Re: Apple II Wikipedia articles

["PZ" <skierpaul@yahoo.com>]

I suppose there was probably a strong need for the  Unbutu Linux wiki
and the Amiga wiki at the time that they were developed.  However,
there are many new wikitools available to us now than were then.  The
new wikibooks site is one for starters.  With Wikibooks, one could
write a super-indepth guide on any topic, yet still be able to link to
the Wikipedia site for definitions.  ie. An article in a wikibook on
learning to program the Apple IIGS might mention something obscure
about the Mega II.  The user has no clue what the Mega II is, and bam,
they link to the Wikipedia article.

Wikipedia, although very vast, offers small communities some unique
tools, such as Portals and Wikiproject sites.  By creating an Apple II
Portal on wikipedia, we could have all of the benefits of an intimate
Apple II info site, with the bonus of being able to use existing
technology articles not directly related to Apple II computers, but
which certainly may be important for a reader to have a clear
understanding of.

Example:  A user is learning about the IIc, he/she gets to the
different keyboard Types, and is bewildered by the name "DVORAK".  On
wikipedia, all you have to do is click on the wikilink and you get an
awesome description and detailed history of that Keyboard layout.
You'll never get that on as small site like the Apple II guide.

Wikipedia has hundreds of semi-related topics similar to the one above.
 6502, 65c02, 65816, ensoniq, floppy drives, floppy disk, west coast
computer faire, GCR, CPM, z80, UCSD pacal, font, DVORAK, ROM,
soldering, ram disk, appletalk, - these are just examples of partially
related topics to the Apple II which I pulled off of the main "Apple
II" Wikipedia page.  Is someone going to rewrite all of these?  Isn't
it better for a user to be more informed by having access to these
additonal articles?

2 years ago, a site like gabriels might make more sense, but with the
new tools (Portals, wikiprojects and the Wikibooks site) I don't
believe that starting a site like the Guide is a good idea.  If we roll
on an Apple II guide wikibook right now, we can get right into the
details of how to get stuff done on the Apple II, rather than trying to
redescribe what already exists in a great encyclopedia.

Obviously, we both feel very strongly about the Apple II, I've
evaluated the options and I'm going to have to continue doing my edits
in the same encyclopedia which Mich Spector and Jerry Kindal and many
others have already heavily contributed to.

Likewise, I feel its important to keep adding Apple II content to
wikipedia, because its far more likely that someone will "stumble" upon
Apple II content there than anywhere else.  I consider myself to be
somewhat of an evangilist, and I strongly feel that at this point we
can get our userbase to grow.  Apple II Wikipedia simply gets more
"eyeballs."

If i write any more, I'm going to start putting [[brackets]] around
stuff, so I better stop now.

- [[PZ]] on wikipedia
- Paul (here)