individuals participating have the same goals in mind. Potential exists for significant abuse when Wikis remain open in competitive areas.
Overall, Wikis are influential, shaping collaborative online content development, and are likely to become increasingly popular. Sadly, as a Wiki's popularity grows, it is likely Wiki abuse will grow.
About the Author
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.
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