KittyCatS! Wiki (5.29.13 Still need a few furs! Looking for Collection cats pictures! Thank you EVERYONE! <3)

[Ethereal Hurricane]

I decided to just pay for hosting so i can get rid of these stupid ads, new hosting site will be http://wiki.kittycatsaddicts.net (also .com)

Setting everything up, should be at least functional in a few hours.

[Wendi Lavendel]

Just my two cents about wikis.. I run a number of wikis at work and I've learned something VERY important:

Never have more than 2 members with editing permissions (one main, and one standby if the main one gets hit by a truck).

If you allow more, you end up with a lot of replicated information, mistakes, omissions, people repeatedly editing other people's stuff, etc.

On most of the wikis I manage, there is a form that contributing members must fill out to request changes. All changes are reviewed and approved by a group or committee (size varies, depending on size of wiki). These groups are made up of people with the most experience/knowledge with the wiki subject(s). This ensures that all changes are moderated and retains the integrity of the wiki's information.

The thing that makes Saga's charts so reliable is that only she and one other have the power to edit the content, and she has very high standards when it comes to the accuracy of the information added.

[Serena Stroikavskoi]

(05-20-2013 03:16 PM)Wendi Lavendel Wrote:  Just my two cents about wikis.. I run a number of wikis at work and I've learned something VERY important:

Never have more than 2 members with editing permissions (one main, and one standby if the main one gets hit by a truck).

If you allow more, you end up with a lot of replicated information, mistakes, omissions, people repeatedly editing other people's stuff, etc.

On most of the wikis I manage, there is a form that contributing members must fill out to request changes. All changes are reviewed and approved by a group or committee (size varies, depending on size of wiki). These groups are made up of people with the most experience/knowledge with the wiki subject(s). This ensures that all changes are moderated and retains the integrity of the wiki's information.

The thing that makes Saga's charts so reliable is that only she and one other have the power to edit the content, and she has very high standards when it comes to the accuracy of the information added.

I totally agree with Wendi, a limited number of people should have the absolute power. Because if something is wrong they will hunt you down and fry your *$$. Having administration privileges also opens up the possibility that you'll be held liable for anything that does and can go wrong. My mind directly goes along the lines of copyright infringement. Those that post to a wiki are in theory stating "fact" and as such will be held accountable.

[Kayleigh McMillan]

Cool all the pages added about the special costume kitties offered to us over the years!
Nice job
I love to see how our community members enthousiastically work together with each their contributions and input concerning our hobby, the KittyCatS!, We all love so much!
I see a real creative outlet at work and I enjoy it very much to see so many variaties of input why it is really a team effort and by the various people who work with it a colorful and vibrant page
Also I'm very happy we are soon released from these cheesy ads!
Thank you Ethereal!
Normally I have an AdBlock in my browser but yesterday evening I needed an other browser for a certain task and I got offered a date with various poorly dressed ladies via the ads.
I'm not sure I was the right target for these type of advertisements XD

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(05-20-2013 04:10 PM)Serena Stroikavskoi Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 03:16 PM)Wendi Lavendel Wrote:  Just my two cents about wikis.. I run a number of wikis at work and I've learned something VERY important:

Never have more than 2 members with editing permissions (one main, and one standby if the main one gets hit by a truck).

If you allow more, you end up with a lot of replicated information, mistakes, omissions, people repeatedly editing other people's stuff, etc.

On most of the wikis I manage, there is a form that contributing members must fill out to request changes. All changes are reviewed and approved by a group or committee (size varies, depending on size of wiki). These groups are made up of people with the most experience/knowledge with the wiki subject(s). This ensures that all changes are moderated and retains the integrity of the wiki's information.

The thing that makes Saga's charts so reliable is that only she and one other have the power to edit the content, and she has very high standards when it comes to the accuracy of the information added.

I totally agree with Wendi, a limited number of people should have the absolute power. Because if something is wrong they will hunt you down and fry your *$$. Having administration privileges also opens up the possibility that you'll be held liable for anything that does and can go wrong. My mind directly goes along the lines of copyright infringement. Those that post to a wiki are in theory stating "fact" and as such will be held accountable.

Maybe we should see this hobby a little lighter, just maybe ...

[Ethereal Hurricane]

The wiki is just supposed to be a fun place for information to me shared and stored. It's more visual than simply text on a forum, and I think if you take a look at what has been created in just 3-4 days, we've done a lot.

[Deer Thistle]

(05-20-2013 03:16 PM)Wendi Lavendel Wrote:  The thing that makes Saga's charts so reliable is that only she and one other have the power to edit the content, and she has very high standards when it comes to the accuracy of the information added.

I think your perception of what content will be featured on the wiki is a bit different than what the wiki will (in my opinion) provide - charts like Saga's and charts like mine (the history doc) should be in the hands of one or two people who have strict standards in determining the entries added to each doc so that they may not be tampered with.

The wiki links to these charts rather than posts such information as that sort of information really belongs in a Google Doc or somewhere that one person can wholly manage without any fear of another editing. As I'm partaking in editing the wiki, I have added what's 100% known and confirmed about the history of said fur/breed in the entries as I manage that doc, and have also linked to the history doc for further reference.

The wiki, in my opinion, is a place for the community to provide light-hearted tidbits of factual information and to share knowledge that can ease another's KittyCatS experience, not srs bzns knowledge like lining up which eye is more dominant than the other where people would have something to gain (potential market power) by having editing rights to that. Edits can also be undone by one of us if someone decides, for whatever malicious reason, to vandalize.

I think the wiki can also highlight Callie's artistic talent with showcasing every breed in KittyCatS and its RL counterpart, and just how accurate Callie is when designing the texture for the breed and color for the fur. It's really brilliant when you look at back-to-back pictures of the KittyCatS fur and then the RL fur, and the pages also provide information on each fur's discovery and retirement, if applicable. Every fur has an image gallery at the bottom too to see additional images of the fur if any have been uploaded by other contributors, it sure beats having to hunt the markets and the Flickr for a specific fur's pictures. I feel like there's no other ideal platform to really show this sort of information other than a wiki.

Another important aspect of the wiki is to provide information in a better-worded manner that's appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike. The manual is often glossed over on the official site and confuses people (I honestly think this partially has to do with the KC site layout), the wiki will break down these elements into an easier read with more interesting - but factual - tidbits of confirmed information by the KC devs but may not be present on the manual.

Only a total of four? or three? individuals have absolute power and they've all been so helpful in their own ways. I think only these three or four people will end up with total power but that's up to Ethereal who created the wiki. More control over the wiki will also be possible with a domain. Hopefully Ethereal can shed more light on this and ease any qualms about the wiki with clarification of the wiki's intent.

* Sorry for my novel, LOL

[Serena Stroikavskoi]

(05-20-2013 04:19 PM)Kayleigh McMillan Wrote:  Maybe we should see this hobby a little lighter, just maybe ...

I would really like it if a website could be a little lighter. But since I have to say that I have seen more sites abandoned or just left to perish because a lot of website owners don't realize the "legalize" or the responsibility of what they create or liable for that matter. Once content is published all it takes is one 'bad apple' to spoil the stew. But yeah once everything is ironed out it should be a lighter hobby. ......

So I guess the real question is are we going to have this:

Wiki

Quote:A wiki enables communities to write documents collaboratively, using a simple markup language and a web browser. A single page in a wiki website is referred to as a "wiki page", while the entire collection of pages, which are usually well interconnected by hyperlinks, is "the wiki". A wiki is essentially a database for creating, browsing, and searching through information. A wiki allows non-linear, evolving, complex and networked text, argument and interaction.

or

CMS

Quote:The core function of content management systems is to present information on websites. CMS features vary widely from system to system. Simple systems showcase a handful of features, while other releases, notably enterprise systems, offer more complex and powerful functions. Most CMS include Web-based publishing, format management, revision control (version control), indexing, search, and retrieval. The CMS increments the version number when new updates are added to an already-existing file. A CMS may serve as a central repository containing documents, movies, pictures, phone numbers, scientific data. CMSs can be used for storing, controlling, revising, semantically enriching and publishing documentation.

Ethereal Hurricane: you will have to make the decision as ultimately the responsibility of "ANY and ALL" content will be yours. Doing a website, any, is like publishing a book. Even forums like KittyCatS is still a responsibility that has to be taken seriously. Your name is the one attached to that domain.

I do think it's a great thing and would love to see the community involved on a whole. I would like to see some discussions about some things I think are good to know features of breeding and taking care of them. Any cms or wiki nees organization and a plan for the layout. But still if someone comes along and starts with the "every starter has 2 furs hidden" scenario you'll still have to have in essence "moderators" to dispute those statements. Otherwise you'll end up with flame wars. Just like here on the forums, you'll have to assign roles to lay down the law.

p.s. Google docs are great, but it's kinda like a free "sharepoint" and more centered to a specific group or internal realm.

deerylou, I'm with you on the novel LMAO

[Ethereal Hurricane]

I have no idea what we are debating here.

[Wendi Lavendel]

(05-20-2013 05:05 PM)deerylou Resident Wrote:  I think your perception of what content will be featured on the wiki is a bit different than what the wiki will (in my opinion) provide....

I had no perceptions, I was simply using Saga's charts as an example (I assumed my own work examples would have been boring and irrelevant to most).

Regardless of the content on any wiki, it's still important to ensure that the information is valid, reliable, and accurate; otherwise, why bother?

[Deer Thistle]

(05-20-2013 08:22 PM)Wendi Lavendel Wrote:  

(05-20-2013 05:05 PM)deerylou Resident Wrote:  I think your perception of what content will be featured on the wiki is a bit different than what the wiki will (in my opinion) provide....

I had no perceptions, I was simply using Saga's charts as an example (I assumed my own work examples would have been boring and irrelevant to most).

Regardless of the content on any wiki, it's still important to ensure that the information is valid, reliable, and accurate; otherwise, why bother?

Agreed! No information will be added unless it's 100% correct and if not, it would be merely removed. It'd totally defeat the purpose of having a wiki otherwise.

I think it'd be pretty cool to implement a speculation talk page on the wiki though, I love speculating what KittyCatS will do next and I see a lot of wonderful discussion for this on all of my hobbys' wikis.