Wikis

Chanaka Wickramasinghe

Library Assistant /NSLRC

Web based information dissemination:

WikisWikis

ContentContent

1.1. What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki2.2. Some available Wiki softwaresSome available Wiki softwares3.3. How to select Wiki softwareHow to select Wiki software4.4. Wikis for General usesWikis for General uses5.5. Wikis for LibrariesWikis for Libraries6.6. Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to use.Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to use.7.7. WikipediaWikipedia8.8. How to create Wikipedia accountHow to create Wikipedia account9.9. How to create an article/a pageHow to create an article/a page10.10. How to edit an existing articleHow to edit an existing article

What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki Is a type of web site that allows the visitors to Is a type of web site that allows the visitors to

easily,easily,

Add.Add. Remove.Remove. Edit and change some available content.Edit and change some available content.

Wikis are essentially open web-pages, where Wikis are essentially open web-pages, where anyone registered with the wiki can publish to it, anyone registered with the wiki can publish to it, amend it, and change it.amend it, and change it.

Effective tool for collaborative authoring.Effective tool for collaborative authoring.

What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki Wiki is a Hawaiian word for quick.Wiki is a Hawaiian word for quick.

Ward Cunningham (1995) developed scripts Ward Cunningham (1995) developed scripts for creating web pages that could be created, for creating web pages that could be created, edited, linked, deleted, or renamed without edited, linked, deleted, or renamed without using HTML, software packages, of file using HTML, software packages, of file transfer.transfer.

He named it Wiki.He named it Wiki. * WikiWikiWeb* WikiWikiWeb

Some available Wiki softwaresSome available Wiki softwares 1 Java-based 1 Java-based 2 JavaScript-based 2 JavaScript-based 3 Lua-based 3 Lua-based 4 Microsoft services-based 4 Microsoft services-based 5 .NET/Mono based 5 .NET/Mono based 6 Pascal-Based 6 Pascal-Based 7 Perl-based 7 Perl-based 8 PHP-based 8 PHP-based MediaWiki MediaWiki Originally developed to serve the Originally developed to serve the needs of the free content needs of the free content Wikipedia encyclopedia, Wikipedia encyclopedia, Today it has also been deployed Today it has also been deployed by companies for internal by companies for internal knowledge management, knowledge management, and as a content management and as a content management system. system. NotepubNotepub is an online notepad with wiki is an online notepad with wiki functionality and privacy functionality and privacy settings on a note by note settings on a note by note basis. basis.

Language

Software Name

Focus

How to select Wiki softwareHow to select Wiki software

It depends on:-It depends on:-

What type of project your are planning to use.What type of project your are planning to use.

Your web server supports.Your web server supports.

Wikis for General usesWikis for General uses Easily create simple websites (eliminates technical Easily create simple websites (eliminates technical

obstacles to putting things online.obstacles to putting things online.

Project development with peer review (e.g.: write a Project development with peer review (e.g.: write a report/paper gradually, with feedback from report/paper gradually, with feedback from instructor/students before final draft)instructor/students before final draft)

Group Authoring (i.e. online group work) (using wiki Group Authoring (i.e. online group work) (using wiki pulls the group members together to build and edit the pulls the group members together to build and edit the document on a wiki page. It also allows all group document on a wiki page. It also allows all group members immediate, equal access to the most recent members immediate, equal access to the most recent version of the document.version of the document.

Wikis for LibrariesWikis for Libraries Simply as a library web page/siteSimply as a library web page/site Create, edit & provide free content/articles for research.Create, edit & provide free content/articles for research. For sharing ideas (collaborative effects)For sharing ideas (collaborative effects) Provide information about reference books, databases, Provide information about reference books, databases,

websites, etc.websites, etc. Help for research by recommending articles, website, Help for research by recommending articles, website,

etc.etc. Answering reference questions(add/change answers, Answering reference questions(add/change answers,

FAQ)FAQ) Online group study.Online group study. Multimedia Information.Multimedia Information.

Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to use.use.

Ease of installation.Ease of installation. User accounts (so your name is automatically User accounts (so your name is automatically

attached to all changes you make)attached to all changes you make) Page change subscription by email and RSS.Page change subscription by email and RSS. Page history and stored revisions (not all Wikis Page history and stored revisions (not all Wikis

have this, but it can be an important feature)have this, but it can be an important feature) Document attachments – PDF files, Images.Document attachments – PDF files, Images. Page edit locking (You don’t want two people Page edit locking (You don’t want two people

editing a page at the same time, as one will lose editing a page at the same time, as one will lose their changes)their changes)

WikipediaWikipedia

Wikipedia (from the words Wiki and Wikipedia (from the words Wiki and

encylopedia ) : a multilingual, web-based free encylopedia ) : a multilingual, web-based free content encyclopedia project.content encyclopedia project.

Written collaboratively by volunteers.Written collaboratively by volunteers.

Currently Wikipedia has more than five million Currently Wikipedia has more than five million articles in many languages, including more than articles in many languages, including more than 3.1 million in the English-language version.3.1 million in the English-language version.

WikipediaWikipedia

More Than 3.1 Million Articles in English

Sinhala Wikipedia

No. of Articles 2,123

How to create Wikipedia accountHow to create Wikipedia account Click the "Sign in/create account" link Click the "Sign in/create account" link

in the upper right corner on the in the upper right corner on the

Wikipedia website. Wikipedia website. Click the link “Click the link “Create OneCreate One”” Enter your desired user name Enter your desired user name

in the "in the "UsernameUsername:" box. This will be :" box. This will be

the name of your account.the name of your account. Enter Enter passwordpassword.. Re-enter Re-enter passwordpassword.. Enter Enter E-mail addressE-mail address.. Click the "Click the "Create accountCreate account" button. " button. Congratulations!Congratulations!

You are now a You are now a

registered user in Wikipedia!registered user in Wikipedia!

How to create an article/a pageHow to create an article/a page

Only logged in users can create an article.Only logged in users can create an article.

In the search box near the top left of the page, In the search box near the top left of the page, type the title of the new article, then click Go.type the title of the new article, then click Go.

If the search page reports “No page with that If the search page reports “No page with that exists “ then you can click the red “exists “ then you can click the red “Create the Create the pagepage “ link to start editing your article. “ link to start editing your article.

How to edit an existing articleHow to edit an existing article

Search the Article.Search the Article.

Click the “Edit this page” link to start editing your Click the “Edit this page” link to start editing your article.article.

Make the changes and save page orMake the changes and save page or

Show preview before save the page.Show preview before save the page.

Some Wikis form Sri LankaSome Wikis form Sri Lanka1. University of Colombo School of Computing Wiki1. University of Colombo School of Computing Wiki

Can edit only all members of the UCSC including students

Used Wiki Software - MediaWiki

Web : http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

2. SAHANA Wiki - Sri Lankan FOSS development 2. SAHANA Wiki - Sri Lankan FOSS development communitycommunity

Used Wiki Software - DokuWiki

Web : http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php

3. Dialog Wiki – Dialog Sri Lanka3. Dialog Wiki – Dialog Sri Lanka

Web : http://wiki.dialog.lk/Main_Page

Used Wiki Software - MediaWiki

Example for library wikiExample for library wiki

Website : http://www.library.ohiou.edu/subjects/bizwiki/index.php/Main_Page

List of libraries in Sri LankaList of libraries in Sri Lanka Libraries in Sri LankaLibraries in Sri Lanka පුස්තකා�ල පුස්තකා�ල National Science Library & Resource National Science Library & Resource

Centre - Sri LankaCentre - Sri Lanka Wikipedia Statistics SinhalaWikipedia Statistics Sinhala

http://http://stats.wikimedia.org/EN/TablesWikipediaSIstats.wikimedia.org/EN/TablesWikipediaSI.htm.htm

Thank YouThank You