[sdiy] Wikipedia as synth resource

[Theo]

Problem with systems like wiki or the universal dictionary is that they only
work as long no trolls pollute the system.
Think its likely that the usefulness of wiki declines when more pp start to
use it.
Its only a matter of time before some "jokers" delete/mutilate useful info
or add rubbish.
Has happened before, will happen with wiki.

A system involving a "editor" like a traditional FAQ page might prove a more
robust tool.
Resulting in more reliable info for the newbie and rest of mankind.
That is not to say I think adding useful SDIY info to wiki is not a
honorable idea.
Wasted time, but honorable.

Theo



----- Original Message -----
From: harrybissell <harrybissell at prodigy.net>


> I agree with everyone.
>
> Newbies are not a problem at all and we welcome them... but the
encyclopedia should
>
> have good s-diy content as well
>
> H^) harry
>
> Magnus Danielson wrote:
>
> > From: "john mahoney" <jmahoney at gate.net>
> > Subject: [sdiy] Wikipedia as synth resource
> > Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 11:27:50 -0400
> > Message-ID: <0b7401c42f90$dd48d330$6400a8c0 at BABYUTEST>
> >
> > > Rather than answering the same newbie * questions every month, or
telling
> > > people to search the archives, we could direct people to Wiki pages --
if
> > > those pages had the right info.
> >
> > > * That's not meant as a slam on newbies, as they can't help but have
the
> > > same old questions.
> >
> > Actually, I think this kind of reasoning is rubish!
> >
> > First, on Synth-DIY most of the newbie question isn't a problem, and to
be
> > honest, not on AH either. However, the dry and sometimes even rude
comments to
> > check the archives is much worse! It doesn't give a welcoming feeling to
the
> > first thing slap people in the face. Also, I often find that it is even
the
> > newbie questions that sometimes causes the interesting discussions among
those
> > who actually know stuff. The newbie has in his blessed state of
ignorance of
> > what the view is been able to ask the wrong question in a interesting
enought
> > way that we have something new to discuss. If everybody agrees about
everything
> > there is not needs for discussions and thus no need for the list. I even
find
> > it challenging (in a positive way) to correctly answer a newbie
question.
> >
> > This kind of "bandwidth compression" way of thinking may have been
usefull for
> > the USENET NEWS but I don't think it is a good way of doing things for
us. It
> > doesn't promote to get a good discussion and working social community.
It is
> > even since we lack it in Synth-DIY that we work better than some other
places.
> > The archives exists (is BTW really everything in the archives? I don't
think
> > so!) and they are a great resource and we should always recommend a
visit
> > there, but I don't think it is useful to always refer to it, and
specifically
> > it isn't usefull if you don't know the correct search-terms. The best
way to
> > refer back to the archive is by actually give a sufficient reference in
order
> > to actually find it in the archive, else it is like just pointing to the
> > library and not say which section of a particular book in the library
the
> > answer could be found.
> >
> > I don't think it is a bad idea to have alot of information online, on
the
> > contruary, but I think bringing the politics of it into the list is a
definite
> > no-no and is just a missleading idea. Don't fix it, it works!
> >
> > In my mind the same could be said to your post on the AH, but it is much
more
> > politically polarized and IMHO that doesn't really solve anything there.
> > So, please do not fiddle with how things are done here at Synthi-DIY, I
think
> > we are doing well enought as it is. Not all perfect, but manageable most
of the
> > time.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Magnus
>