Forum Wiki Ideas

[triplewitch]

My concern is the depth of technical knowledge of coins I might have to have.  If have to fact check every submission, I might be out of my league most of the time.  I don't mind learning and using software provided I can run it on Windows 7 (and higher).
I'm willing to try try this.

[Fulvio]

provided I can run it on Windows 7

Web-based apps should be system-agnostic. Any machine and OS combination should work, with the weakest link being the browser.

[ausjack]

I see what you mean about the eyes now but you didn't say anything about being so hairy :laugh2: imagine poor PP having to clean up after that in the shower let alone the bed :kez_15: :angel:

Markn has been working on this solidly for 2 days now. I still don't know what it entails either but we've discussed what we think it needs and what it doesn't and what templates will allow us to this the best with input from everyone.

This morning there was a forum wookie on this page. Now there appears to be content.  Whatever Mark is doing over there it appears to be working.

[markn]

OK, so this is the sort of quality of wiki page that I'd like to see:

http://wiki.australian-coins.net/wiki/australian-coins/pre-decimal-coins/penny/1964-melbourne-penny/

Category Structure

I've spoken to PPH about a proposed category structure and I think the easiest thing to do is to have a minimal number of top level categories which may end up being:

Australian Coins
World Coins

Then second level categories which would be (under Australian Coins for example) : Decimal Coins, Pre-Decimal Coins, Proclamation and Colonial Coins

And then, for example, under Decimal Coins there'd be a category for each denomination (ie 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent etc).

And each denomination would have a page for each year (say 1964 penny, 1964y penny, 1963y penny etc) or type (1967-1984 10c, 1984-1998 10c, 1999-To Date 10c).  Each denomination would also have a category for Errors and Varieties.  Under the Errors and Varieties there'd be a page for each distinct error or variety.

A Note on Images

I'm investigating automatically watermarking all images uploaded to the wiki with the name and URL of the forum to prevent casual theft.  So be aware if you supply me with images then they'll be watermarked when posted.

Where to from here?

I'd like some people to write a few pages so I can post them up and work more on the template of the wiki and see how the category structure works.  Pull the information from posts here on the forum or write it yourself, I don't mind.  Please don't copy it from Wikipedia or someone else's website.  And don't copy it from a catalogue either.  It needs to be content that is unique or sourced from this site.

PM me if you've got any ideas for things you want to write about.  No need for technical know-how, I'll do all the work for now.

Logo

I am proposing that the wiki use a variation of the logo we're using on the forum.  I'll contact the person who did that (when I can remember who it was[/b]) and ask them to do the work for us.

[purplepennyhunter]

My take on this is that for example a forum member will have interest in the 2010 bubble variety 50c or a penny of a particular year.  Write a couple of paragraphs on the coin based on your knowledge or info gleaned from posts here. Add a pic and there we have it, a forum wiki entry. Editors will give it the once over and post it up.

As I see it further down Marks progression with the features on this members will be able to have their own login to add the content and there will be tiers of members. Editors will then check over and activate the content and voila.

[trout]

PM me if you've got any ideas for things you want to write about. No need for technical know-how, I'll do all the work for now.

So what you are saying is we simply have to write an article on a specific coin, Take a few pic's (Or pinch some off ACF) and you will put all the tags and links into them for the Wiki site.
This sound "doable" as soon as Her Indoors gives me a break from bloody chippying I may just give it a crack :good:

[markn]

So what you are saying is we simply have to write an article on a specific coin, Take a few pic's (Or pinch some off ACF) and you will put all the tags and links into them for the Wiki site.
This sound "doable" as soon as Her Indoors gives me a break from bloody chippying I may just give it a crack :good:

For now, yes, that's exactly what I am saying.  As time goes by I'd like the editors to do it but until we're up and running properly I'll do it.

[Goldseeker]

All I can say is markn is that you are giving yourself a heck of a lot of work.   Just be careful, please.

[Fulvio]

All I can say is markn is that you are giving yourself a heck of a lot of work.   Just be careful, please.

:agreed:

The whole concept of a wiki is that many hands make light work. Wikipedia could not exist if it were done by one person or a small group.

Wordpress is a Content Management System, and CMS's are structured differently to wikis. Which is great for blogs, where tight controls are in place.

My previous experience with CMS's is that the overwhelming majority aren't going to make any effort at all. So the burden falls on few shoulders. It then becomes an endurance race, and if those people collapse under the strain, the whole project withers.

I'm not against this project, but I'm worried that Mark's painted a target on his back.

[trout]

All I can say is markn is that you are giving yourself a heck of a lot of work.   Just be careful, please.

:agreed:

The whole concept of a wiki is that many hands make light work. Wikipedia could not exist if it were done by one person or a small group.

Wordpress is a Content Management System, and CMS's are structured differently to wikis. Which is great for blogs, where tight controls are in place.

My previous experience with CMS's is that the overwhelming majority aren't going to make any effort at all. So the burden falls on few shoulders. It then becomes an endurance race, and if those people collapse under the strain, the whole project withers.

I'm not against this project, but I'm worried that Mark's painted a target on his back.

I am pretty sure that people like  you can alleviate the Burdon on Mark. :good:
And I am certain that there are many other computer "Savvy" members out there that will "Bog In" and help.
I am willing to write about the coins I know well , and for me it would be "Kudos" IF it got published on the site Wiki :ok:
As far as editing and listing the content on Wiki , I wouldn't have a bloody clue how to do that :dash1:

[Fulvio]

I wouldn't have a bloody clue how to do that

Neither a wiki nor a CMS is any harder than a forum. So I disagree, you DO have more than a clue already.

But its not about computer skills anyway. Rather its about the content itself... generating, editing and publishing it.

Look at it this way.. Wikipedia has about 14 million articles, and a potential 7 billion contributors. Anyone can generate content, edit and publish it. Edits are subject to peer review and reversal, so for the most part the quality is constantly improving. Its a very flat structure.

Our new wiki on the other hand has a hierarchical structure which imposes great burdens on a few, in much the same way as moderation of a forum does. I'm not saying that's automatically a recipe for disaster, and I hope its not, but my experience hasn't been positive, and I've been the one to do all the work more than once over the years.

I would MUCH prefer to see a flat structure more like wikipedia, with everyone able to post, edit and review. I think everyone here can be trusted to do the right thing, and technical failures can be corrected if they occur.

[markn]

If the task becomes burdensome then great the wiki is a success. But since announcing the wiki noone has emailed me with anything so for now there is no workload.  The plugin I have chosen allows for content generation and editing without needing to log into Wordpress. Its a decent compromise between a full blown wiki which very few would understand and would still impose a significant editorial burden and a rigidly controlled cms.

[purplepennyhunter]

Has anyone looked at the wiki lately? Notice there's a new link up the top right in between gallery and the search function.

Here's an example Mark knocked up from some recent posts.
wiki 5c error

and 10c clipped planchet.

[ausjack]

I've got a bit on right now but I'll put some things up like my bubble and other errors, after I get my new folders and things sorted out a bit as I have such a mess here with coins all over the place you wouldn't believe..just ask Kel :winkextra:

But please feel free to use anything I've posted already :good:

oh, and that's when I get my new folders, can't wait..should be here mid to late next week with a bit of luck :yahoo: but then a HUGE job starts :-/ but will be well worth it in the end

[Goldseeker]

Answer me this please:-

many people do not know how to quickly identify the narrow date from a wide date on the Year Of The Family 50c piece.

I have a simple instruction to identify what is what.

Would this be suitable for insertion in the Wiki topic?