FrequentlyAskedQuestions

Frequently Asked Questions

This page includes brief answers to common questions, and links to more detailed answers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a WikiNode?

A WikiNode is a page that briefly tells you what a wiki is about, and how it relates with its neighbors.

There are two major uses of WikiNodes:

To discover other, related wiki. (Neighbors.)
To understand how wiki organize information between themselves. (Delegation.)

WikiNode pages are intended to be walkable. That is, it should be easy to hop from WikiNode to WikiNode. Thus, pages should be brief, and WikiNodes should link to WikiNodes. We want to make it easy to explore the space.

Look at this wiki's WikiNode to see what a WikiNode looks like, and explore some of the WikiNodesNetworksInTheWorld.

For more information: WhatIsaWikiNode, AnatomyofaWikiNode.

Neighbors? Delegation?

"Neighboring wiki" are wiki that live nearby. They may be about the same thing, they may be about similar things. There may be conceptual overlap, there may not be. But neighbors are related, somehow.

"Delegation" is an agreement between two wiki on how they organize content between them. An Anime wiki may say, "If you want to talk about the Japanese Language, go to the Japanese Language wiki." The Japanese Language wiki may say, "If you want to talk about Anime, go to the Anime wiki."

For more information: UnderstandingDelegations

(Neighbors) Is This Just A Registry Of Wiki, On Each Site?

Yes: It is a list of topically relevant wiki.

No: It is not a complete list of all wiki in existance.

Note that the WikiNode is meant to be a brief summary page. If a wiki is connected to hundreds of wiki, it is best to list key links on the WikiNode, and then to link to more comprehensive lists on other pages of the wiki (see: PageToWikiNode.) For example, if there were 100's of regional Python interest group wiki, you would not list them all on the WikiNode page for "Python."

AvoidSuperConnection, DontLinkUtilities. If you are looking for a registry of all wiki, you want WikiIndex. If you must link 100's of wiki, use the PageToWikiNode method.

Why duplicate our wiki's "list of related wiki" page?

(Explanation: People have a wiki. They've created a list of related wiki, on that page. Then someone makes a WikiNode. The people on the wiki note overlap between a list of related wiki on some page, and the WikiNode. They would rather not maintain two lists. They ask for justification for the maintenance cost.)

The reason is: We want to be able to quickly locate what sort of wiki exist in a topical space. If every wiki has a different place for it's list of related wiki, then you have to go from wiki to wiki, looking for where the wiki might list neighboring wiki.

By using the same name on each wiki, and pointing directly from WikiNode to WikiNode, you can very quickly discover what is happening.

It's easiest to understand, just by using a WikiNodesNetwork. Check out WikiNodesNetworksInTheWorld to see a list of large WikiNodeNetworks, such as the one located around the game design, the one located around Python programming, and the one located around Artificial Intelligence.

After walking around those WikiNodesNetworks, ask yourself: "Would this have worked, if I had to stop at every single wiki, and try to find where they put their list of related wiki?"

The reason for having a similar format between WikiNode pages, and using the same name for WikiNode pages, becomes clear.

If duplication of effort is a major problem, I would just say, "Use only the WikiNode, then, for your list of related wiki."

(Delegation) Does Delegation Mean I Can't Write Whatever I Want On My Own Wiki?

You can always write whatever you want on your own wiki.

Delegation generally expresses some sort of agreement for the sake of organization.

The strength of delegation differs from wiki to wiki. The agreement may be strict and formal, like a contract. The agreement may be loose, and just represent a recommendation, like a general understanding.

The list of delegations on a WikiNode are there so you can quickly learn the norms of a wiki, without having to feel them out, study the wiki intensively, or ask people. You can just glance at the list of agreements, and figure out what's going on.

For more information: UnderstandingDelegations, ResistanceToDelegation

Why is the Node inside the Wiki?

(explanation:) It is noted that we could have all the WikiNode pages appear on some other wiki, or perhaps in a big map of subjects, seperate from the actual wikis themselves.

With the WikiNode in the wiki, it's far more likely that the node will be kept up-to-date- they won't have to go to some strange foreign place to work on it.

Also, if anyone changes the node, the people in the wiki are alerted by way of their own RecentChanges page.

How Do I Set Up a Wiki Node?

It's easy! You just make a page called WikiNode, and list the things on AnatomyofaWikiNode. Just make it more or less like the other WikiNodes you've seen, and you're done. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to work.

For more information: AnatomyofaWikiNode, ConstructingFromMoinMoin.

What If I Don't Want a Wiki Node?

You can put a note: "Please, no WikiNode" on the page titled "WikiNode," which will signal to people: "Please don't make a WikiNode here."

There are many good reasons why someone might want a public wiki, but not want a WikiNode on it, and it's our intention to respect those reasons.

When someone places a WikiNode on a wiki, it is an "efficient suggestion," not a demand.

This is Cool!

I'm glad you think so! If this intrigues you, there are many things you can read and do.

Create WikiNodes!
- HowToBuildWikiNodeNetworks
Participate on this wiki. (May want to start at IdeasToPlace.)

You may also be interested in more general project networking ideas, and you may be interested in the WikiIndex project, as well.

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