[SBE] Broadcasting 'Wiki'

[David R. Wilson]

It looks like my previous post didn't make it through...

It was:


Having used one for better than the past 10 years I will throw in my .02
worth.  A wiki is very useful for keeping track of history.  You can use
it as a live manual.  When many people are working together and need to
know the latest software change that was made, who made it and why, it
works great.  Having come from an auto plant background where 5 - 20
people might make a change to a robotic program and one documents it in
their pile of books, but no one else knows that change was made, it can
lead to an awful lot of confusion.

For the broadcast business, I use it as a live log.  I can go back and
see how long tubes have lasted, what the readings were as time goes by.
I can see what parts I used to fix something, where they came from, who
I talked to and contact info.  A text search in a list of manuals gives
me where to find manuals in a few seconds (instead of maybe looking for
days).  When possible I gather PDF files or links to them, so if I don't
have my laptop I can go to the web site and find the manual without
having to go find the box that the file was stored on.

Entering info or links is very easy.  Some wikis have an editor that
will do most of that work for you.  I generally prefer to edit the HTML
directly (which is very easy).  The training needed to show someone how
to use the software can be done in a few (10) minutes.

I have been using it as a transmitter log too.  It might seem a bit
detailed, but if someone wants to find out what was done to equipment on
a particular day, it is easy to find what is wanted.  The only thing
that needs a bit of thought is the original organization for the wiki.
you don't want the info your looking for to be scattered in 20 different
files.  It helps when people initial and date their revisions.

If I need to find out what changes have been made to the files, I have
my wiki set up with a revision control system.  I can go back 20
revisions and see how things changed over time.  If someone makes a mess
of the wiki, it is easy to roll it back a revision or two and fix it.

If you want to see some more, check out http://www.twiki.org
http://www.mediawiki.org

Examples: http://www.fedoraproject.org/
http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Codev/TWikiInTheNews#2008


Dave

David R. Wilson KU4B
Engineer for the Cromwell Group
Nashville Tennessee
WBUZ WPRT WQZQ


On Mon, 2009-10-05 at 17:36 -0500, David R. Wilson wrote:

> That depends how it is set up.  You can have things passworded with

> logins for reading parts of the twiki, or open for all to read.  You can

> have it world writable (not usually a good idea) or narrow it down to

> specific people can make modifications for particular sections.

> You can read the links I posted for more info.

> 

> Dave

> 

> 

> On Mon, 2009-10-05 at 15:16 -0400, PuebloTallTower at aol.com wrote:

> > I am old....  and seemingly getting stupid(er)

> > Just how do you read a thread on wikipedia?

> >  

> > Do you have to register? 

> > Or can you be "UN" registered, and still go through the postings. ...

> > If it is like Google, I assume you have to know somebody, who knows

> > somebody that really knows the syntax rules...

> >  

> > On Google I found out accidentally that placing quotes around words,

> > will force those exact words in that exact order, be the search

> > requirements ... try putting your exact birth certificate name in

> > quotes on Google, and see what happens ... then try the search without

> > quotes....

> >  

> > So back to the topic at hand ... any one out there willing to tackle

> > my question?  regarding the rules of the road on wiki?

> >  

> > thanks

> >  

> >  

> >  

> >  

> > In a message dated 10/5/09 12:08:26 PM Mountain Daylight Time,

> > kwinrich at gmail.com writes:

> >         http://www.broadcastengineering.info/viewforum.php?f=36&sid=af8d3cb7cbb77ee3b16dc00cfd254785

> > 

> >  

> > Harvey E. Smith

> > 2020 Baculite Mesa Road

> > Pueblo, CO., 81001-2456

> > 

> > 719 546 1418 Office

> > 719 406 9735 Cell

> > 719 671 2671 backup cell

> > 719 542 5667 remote fax

> > PuebloTallTower at aol.com or

> > HarveyEsmith at aol.com

> > 

> > 

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