Difference between revisions of "How is a Wiki Different"
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*takes on a life of its own | *takes on a life of its own | ||
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Someone looking for answers can | Someone looking for answers can | ||
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Some people want the answer, some people enjoy the journey. | Some people want the answer, some people enjoy the journey. | ||
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Latest revision as of 06:59, 5 August 2006
Cliff encouraged me to share a couple of thoughts:
On a typical wiki page "the answer" is at the top. The most highly evolved version of the answer is always visible. A wiki, like a forum is largely self-correcting, but you don't have to experience the process unless you want to.
In a typical forum discussion "the answer" is somewhere near but rarely at, the end. Finding the answer is a treasure hunt and you pretty much have to follow the clues and hope you recognize it if or when you stumble upon it.
A forum discussion
- starts
- takes on a life of its own
- sometimes reaches a solution / conclusion
- carries on and devolves, digresses, gets sidetracked or dies
Someone looking for answers can
- start a new discussion
- wait for the answer to emerge
or
- search for a discussion that looks relevant
- read through the unfolding story
- try to identify the answer if it is there
- try to recognize the point of diminishing returns, devolution, digression, sidetrack or death
Some people want the answer, some people enjoy the journey.