I've been thinking about a wiki-like capability for a long time. I already prototyped MediaWiki integration on this site (the same software used by Wikipedia). The drawbacks are more code to maintain, learning curve for members, and more work to moderate.

Here's a quick dump of my thoughts on how an HB-wiki might work: This weekend, as part of the new streamlined review format, I coded tighter integration between the forum and top-level articles. For example:

reviews/rancilio-silvia-review-t25001.html (forum)
/rancilio-s ... eview.html (article)

Notice they're the same initial content; one presented as a forum thread, the other as a single page.

I propose the site have a dedicated wiki URL /wiki that's derived from threads that are flagged as "wiki-fied". So, like the above example, the article is actually the same content as the first post of the thread. With a few more tweaks, the first post of the thread could be reduced to a link to the top-level article / wiki page.

So, for example, consider a thread like I still don't get it: Why adjust the OPV? It has a lot of good information, but it would benefit from some careful editing. A member or moderator would nominate such a thread for wiki-fication. They'd excerpt the key points in a new thread that references the original source. Because the thread would be flagged as a wiki entry, the first post would appear as a top-level article under the /wiki/ URL (again, the first post would link it). Any replies would be "talk" about the top-level wiki article. The thread author thus would become the originating wiki page author.

Sorry, that's a lot of technical jabbering. The main point is that a wiki-ified forum thread would be much easier to find and would be subject to more editing scrutiny than an ordinary thread. The existing links of FAQs and Favorites would be good source material for wiki-ready topics.

Back to the OP, finally... it wouldn't be too hard to extend the above idea to allow for a subset of members to have edit rights on such a wiki-fied first post described above. That would enable a group of members interested in curating reference material or even parts inventory into a single place with an easy "talk" thread for the page (similar to Wikipedia's "talk" pages associated with articles).


...split from Parts and Restoration Co-op and Wiki?...

Dan, I really like the idea of having a dedicated wiki in the HB community. The reason I proposed one in the first place is the threads dont always read well for reference, and I think encyclopedia type articles would be helpful, I know I have wanted them in the past. How would they work on the site? Would it be open like the forums, or would it have a dedicated user group that writes and maintains the articles? I also like the idea of using this built in community to accumulate a parts co-op. Im imagining a swap meet of vintage and hard to find, as well as custom made, parts. Sort of like the buy-sell, but strictly for parts. Combined with a wiki of information, and contact e-mails for those who volunteer to be "experts" so to speak, I think this could embody the spirit of the OP.

Given the little I know about coding, I think I get how this would go. Id love to see how it works in practice as a reference section. Given that the original point that Gary and I were looking into was removing some of the "How do I do this" and "how do I get a...." question weight from OE, it would need to remove the need for some of the more common questions. I also think there should be wiki pages that aggregate some things together, like all the common mods for a mazzer would go in one thread, rather than being spread out in the forums.

Returning to this topic, I'm working out details of the implementation, but soon realized that it will only work if there's budding editors among the membership willing to help wiki-ify noteworthy content. I think the Wikipedia "open editing" model would demand too much oversight, so instead I propose a wiki page would have one owner.

In a nutshell, the edit process would be the same as the forums, except that the first post would automatically appear in the HB wiki and the replies, if any, would appear as regular forum replies (think of them as a Wikipedia "talk" page). Only the topic owner and Team HB could edit the first post (wiki page); members would be invited to offer corrections via a regular forum reply. If the original editor doesn't have time to maintain their page (or simply leaves the forum), ownership would be transferred to an active HB wiki editor or one of Team HB.

Please let me know if you'd be interested in being an HB wiki editor by replying to this thread. Thanks!

Hi Dan,

(Gulp!) Why not throw my hat in the ring?

By wiki page, would you be referring to the wiki as a whole or in accordance with a single article? As in, one person authors and is responsible for maintaining an article on a single machine/device/tool/ect.?

drgary wrote:A few of us have been talking about starting a Wiki on this site and the owner, Dan Kehn (HB) has been supportive. We have not yet had enough interest to get that started but maybe you could express your interest in this thread...

Gary, I was wondering what happened to that, it seemed like it sort of.... Tapered off. I would still like to see some technical articles written on more common machines. I'm sure I could write something on the machines I've owned.


...merged from Library from the knowledged experts here...

That's kind of what I've been doing here, Brandon. Now it's a Baby Lusso. Maybe such writing could be source material for a wiki if it ever happens. What might interest you and me and a few others, including Dan, may not be of interest to others here.

pacificmanitou wrote:By wiki page, would you be referring to the wiki as a whole or in accordance with a single article? As in, one person authors and is responsible for maintaining an article on a single machine/device/tool/ect.?

Sorry for the slow reply. Unlike Wikipedia, the implementation I propose would have one editor per page. That would simplify the implementation considerably and avoid the need to police changes since there'd be a designated editor.

pacificmanitou wrote:Maybe its time to just start writing and submit a thread with the finished write-up.

That's what I've done, as has Jim (e.g., Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste). Ideally it'd be ready-made wiki fodder, assuming there are enough volunteers (so far only two ).