[ale] Website musings

[Paul Boren]

On 9/2/05, Michael Still <stillwaxin at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 9/2/05, Michael Hirsch <mdhirsch at gmail.com> wrote:
> > On 9/2/05, aaron <aaron at pd.org> wrote:
> > > :-)
> > > Not to be a total pill, but I'm curious how would a "blog" be different
> > > from the ALE Wiki that we already under-utilize?

I agree that the wiki is not used enough.  It's kind of like joining
#ale on irc.freenode.net and finding users connected, but no one
really there.  ALE'rs know that the ale at ale.org list gets most of the
traffic.  If someone wants to write something then of course they can
add it to the wiki.  But you had better post to the list otherwise it
might be years before people get around to reading it.

> >
> >  The wiki is for persistent information--info that has a long shelf life and
> > is of long term interest.  A blog is for recording/disseminating information
> > of current interest.
> >

This is a matter of opinion.  A lot of OSS projects are using wikis as
a means of providing up-to-date documentation on software changes. 
The fact that it's pretty straightforward and there's little need to
play around with formatting helps.  Just get the information out there
and refine it as you go kind of like code.  That's what wiki is about.

> >  I like the idea of the blog to replace the klunky announcements page on
> > ale.org, but don't think it should be used to post tips and hints, or ask
> > questions.  The former belongs on the wiki or mailing list and the latter on
> > the mailing list.  At best, it would mean there are two places to look for
> > information instead of one, at worst it would obsolete the mailing list.

I highly doubt that.  Besides there's nothing wrong with a friendly reminder. :)

> >                                                                                                   ... We
> > don't need another way to get information out, we need better ways to
> > sort/collate/find the information we already have.

Sounds just like the gmail tag-line.  Michael Hirsch presented on it
at the Central meeting this year.  Sure you could do most of the same
things with a mail client, but it's more convenient this way.

> >
> >  I wouldn't mind a newsgroup gateway for the mailing list, though I find
> > that reading it in gmail is as handy as a newsgroup--maybe handier.  I would
> > love to have a usable archive or it, though google works pretty well for
> > that, too.
> >
> 
> http://dir.gmane.org/gmane.org.user-groups.ale
> 
> Slick service that has nntp and rss feeds of lists.  I keep ale on rss
> using my bloglines web based client.
> 

This is a good suggestion.  One of the reasons that I don't visit the
wiki a whole lot is that it does not have an RSS feed.  To add this
feature might require some software updates, though.

> --
> [stillwaxin at gmail.com ~]$ cat .signature
> cat: .signature: No such file or directory
> [stillwaxin at gmail.com ~]$
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> 

The ALE wiki is hosted on Charles Shapiro's server.  He has provided a
nice service including everything from local computer store
information to uploads of install-fest pictures.  Sure someone could
easily add a page and start a web blog there, but I'd check with him
before you do.

See

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiSquatting

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WalledGarden

-- Paul