Looking at Wikis

Looking at Wikis – a Social Media class exercise

Firstly, some definitions and ideas about Wikis to give a context to the idea of ‘wiki’.

Looking at Wikis – a Social Media class exercise

'Wiki' is a relatively new term in English that is connected with e-media.  Below are some introductory ideas and a definition about wikis to give some clarity and a context to the idea of ‘wiki’.

 

From the website  http://www.techterms.com/definition/wiki   (retrieved 23/10/12 and adapted):

A wiki is a Web site that allows users to add and update content on the site using their own Web browser.  This is made possible by Wiki software that runs on a Web server.  Wikis end up being created mainly by a collaborative effort of the site visitors.  A good example of a large wiki is the Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia in many languages that anyone can edit.  The term "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase, "wiki wiki," which means "super fast."

It should be noted that the content of a wiki is frequently unreliable in terms of its accuracy but they are usually monitored for false and offensive information (which is usually deleted or modified).

Wikis can be on any topic – a person, place, event, or phenomenon, such as a notable person, an historical site, a movie festival, regional cuisine, or interplanetary travel.

A listing of wikis can be found at    www.wikiindex.org  Also, if you google 'wikis' and go the Wikipedia (the most popular of all the wikis) you will find a rather humorous article.