Oct

30

Using Wikis for Business, Education, and Personal Use

October 30, 2007 | posted by Ryan |

Wikis, for those of you who do not know, are small programs that allow users to create content on the internet that is viewable by browsers. The content is loosely tied together, often searchable, and most times is open to public revision of the content. One of the most common wikis is Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia (http://www.wikipedia.org).

Wikis are now being used in a large variety of ways, including as business web pages and as means for students and teachers to collaboratively create content for courses (be it to deliver course material or to post papers or even to create their own specialized topical wiki). Additionally, individuals are using wikis as a type of public mind-map, personal web page, or basic organizational space to help them keep projects in line.

To see examples of the use of wikis or to find out more…. please visit the following wiki page:

PBWiki: http://pbwiki.com/
This site has examples of Business and Class wikis and info on how wikis work.
Wikipedia (Wiki): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
This describes what a wiki is and the communities connected with various wikis.

And for a list of hosted wikis, try:
Wiki Farms: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiFarms

And for those who want to host a wiki on their own server, you might like these sites:
Wikipedia (Wiki software): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki
Wiki Engines: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiEngines
Top Ten Wiki Engines: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?TopTenWikiEngines
Choosing a Wiki: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ChoosingaWiki

And this is just a start. Enter “wiki” into any viable search engine, and I’m sure you will receive even more information and web pages to visit. Even if you don’t use a wiki yourself, I believe it will be important for us all to know how wikis work. The reason I believe this has to do with the evolution of the internet: the internet is changing, becoming more dynamic and interactive. The wiki is one example of this, and if you understand the wiki system, then you can see the relational manner of information exchange within our public internet today. So, take a minute, take an hour, but take some time and learn a bit more about wikis. You might just be surprised and find you could host your own wiki about your particular specialty topic!!

[Posted in General Interest & Technology]



Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Scott on November 9, 2007 11:45 am

    You might also find Don Tapscott’s book - Wikinomics - interesting. He also has a wikinomics website.

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