WordPress MU

Is there a WPMU wiki, or any plans on having a WPMU wiki? Should someone start a WPMU wiki?

I doubt there will be a wordpress.org wiki for wpmu.

does there really need to be one? I know i'd be willing to help out with it.

It is already in the Wordpress wiki
http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPressMU
Although there isnt alot about it. My guess would be, any wiki documentation will grow out of that, since WP is at the core.

Information on WordPressMU should be on the Codex, since it is a WordPress product. As for support documentation for the program, that should be on its own Docs page reachable from their forum. Donncha and I discussed this and while contributors have only left "notes" and not an appropriate explanation page, I will clean it up in the next day or so to make it more informational rather than instructional.

quoted from http://codex.wordpress.org/Talk:WordPressMU

I have taken the time to grow several topics in the wiki, starting from the http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPressMU topic.

I later decided that they ought to classified as http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:WPMU but not all that have been added have this tag yet.

Rather than a few building on trac wiki, we will best accomplish collaborative goals with an open forum like codex.

Its great to see some content in the form of FAQs. http://trac.mu.wordpress.org/wiki/FAQs : the content is a useful start.

I do question though, the wisdom of having the wiki locked down so only the privileged few can edit.

I'm surprised and a little perplexed at this approach. Wikipedia was founded on the basis that all have something to contribute: the benefits of allowing anyone to openly add stuff really pays off when it comes to leveraging the efforts of people who are willing to help. In 5 years Wikipedia, using the wiki method, outstripped the content and quality of 95 years of Encyclopedia Britannica using the privileged editor method.

Whilst it can seem nice to be given privileged access, I'd take the collaborative approach any day. I'm not clear who has access to write to the wiki on trac.mu.wordpress.org but having to put in other people's edits is an administrative load that is boring at the best of times.

And that's when you are being paid for the job.

The wiki on trac.mu.wordpress.org does have one advantage - unlike on the Codex wiki its changes are not lost among the edits from non-mu edits:

Does anyone know, is there a "related changes" view to show only edits made under a the WPMU category? http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:WPMU

Lastly, I welcome dialog on this matter: if you disagree with me and would rather the wiki be edited by only the select few please say? I welcome feedback.

As someone who has dealt with many of the issues that Wikipedia faces like copying of copyright material, spamming, artcles being ruined by those with little or no knowledge, political fights between users and editors, unbalanced application of the rules, etc., I assume you that things are not all roses with Wikipedia. I know teachers who tell their students that while WikiPedia is a good start, they will not accept any research or cites from that site.

I've already correct a number of your own edits over at the codex by the way.

A wiki's content evolves as the quality of people's contributions push it. Too few eyeballs and it is subject to spam, etc. I know that. By the number of edits it seems that codex does have a sizeable readership.

> I've already correct a number of your own edits over at the codex by the way.

Great, but sadly neither I nor most of the masses here cannot contribute to your articles on trac. Unless more people get access they cannot efficiently get in their changes of what is unclear, what's related in their minds, or write-up their own experiences.

I don't care which wiki (trac/codex) is used, only that it has some sort of open access for those wanting to contribute. A vetting process may be a reasonable compromise if you feel that it would get too much junk in the early days.

The search I want for codex would be something like this non-functional expression:
http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:Relatedchanges?Category:WPMU - I'd then personally want to restrict it to english language contributions.

Regards, M.

The expression I wanted was http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Special:Recentchangeslinked&target=Category%3AWPMU

> maybe, just maybe, what if the lack of documentation is somewhat intentional? http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=5604&replies=16#post-33417

>thats the most disturbing thing about this place. there's no documentation.
http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=5604&replies=16#post-33432

Unlike wordpress.org's single user site pages which lists in the top menu "Docs" as a link to the wiki:

<b>Home - About - Extend - Docs - Blog - Support - Hosting - Download</b>

MU's top menu has no such link to the wiki:

<b>Home - FAQ - About - Forums - Download</b>
http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic.php?id=5604&replies=16#post-33403

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As a start, please say "Agree" or "Disagree" to lobby the-powers-that-be to make a prominent link to Codex from the top menu.

- Agree

- Disagree.

Here is why.

If you're running MU...

a) most of the codex applies to WordPress itself, which is most of MU.

b) users should already know where the codex is.

c) it's mostly administrative documentation to make up what's missing, which isn't rocket science. if it is, MU probably isn't for that person.

d) why help people create 10,000+ clones of wordpress.com? if you want to do it bad enough, you'll figure it out.

e) from the readme file:

"If you're not comfortable editing PHP code, taking care of a complex [web server] and database system and being pro-active about following developments of this project then run, don't walk, to http://wordpress.com/ and sign yourself and your friends up [for] free blogs.

It's easier in the long run and you'll save yourself a lot of pain and angst."

- (typos corrected in [typo])

They are telling someone, in a nut shell, that it's an advanced script, for advanced users. That being the case, it's not surprising that there is a lack of documentation. Why? Because the users that MU is targeted to aren't having issues, and have no problem figuring it out.

Just to note:

1) There is now a link to Docs above. This page points primarily to the Codex wiki.
2) As per Donncha's announcement of MU 1.3, http://ocaoimh.ie/2007/10/30/wordpress-mu-13/ Codex is the official place for documentation with all content moved off trac.

Happy Halloween.
M.