Please make me a wiki editor. I want to create my personal home page.
I'd like some feedback on an idea. I apologize for my verbosity.
Cut it to shreds. Thanks in advance!
TL;DR:
Gradually tag the CentOS wiki with <div>'s indicating status
with respect to content migration to website2.
Assumptions:
- Large amounts of existing wiki text will eventually migrate
to website2.
- Much existing content needs revision before it migrates.
- More resources (contributors) would help speed the process.
Problem statement:
While http://wiki.centos.org/WebsiteVer2 focuses on structure
and function of a new website, there is an editorial dimension.
It will be a lot of work to edit & migrate content to website2.
To speed up this process, it would be good to lower the barriers
to entry for people wishing to contribute, and to increase
opportunities for division of labor.
One such barrier to entry: It's hard for new contributors to
identify what stage of readiness text is in with respect to
migration to website2. The onus is on each editor to decipher
anew the status of any piece of text with respect to the new
website. Has it already been moved? Does it need further
discussion? Are there known issues with the accuracy of the
text? Is there an ongoing discussion of this text? (The problem
gets harder for longer pages that need to be migrated piecemeal
to website2.) It will be hard to jump in and start contributing
to content migration.
Proposed solution:
Tag wiki text inline using <div>'s to indicate its status for
inclusion in website2, marked with the following proposed classes.
Once a critical mass of text has been tagged, it will be easier
for web designers to migrate text to website2.
Proposed <div> classes:
<div class="ready">
Meaning: This text has been reviewed, is not controversial,
and SHOULD be moved as-is to website2.
Example:
<div class="ready JohnDoe">
Keep in mind that the home page itself is usually public,
everybody can read and also write it (and this is a good
thing, see it as a means of communication with you).
But you can also create protected sub-pages of it, so
restricting access to some of your pages is no problem.
</div>
When JohnDoe tags the text as "ready", the subsequent task of
finding an appropriate location and format for it on website2
can now be split out. This is good because choosing the new
placement in website2 may require different skills, different
permissions, a new category, new structure, or could entail
additional planning, coordination or discussion.
<div class="drop">
Meaning: This text SHOULDN'T be moved to website2, and shouldn't
be fixed to make it move-able.
Helper classes that SHOULD be included with this class:
{ wrong | licensed | confusing | redundant }
Examples:
<div class="drop wrong JohnDoe">
New CentOS users are encouraged to start by
re-compiling the Linux kernel from source.
</div>
<div class="drop licensed">
Red Hat Linux clustering...
</div>
<div class="drop confusing">
1. Before attempting the preceeding steps
2. go back and try procedure (b)
4. but you might also try (a), or even (c)
</dev>
<div class="moved">
Meaning: This text HAS BEEN moved to website2, (or some equivalent
textual or functional element has been created in website2 that
makes this text unnecessary).
Example:
<div class="moved BettySmith">
... text that has been migrated to website2 ...
</div>
<div class="mustfix">
Meaning: This text MUST be moved to website2, because it is essential
information that is still relevant, but MUST be edited first.
Helper classes that SHOULD be included with this class:
{ accuracy | spelling | link | grammar | rewrite | update }
Example:
<div class="mustfix spelling brokenlink JaneRoe">
CetnOS developrs are a hardy bunch. See some
of there writing at htpp://wyki.centos.org/
</div>
<div class="<UserName1> <UserName2> ...>"
Meaning: Who says? These helper meta-classes would afford a simple
voting-ish/review functionality.
Example:
<div class="ready MaryRoe JohnDoe">
Paragraph that both Mary and John think is ready to move.
Someone who is mostly interested in putting reviewed
text into the correct spot on website2 can now do so without
becoming a subject matter expert on the text's content.
</div>
<div class="discuss">
Meaning: There is ongoing discussion about this text on centos-docs
mailing list.
Example:
<div class="mustfix discuss">
... Release Notes for the CentOS LiveCD ...
</div>
Parting thought:
A custom style-sheet for wiki editors could be used to make
targeted categories of text visually stand out, eg: "moved" text
could be rendered in light gray, "mustfix" text could be
rendered in dark red, etc.
--
Charles Polisher
