Talk: Main Page

Related wikis

It may be useful to add a related Wikicities section on this wiki. See Wikicities:Category:Computing for some which may have a similar theme to this one. Also, see Wikicities:Category:English for other English language Wikicities. When other Chinese wikis are created, they will be listed at Wikicities:Category:Chinese. Angela 00:01, 28 Jan 2005 (PST)

OK, that's coming soon. --DavidFeng 03:52, 3 Feb 2005 (PST)

Most importantly, I think are http://applepedia.org and http://guides.macrumors.com/ (not including Wikipedia articles)

What's the purpose of this Wiki?

I'm not sure if this is where I post this... as I've never tried to comment on an entire wiki before, so feel free to move this...

First, let me make myself clear, I'm not trying to be a troll, this is a very serious question that I hope can be answered.

What I would like to question is what is the purpose of this entire project. It sounds like a good idea at first, but there already is a "wiki information project for macintosh users", it's called Wikipedia. Or, if all you want to deal with is Macintosh articles, only look at articles in the Mac category. Everything relating to Macs is in there (and if it isn't... you can make it be, that's the beauty of wikipedia!). For example, there's articles on Mac themes like the platinum theme, or Mac software like Fetch.

Not only is what you want all over at wikipedia already, there are significant disadvantages to not use using wikipedia:

Advertisement: many, many more people know about the wikipedia. If the goal of wikimac is to get the information it has to the most people possible, then by FAR the easiest way to do that is to add all of your information to wikipedia.
Editing: Work on mac-related articles will also be done in wikipedia. When you edit an article here, it doesn't live-update with the articles at wikipedia, so if I want the world to know my edit, I have to edit it there also. It's a simple matter of them being separate databases that don't sync.
Non-Topical Articles: Take articles for related topics-topics that would be good to know about, but not for the wikimac... if this was wikipedia they could be directly linked to... here they can't be, how is this good? Moreover, if I'm in the Mac OS Software category, equivalent software is just a couple clicks away. You can't say the same thing about this site!

Yet the only advantage is a schematic this and not really that big of an issue:

Disambiguations: you don't have to worry about disambiguations. Since all of the articles here are already in the Mac category, when I type Fetch into the search bar I'm taken automatically to the Fetch article, instead of a disambiguation page (that is, if there was a Fetch article).

So essentially you've created an entire website for the purpose of having people avoid one single click at a disambiguation page (or two clicks occasionally). At the same time, you've created a website working in parallel that does not have the same database, thus effort put into this site does not show up on the wikipedia and effort here doesn't show up there. NOT ONLY THAT, but you have gotten rid of the awareness power that wikipedia has, and the awesome interconnectivity that it has.

The thing is, wikipedia IS everyone's Mac knowledgebase. Wikipedia is for the use of anyone with a Mac or with Mac interest, be they veterans from the 1980s or the newest iMac G5 user, be they a Mac researcher or a Mac technician. Wikipedia aspires to be a new, central Macintosh information centre. As an international, multilingual project, wikipedia also is a website for Mac users around the world.

Of course, wikipedia ALSO is a database for so many other things, it ALSO is for users on any platform, it also aspires to be a central information center for THOUSANDS of other topics and it is for computer users around the world. Why would you want to make a project with less audience and smaller scope? If wikimac was a front-end for the wikipedia database with only mac-category articles, that'd be an awesome idea, because it could be linked to from within wikipedia, have the same articles and be interconnectable. But it isn't.

Frankly, the reason I'm opposed to this site isn't because I don't like Macs, because I love them. It's because this site is a complete waste of effort here. If instead of creating a new article on the dogcow, and improved the wikipedia one, the world would be a much better

Wikipedia: is supposed to be encyclopedic information about topics. Wikicities: was started to support communities (cities) around topics. The distinction is not always an easy one to make. Requests to begin some Wikicities (Wikicities:Start a new Wikicity) are sometimes turned down because they do overlap too much with existing Wikimedia activities.

Perhaps we need to be more careful about using the Wikipedia articles and the Apple site when they already cover a topic.

Wikipedia is tied to the Neutral Point of View. While this WikiMac tries to be evenhanded, it is definately for people who like Macs. And can do more cross "publicizing" of Mac Group events than would be appropriate on the Wikipedia.

In addition, things like helpful hints and "how to" documents might not be appropriate for Wikipedia, but I think they would be here. And it's often a pain to look for Mac specific information in a PC computing environment that's dominated by the Windows OS. So, it is nice to be on a site that won't list a bunch of software I can't run on my personal computer, and will give me a selection of software (e.g., instant messaging applications or web browsers} that I can, and it may even include comparison information and user evaluations (that would be inappropriate for the Wikipedia).

Note: I really like the Wikipedia, but wouldn't want it to have this sort of material.

--CocoaZen 20:42, 7 Apr 2005 (EDT)

Ok, that makes sense, it's just that from the content I have read so far here, it looks pretty encyclopedic (not like I have read all of the articles). With relatively little content that violates NPOV. Instead of bothering to write your own topics, why not just link to the topic at wikipedia at the top and then have sections for "how to" stuff at the bottom, since the goal of this site is not to be a encyclopedia, but more of a community with non-neutral helpful things.

Like, for example, instead of the copy of the wikipedia article that it currently at Proteus you'd have:

If you're not sure what Proteus is, visit Wikipedia:Proteus (software)

==Known Problems with Proteus==

Some stuff....

==Helpful hints==

More stuff....

==Proteus Messageboards==

a
list

Just a suggestion to help get wikimac into its Wikipedia:niche. Doing it the way I just suggested would solve all of the problems I mention previously I think.

I was wrong about NPOV -- WikiMac does ask for neutral articles. But, I interpret that it is for users with an interest in Macs, so the neutral is more toward using facts rather than "religious" wars about protocols. Some Wikicities were created because there was enough on the topic that was falling outside of the Wikipedia desired scope. Others can speak (write) more about whether that was part of the goal. Perhaps the "how to" was meant to move here? Welcome to WikiMac! --CocoaZen 11:03, 11 Apr 2005 (EDT)

One of the main differences I see between this wiki and Wikipedia is that a community can form here where people can simply ask for and share tips and advice about using macs, and add information that might not be notable or verifiable enough to go in Wikipedia. Angela 16:36, 12 Apr 2005 (EDT)

I agree duplicating isn't a good thing. Let's not copy and paste from Wikipedia. It is bad, makes outdated copies. Let's use more links like this: cooperative multitasking using this code: [[Wikipedia:cooperative multitasking|]] in the middle of the article.--200.241.255.250 04:35, 22 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Great chance: focus on organized, up-to-date Mac info

I see this as a really big chance. WikiMac could become the first organized, always up-to-date, independent, free Mac info source. Currently, where can a user go for this info? Let's compare:

The Apple website: not independent. If there is a problem, Apple might try to mute it for various business reasons. Plus it's not quick since it's no wiki.
MacFixIt isn't categorized as clearly (there isn't a 10.3.9 page with all the problems and fixes), plus it's not free with info that is essentially added by its users. WikiMac could become a leader in this field.
Any other Mac news website: High quality of info, but not clearly organized neither.
Any Mac forum: Quick, but low quality

So, the only way to get all those advantages could be this very wiki. There are no bandwith problems. It's free. It's independent, It's organized.

But what we need is focus. There is no way fighting with wikipedia itself will help anything. So wikicites should not concentrate on being a encyclopedia, but a news source and discussion site. Here's a suggestion for the lead text on the main page that would ensure the success of macwiki: "Welcome to WikiMac, the organized, up-to-date source for Mac information. Browse WikiMac by category, or by major hierarchies." Comments? If I get none in the next week, I'll incorporate those changes, okay?

Gödel 18:35, 22 Jul 2005 (UTC)

Hi Gödel, these are great suggestions. This is a wiki, which pretty much means that the fate of this site lies with the community. So dive in and change, write, improvise away! --DavidFeng 23:48, 22 Jul 2005 (UTC)

This might be a bit late, but I wasn't suggesting to change the content of the page, but to radically change the whole nature and mission of this wiki itself, inluding a complete overhaul of the homepage and the deletion of many subpages. I think such a matter would have to be discussed first, not "just done by someone". Gödel 01:19, 17 Nov 2005 (UTC)

Hi Gödel, I think your idea is good. It is also my idea. WikiMac is for all Mac information that is not in Wikipedia. Your slogan needs to be polished. It is too long, and has use instructions. It should only have porpose presentation. I sugest something like "Welcome to WikiMac, the place for organized, up-to-date source for specific Mac information not available on Wikipedia."--200.101.232.210 20:58, 26 January 2006 (UTC)

Non-Apple software

Not too sure where this should go, but I was surprised to find no mention of all the 3rd party stuff most of us use, either on the front page or in the major categories. Since for users it makes little difference whether something was made by Apple or another developer, how about a major Software category, divided into Apple and Non-Apple subcategories?

There are articles on specific 3rd party applications. For examples, see web browsers, Fire or a source for other 3rd party software information like MacCentral. Some of these are under categories for the type of software that they are (web browser). I think your idea of coming up with some appropriate categories, like "Third Party Software" is a good one. There is already a software category. --CocoaZen 22:02, 20 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Suggestions

Hi there. Great wiki, looks like it has the potential for greatness :-) Anyway, a few suggestions that I can't do myself:

The first searchbox only searches through this wiki, so the wikicities icon is kinda out of place. I guess it came with this icon when you started the wiki. Instead of creating a wm-icon, I'd suggest just to remove it, since I - as a normal user - can't do it directly.
Icon. Nice artwork, but I'd have it read WikiMac in similarly big letters
Headlines. I'd suggest that recent news always have a date attached to them.

Audiobooks

First time in this wiki, wondering either I can start a question that mioght be used later to crate the audiobook article.

I just downloadded Lawrence Lessig's Free culture audiobook in mp3. How can I make my iPod mini recognie it as such and put it in the audiobooks section?

--alexandre van de sande

I think a block/lock is needed

The IP 80.68.6.198 has repeatedly spammed the front page; I recommend either blocking that IP, or locking the front page. -- 144.124.19.33 17:53, 7 Dec 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for suggesting it. I've blocked the IP for 2 months. Angela (talk) 08:34, 19 Dec 2005 (UTC)

Protection

Just out of curiousity, why don't you protect the main page, since that is going to be your largest source of vandalism? --24.5.250.36 17:10, 6 April 2006 (PDT)

On Wikia, it's suggested that main pages are not protected unless they get a lot of vandalism. It's better to have the page open for all to edit, especially as it's the first page most users see. It's not the same situation as on a large wiki like Wikipedia, where they get a vast number of edits - even they had their main page unprotected (and then partially protected) for a long time. -- sannse (talk) 20:13, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

Windows

I've seen that there are a lot of red links to Microsoft Windows. Should a page be created about windows or do the links need to be deleted? Mouseheart 14:17, 19 February 2007 (UTC)

I guess that we can wait for someone to create a Microsoft Windows. We have Boot Camp now! Meanwhile, there have always been Mac users who want access Windows servers and open Windows files. However, we might want to remove other Windows-related links. --Kernigh 01:15, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

I think this wiki has too many places where someone has decided specify tiny fonts. Please remember that what something looks like on your screen may be different from others. Many of us like Apple products because of the attention they spend on usability. Please let's have this wiki be a good example of usabilty too. -- CocoaZen 02:14, 7 June 2007 (UTC)