Wiki for Tutorials

patience is the order of the day …. just as in modeling

Since there has been some discussion and interest about this within the tutorial forum, I thought I’d start a discussion on it here.

On some web/domain packages installing a wiki directly on the site is a free option, but it might not be for Amabilis, here’s another option:

[img:yevp4r1p]http://www.wikispaces.com/[/img:yevp4r1p]
Wikispaces

Wikispaces is extremely easy to use) offers both fully functioning basic spaces with maximum file storage space of 2 GB for free, and spaces with extra features and more storage space at various prices. Check out the Tour and the Pricing.

For example, here is a wikispace used by [img:yevp4r1p]http://apophysis.wikispaces.com/[/img:yevp4r1p]
Apophysis
(a group which develops the Apophysis software for fractals, including those who just enjoy using the software and want to share information and tutorials for using it).

If you scout around it a bit, you’ll notice that their wiki has been used to link to various websites that already have tutorials, as well as to pages of the wiki giving help, and other members’ wikispaces too. (One wikispace can be used as hub for any number wikispaces owned by various individuals offering tutorials.)

If someone would care to set up one of these as the ‘hubs’ where we can put some basics and links to websites and more wikispaces, others of us could set up our own wikispaces for our various tutorials, and they’d have links on the hub… it could work as a free network as long as people don’t mind that the sites have a no-frills appearance, and display advertising (which makes them free sites). There seems no need to foot the bill for a paid site unless we want to get fancy, because multiple sites means plenty of file storage space (for the images)

Ok.. this is just an idea to get this discussion started (I’m not getting paid to sell wikispaces, heh heh)

i think this is a great idea butterpaw, the 2 gigs of storage would be good for images and files…if its o.k. with the rest of our members i think you would be a good candidate to set up the hub…but lets see if everyone else is willing to go for it too…i’m going to go ahead and set up my free wiki sight..i diddn’t know that this even existed..i’ve been using photo bucket for my images because it gives you the image code on the image you upload into photo bucket. you then just copy and paste this code into your 3dc post and it places the image in your post but the file itself exists at photo bucket…
this is a good idea to have tutorials and show off your work…..good idea, pirate

Yes, I use Image Shack for the same purpose – I like the handy toolbar for uploads and such.

Since it [*the wikispaces hub site, I mean] would be a public site.. it probably doesn’t matter who sets it up, anyone could add to it (which is the idea of a wiki)

I actually think someone else who has been been a part of this group much longer than I should be in charge of running it, although.. I wouldn’t mind setting it up (or helping to set it up) if folks like the idea.

It might be best if the hub actually belonged to Amabilis .. ?? well, I’m not sure of the ins an outs of that.. but .. well lets see what the reaction is first

*edited for clarity

ok butterpaw i misunderstood a little…i thought the hub would have everybodies sight listed with a list of tutorials and such where you could click and go to their sight. otherwise 2 gigs might not last very long..this is just my thoughts..i could have misunderstood again, my wife says i do that a lot….
pirate

I think that’s about right.. it would work best if a number of us set up our own wikispaces, which could be linked to from the hub.. however, the 2Gb is not to be sniffed at and some tutorials (or hints?) could be located there as well.

Also, keep in mind it’s not meant to replace the forum. The production of new tutorials on the forum in direct response to requests for help is an excellent dynamic, and I sure wouldn’t want to mess that up.

However, as discussion continues in each thread, newcomers tend to lose track of tutorials, and/or new, somewhat related tutorials get added to the original thread.. and then don’t have their own title.

An example of this is the Arch between two Walls, which is in the thread titled Path and Walls – Request for Help.

I see a bunch of individual wikis as a library of our tutorials, with a nice index to them on the hub wiki. I think that images for a tutorial should be with it in its particular wiki location, rather than on another site like image shack. This should give them a longer shelf-life than the forum does. (older tutorials on the forum have broken image links)

Ok, I was just saying about the hub, is that it might be possible for it to be managed by more than one person.. i.e. once set up, members of the group should be able to add links onto the hub themselves, pointing to the new tutorials they’ve written and placed their own wikispaces.

Another possibility is that one or a several members could act as ‘archivists’ for all, and glean new tutorials from the forum and place them on the wikispaces … but this would be onerous for any one person…

well? further discussion welcome.. any ideas? Pirate? .. anyone? (also, I will look into the functioning of the wikispaces a little futher)

Hmmm having read over my above post, another thought.. anyone who is answering a request and making a tutorial to illustrate that answer, would normally be preparing the tutorial and uploading it as a post… so perhaps, instead (or in addition to posting the tutorial) that person can reply ..’yes, I think you can solve your problem by
doing thus-and-so … and here’s a link to a tutorial to show you how’ (linking to the tutorial which has been placed on that person’s wiki) This could reduce the pressure of images on the forum. (everyone reading the forum can link to the tutorial and have a good look at it, (just as we do with images) and then post responses in the forum, as usual. … well.. it’s a thought…

now i think you have a good idea, by placing the link in this forum people just starting could find the tutorials easier than trying to figure out the hub and they could also be placed in the game creators forum for 3DC which still needs help…
pirate

actually.. both… the hub is not going to be complicated it is often helpful to have a nice list of tutorials just sitting there on a page ready and waiting for you .. so both sorts of access will be there <!– s;-) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!– s;-) –>

i think that will work unless its just going to be me, you, and bazza..thats hardly enough people to go through all the trouble..maybe some of the other members will get envolved over time…pirate