SC4 Encyclopaedia

[JoeST]

WOOO, a slope mod by Ennedi, how exelent, and a update on your fantastic MD. If you want to test out TUT articles, feel free to use mine, and if you want some other people to test/write articles, I am free.

Joe

[RippleJet]

WOOO, a slope mod by Ennedi, how exelent

I can ensure you it is excellent, and well worth the time it took!

[dragonshardz]

hmmm...going back to the MD thing, what could be done is have a D category where those who want to can write the backstory of their MD and put in a link to the MD on the forums.

What do you guys think?

[JoeST]

Nice idea, maybe restrict it to well established MD's, also they could post a table of contents on the page?

cant wait for the update

Joe

[catty]

Hi All, I tend to be a lurker not a poster, but think a SC4 Encyclopedia is a great idea not only for beginners, but so the information we already have doesn't get lost, so while I don't have much experience with wikis, I have had some experience in Web Site creation, technical writing and proof-reading, so if that any use to you, I am more than happy to help in anyway needed. Catty

[krbe]

Just need to check in every once in a while I'm having a few problems now, both RLS (maybe an exam, maybe not, but at least a lot of lectures...) and computerised (worked like a charm during three hours on the train, and when I come home, it's a dead as a dodo ). But at least I have an old, crappy Compaq so I can visit you guys

I'm glad to hear Ennedi's slope mod has been/are going to be public; I've used some of them myself, and I really like the diagonals!

Now, I just hope I can be of some help soon

[JoeST]

I guess either RLS has hit again, or maybe ur keepin secrets

hope to here from you soon

Joe

[Ennedi]

I guess either RLS has hit again, or maybe ur keepin secrets

hope to here from you soon

Joe

Both 
But don't worry, this is the first theme in my schedule now
Some secret work will be done this weekend, and then... we will see 

[JoeST]

ooooooooooooooo

* star.torturer jumps up and down

[krbe]

[JoeST]

any progress?... sorry to bump this thread (again) but I really want to help with this project. and whats with the skunk may I ask? (me must just not be getting the reference.. lol)

Joe

[Ennedi]

Some patience please! 

As I said last time, last weekend I tried to prepare a few articles. But of course there were a lot of unexpected things to do during that time, so I wasn't be able to find links, prepare pictures and so on 
The wiki structure is ready. Our first idea two months ago was to write some articles and this way give others an example - how should look a properly written article. Our intention was to prepare a bigger amount of them, and then make some exercises with editing and managing the wiki. But it is very time-consuming, so I suppose we will prepare only a few articles, then make the wiki public and invite all of you to the cooperation. It would take too much time if a few people (having much more things to do) would fill all Encyclopaedia categories, even only partially.
I will try to finish my articles next few days, and then we will discuss the future tasks in our team. We will definitely need your help, and I feel a bit ashamed of the last break. But I'm still sure it is a good idea and I want to develop it (of course I can't be the only person to manage it).

Adam

[krbe]

The building Ennedi and his mates are buried in when they're working in the Skunk Works producing our wiki

... when he's not hanging out in "Cafe Poland" of course. There's always the risk that the occasional coffee and croissant are too tempting.

[JoeST]

oh, sorry....

cant wait, still

Joe

[Ennedi]

The building Ennedi and his mates are buried in when they're working in the Skunk Works producing our wiki

... when he's not hanging out in "Cafe Poland" of course. There's always the risk that the occasional coffee and croissant are too tempting.

Skunk Works
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Skunk Works is used in engineering and technical fields to describe a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy, tasked with working on advanced or secret projects. 



Very good you described this term, Kristian, I didn't know it's source and spent some time with the dictionary 
I must explain there were only two reasons of starting this project non-public:
1. We wanted to keep the general wiki structure well ordered, to avoid problems in future
2. We want to learn how to manage it before making it public, to know what to do in the cause of improperly created category, unclear article structure and other similar events.

We don't prepare a new SR-71 or Stealth (=invisible wiki  )

PS. I love this logo! Maybe we will use it? (No, it is probably protected by copyrights  )

[krbe]

Indeed it is. But if we call the development of the project secret (not the project itself, which is highly public), you may probably use it as it's only for authorised eyes

Edit: Or use it as a categoriser, a "common" logo for those working on the NAM, the different teams, our French friend which name starts with a W (sorry W, I never remember how to spell/pronounce it), as we're all working with a high grade of autonomy or on secret projects Or use it under the "idiot" clause. The logo is also mirrored on Wiipedia for some reason; perhaps to avoid Lockheed doing anything stupid?

[JoeST]

sorry for being persistent, I guess you have just been busy with your other projects. hehe

any news? 

Joe

[Ennedi]

sorry for being persistent, I guess you have just been busy with your other projects. hehe

any news? 

Joe

Sorry for late answer Joe!
Your supposition is partially true. Yes, I have a few other project started and I want to continue them. I have not enough time to do two serious things in the same moment, in addition my RL work needs spending at the computer a few evenings every week. It's a temporary situation, and some of my RL tasks are difficult to provide earlier. The most critical period on the building site I'm working now ends up about 20th May and I hope I will have more time after that date.

But it is only a part of true and I would like to explain something to you (and others) in a more detailed way:
As I promised some time ago, I started to prepare a few articles in March. But before putting them into the wiki I checked them and started to think again.
What is my problem for now?
It would be relatively easy (although time-consuming) to choose a theme, check SC4D and several other SC4 sites, collect links and write an article simply repeating most important information (in the author's opinion of course) from most informative sources. I have done it for several themes. But after reading these articles again I came to conclusion that in fact it is not a big progress - an information looked still chaotic and cluttered. The problem is that the value of various source texts is very varied and it is difficult to create a condensed yet clear information without any rules. My main goal is to create something easy to read and understand for people who don't have any knowledge in the particular area. I'm a beginner in many things and I know what I need, some advanced discussions between experts are above my head without more basic information. And there is a lack of such basic information very often.
If we would like to simply collect a source information in one place, we wouldn't need a wiki - an index with links would be enough. I saw some wikis of that type on several sites (not SC4) and I can't say they are a big help for readers.
I think SC4D is a good site. We need a professional encyclopaedia or nothing.
So what is the conclusion? I will not be able to prepare articles for many themes. But I want to make - as a minimum - a few articles showing the proper information structure to make learning as easy as possible, and to use them as a reference for creating next articles by other people. If I will not do it, the managing team will have a lot of unnecessary editing work, and we probably will not be able to check and edit every separate information. It needs a bit more time and some inspiration  At that moment I will immediately ask Fred to make the wiki public and we will be able to work together, having a good start point.
Sorry Joe, I'm not a machine, I have good ideas from time to time, but I have also some periods of an incredible stupidity 
In addition, I know that some of my teammates (SA, Fred) are very busy lately, so I don't want to force them to do too many things in the same time.
I can honestly say I'm going to continue this theme, I'm sure it is very good idea and can be a great help for many people, even more that many old yet important threads are more and more difficult to find. But I must put some additional work to it. So please for some patience, I know very good there is a lot of positive energy around this theme and I don't want to lose it.

[JoeST]

Thanks for the update, and what you say is true...

and as I have said, I am always here to help...

oh and about you not being a machine...

will digest it and add some tomorrow, its getting late

Joe

[Pat]

Adam if you want help here with this at all in getting any information lemme know and Im still willing to help!!!