What+are+Wikis?

What are wikis?
As defined by Wikipedia (and we'll discuss the merit of that in the next topic,) "a wiki is a type of computer software that allows users to easily create, edit and link web pages." The origin of the word "wiki" is Hawaiian, a short form of "wiki wiki" with the meaning being quick or fast, with the idea being that it is a quick way to create and edit information on a webpage. The developer of the first wiki was Ward Cunningham, who described his concept as "the simplest online database that could possibly work." Wikis are, in essence, a database for creating, browsing and searching information, using the web as its format and HTML as its language, with some special wiki coding. Fortunately, there is no knowledge of HTML required, as wikis use a simple editing format within the webpage itself. Wikis are meant to be a storehouse for information that is gathered and managed collaboratively, with the essential component being the ease in which the information can be entered, edited and updated. The following video gives a simplified explanation on the concept and usefulness of wikis. Available online:

[|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY&feature=player_embedded#]

Wikis are unique in the sense that, in a typical wiki, anyone can edit a wiki page, with no special permission needed. In fact, anyone can write, edit, and publish what they know, and they can also edit what someone else has written. Wikis are a dynamic tool, with content changing as users add their own entries and edit their own. Wikis are different from blogs in several ways. While similar in the sense that they are both easily created web pages, blogs are controlled by the owner of the blog and their information can not be changed, just commented on. Information on a wiki can be changed by anyone, even deleted. Blogs are organized chronologically, while wikis can be organized in many different ways-subject, category, etc. Blogs tend to be of a more personal nature, reflecting the opinion of the blogger, while wikis are more collaborative and oriented toward the knowledge of the whole group rather than an individual. A slightly humorous take on wikis versus blogs can be found here[|.] Available online: [] Wikis are a powerful tool for collaboration, easy to create, edit and maintain, and provide a means to create content-specific web sites. It allows for group collaboration on a centralized repository of information, and allows for asynchronous communication between individuals.

What makes wikis great, the ability to easily edit any posted text, is also perceived as its biggest drawback. If anyone can edit or delete one's content, the potential exists that one's information can be vandalized or deleted. Fortunately, the structure of wikis allow for an easy view of any modifications through a Recent Changes page, and the ability to roll back to a previous version, much like Google Docs. Monitoring of wikis are important to maintain content integrity and appropriateness. Certain wiki sites have added secure logins to keep wikis private for only authorized users, which works well in an educational setting. A good journal article by Brian Lamb describes an overview of wikis and their uses can be found here. Available online: [] In addition, this [|wiki] on wikis also provides a comprehensive look at wikis in a wiki format. Available online: []