What is Wiki

Brief Introduction about wikis and some examples from
Sri Lanka.

1. Wikis
Chanaka Wickramasinghe
Library Assistant /NSLRC

2. WikisWikis
ContentContent
What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki
Some available Wiki softwaresSome available Wiki softwares
How to select Wiki softwareHow to select Wiki software
Wikis for General usesWikis for General uses
Wikis for LibrariesWikis for Libraries
Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to use.Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to use.
WikipediaWikipedia
How to create Wikipedia accountHow to create Wikipedia account
How to create an article/a pageHow to create an article/a page
How to edit an existing articleHow to edit an existing article

3. What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki
Is a type of web site that allows the visitors to Is a type of web site that allows the visitors to
easily,easily,
 Add.Add.
 Remove.Remove.
 Edit and change some available content.Edit and change some available content.
Wikis are essentially open web-pages, where Wikis are essentially open web-pages, where
anyone registered with the wiki can publish to it, anyone registered with the wiki can publish to it,
amend it, and change it.amend it, and change it.
Effective tool for collaborative authoring.Effective tool for collaborative authoring.

4. What is a WikiWhat is a Wiki
 Wiki is a Hawaiian word for quick.Wiki is a Hawaiian word for quick.
 Ward Cunningham (1995) developed scripts Ward Cunningham (1995) developed scripts

for creating web pages that could be created, for creating web pages that could be created,

edited, linked, deleted, or renamed without edited, linked, deleted, or renamed without

using HTML, software packages, of file using HTML, software packages, of file
transfer.transfer.
 He named it Wiki.He named it Wiki.
* WikiWikiWeb* WikiWikiWeb

5. Some available Wiki softwaresSome available Wiki softwares
1 Java-based 1 Java-based
2 JavaScript-based 2 JavaScript-based
3 Lua-based 3 Lua-based
4 Microsoft services-based 4 Microsoft services-based
5 .NET/Mono based 5 .NET/Mono based
6 Pascal-Based 6 Pascal-Based
7 Perl-based 7 Perl-based
8 PHP-based 8 PHP-based MediaWiki MediaWiki Originally developed to serve the Originally developed to serve the
needs of the free content needs of the free content
Wikipedia encyclopedia, Wikipedia encyclopedia,
Today it has also been deployed Today it has also been deployed
by companies for internal by companies for internal

knowledge management, knowledge management,
and as a content management and as a content management
system. system.

NotepubNotepub is an online notepad with wiki is an online notepad with wiki
functionality and privacy functionality and privacy
settings on a note by note settings on a note by note

basis. basis.
Language
Software Name
Focus

6. How to select Wiki softwareHow to select Wiki software
It depends on:-It depends on:-
What type of project your are planning to use.What type of project your are planning to use.
Your web server supports.Your web server supports.

7. Wikis for General usesWikis for General uses
Easily create simple websites (eliminates technical Easily create simple websites (eliminates technical
obstacles to putting things online.obstacles to putting things online.
Project development with peer review (e.g.: write a Project development with peer review (e.g.: write a
report/paper gradually, with feedback from report/paper gradually, with feedback from
instructor/students before final draft)instructor/students before final draft)
Group Authoring (i.e. online group work) (using wiki Group Authoring (i.e. online group work) (using wiki
pulls the group members together to build and edit pulls the group members together to build and edit
the document on a wiki page. It also allows all group the document on a wiki page. It also allows all group
members immediate, equal access to the most members immediate, equal access to the most
recent version of the document.recent version of the document.

8. Wikis for LibrariesWikis for Libraries
Simply as a library web page/siteSimply as a library web page/site
Create, edit & provide free content/articles for Create, edit & provide free content/articles for
research.research.
For sharing ideas (collaborative effects)For sharing ideas (collaborative effects)
Provide information about reference books, Provide information about reference books,
databases, websites, etc.databases, websites, etc.
Help for research by recommending articles, Help for research by recommending articles,
website, etc.website, etc.
Answering reference questions(add/change Answering reference questions(add/change
answers, FAQ)answers, FAQ)
Online group study.Online group study.
Multimedia Information.Multimedia Information.

9. Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to Criteria for evaluating which Wiki to
use.use.
Ease of installation.Ease of installation.
User accounts (so your name is automatically User accounts (so your name is automatically
attached to all changes you make)attached to all changes you make)
Page change subscription by email and RSS.Page change subscription by email and RSS.
Page history and stored revisions (not all Wikis Page history and stored revisions (not all Wikis
have this, but it can be an important feature)have this, but it can be an important feature)
Document attachments – PDF files, Images.Document attachments – PDF files, Images.
Page edit locking (You don’t want two people Page edit locking (You don’t want two people
editing a page at the same time, as one will lose editing a page at the same time, as one will lose
their changes)their changes)

10. WikipediaWikipedia
Wikipedia (from the words Wiki and Wikipedia (from the words Wiki and
encylopedia ) : a multilingual, web-based free encylopedia ) : a multilingual, web-based free
content encyclopedia project.content encyclopedia project.
Written collaboratively by volunteers.Written collaboratively by volunteers.
Currently Wikipedia has more than five million Currently Wikipedia has more than five million
articles in many languages, including more than articles in many languages, including more than
3.1 million in the English-language version.3.1 million in the English-language version.

11. WikipediaWikipedia
More Than 3.1 Million
Articles in English
Sinhala Wikipedia
No. of Articles 2,123

12. How to create Wikipedia accountHow to create Wikipedia account
Click the "Sign in/create account" link Click the "Sign in/create account" link
in the upper right corner on the in the upper right corner on the
Wikipedia website. Wikipedia website.
Click the link “Click the link “Create OneCreate One””
Enter your desired user name Enter your desired user name
in the "in the "UsernameUsername:" box. This will be :" box. This will be
the name of your account.the name of your account.
Enter Enter passwordpassword..
Re-enter Re-enter passwordpassword..
Enter Enter E-mail addressE-mail address..
Click the "Click the "Create accountCreate account" button. " button.
Congratulations!Congratulations!
You are now a You are now a
registered user in Wikipedia!registered user in Wikipedia!

13. How to create an article/a pageHow to create an article/a page
Only logged in users can create an article.Only logged in users can create an article.
In the search box near the top left of the page, In the search box near the top left of the page,
type the title of the new article, then click Go.type the title of the new article, then click Go.
If the search page reports “No page with that If the search page reports “No page with that
exists “ then you can click the red “exists “ then you can click the red “Create the Create the
pagepage “ link to start editing your article. “ link to start editing your article.

14. How to edit an existing articleHow to edit an existing article
Search the Article.Search the Article.
Click the “Edit this page” link to start editing your Click the “Edit this page” link to start editing your
article.article.
Make the changes and save page orMake the changes and save page or
Show preview before save the page.Show preview before save the page.

15. Some Wikis form Sri LankaSome Wikis form Sri Lanka
1. University of Colombo School of Computing Wiki1. University of Colombo School of Computing Wiki
 Can edit only all members of the UCSC including students
Used Wiki Software - MediaWiki
Web : http://www.ucsc.cmb.ac.lk/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

16. 2. SAHANA Wiki - Sri Lankan FOSS development 2. SAHANA Wiki - Sri Lankan FOSS development
communitycommunity
Used Wiki Software - DokuWiki
Web : http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php

17. 3. Dialog Wiki – Dialog Sri Lanka3. Dialog Wiki – Dialog Sri Lanka
Web : http://wiki.dialog.lk/Main_Page
Used Wiki Software - MediaWiki

18. Example for library wikiExample for library wiki
Website : http://www.library.ohiou.edu/subjects/bizwiki/index.php/Main_Page

19. List of libraries in Sri LankaList of libraries in Sri Lanka
Libraries in Sri LankaLibraries in Sri Lanka
Li br a r i e

t X?t
?? ?
National Science Library & Resource National Science Library & Resource
Centre - Sri LankaCentre - Sri Lanka
Wikipedia Statistics SinhalaWikipedia Statistics Sinhala
http://http://
stats.wikimedia.org/EN/TablesWikipediaSI.htmstats.wikimedia.org/EN/TablesWikipediaSI.htm

20. Thank YouThank You