General WikiScience (new threads)

Best start page layouts?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:51:04 +0000

I'm trying to come up with some good ideas for organizing my various wikis better. So I'm wondering: Which wikis, in your opinion, show the best layouts for the start pages - and why do you consider them "best"?

I'm especially interested in wikis that integrate the new blog function with a "conventional" wiki, but I could also use some general inspiration for nifty layouts.

Wikis, Wikidot and Business Models 2

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:41:09 +0000

From the point of view of a user I have always wondered why developers underestimate the importance of support. (Not making a hint at Wikidot here - it is a general impression of mine regarding software developers of all sizes and sorts.)

Good support can really make everyone happy - users do their work faster; developers receive quality feedback and focus their efforts at improving what needs to be improvemed most; users are happy that their problems are addressed and become eager to spread the word. I think that quality support is one of the best marketing tools for software/ web services and maybe one of the least utilised.

But it's not only that - I think support is underutilised as a revenue model, too. I am far from the notion that it can be the main revenue stream but it could be one. I am also far from the idea that users should not have a large portion of it for free.

What I am suggesting is that Wikidot could charge for instant, over the phone (or Skype) support while keeping everything else (that is the non-instant support on this forum) free.

The rationale is that the value of support can be determined by how urgently one needs it. The sooner one needs it the greater probability she would be willing to pay for it. (Actually a user might be disappointed to see no paid support available when he needs it as soon as possible and is ready to pay.)

Of course support should not pervert the idea behind a product - developers must remain focused on improving their product and making money from that rather than charging for support of a crappy product bound to require a lot of support. (Fortunately this can happen in monopolistic services only.)
Thus a basic principle in a revenue model based on support should be: the less support needed the more money made. In practice this could translate to, for instance: the more time support takes the less be charged for it.

How it can be implemented in Wikidot is another story. Questions may arise such as:
- what if the user who pays for support is not happy with the service, shoudl he pay then?;
- how could it be determined if the issue was really resolved?;
- how exactly is the payment is going to take place?;
- what if the support team can't find a solution?;
- will the solutions be entered in a database for reference to everyone else, for free?;
- should Wikidot need to hire staff specifically for this or Wikidot users would be offer paid support, too?

These are technicalities and I have a ideas about them and I'd gladly discuss them. But first, what do you think about the suggestion as a whole?

Entry at wikimatrix.org outdated

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:14:49 +0000

I stumbled over wikidot and it looked interesting. The first place I crosschecked is http://www.wikimatrix.org but Wikidot's entry http://www.wikimatrix.org/show/Wikidot makes it look really bad. I suggest to update that, p.

Wikis, Wikidot and Business Models

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:22:08 +0000

I am going to post a few suggestion how Wikidot can make money (in addition to the planned "Pro" accounts). Since my suggestions for Wikidot cannot but also refer to wiki platforms and wikis in general, I will be posting them under this "General WikiScience" category.

My first suggestion is very simple: no matter how good, how clear, how colourful, how intuitive handbooks we make for first time users, most of them will always prefer someone to save them the reading, "chew it for them" and explain it on the spot (or over the phone/ VoIP).

So why not offer this option for new users and make money from it - paid support for first time users over VoIP, priced in "packs" of 5 hours, 10 hours, 20 hours, etc?

Wikidot may even not need to hire employees for this. Just make a "marketlpace" for Wikidot lessons and retain some percent from the prices.

_________

Following posts:

http://community.wikidot.com/forum/t-103612/wikis-wikidot-and-business-models-2

what is project khoj?

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 05:07:37 +0000

now a days, people are consuming a lot electricity thatswhy, electricity is less in rural areas because in towns &cities we people are using electricity. in this project khoj the main aim is to conserve electricity, and so that ''gaon gaon bijjli ho paye'',means every villiage should get electricity facilities.

[[http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/centers/electricity.gif
]]

Just You & Your Wiki - Is that the way you really want it?

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:06:10 +0000

You've heard the phrase before; "SEO". It stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the process of getting your site listed high up on the SERP's (Search Engine Results Page). Merely getting indexed isn't enough, if you want a popular site, you must promote it.

Introducing the Seo Dojo moderated by yours truly Whane The Whip <— Actual SEO industry professional and Wikidot Guru.

I'm just getting started on the site and you can expect some deep content relating to SEO methods and information even the experts don't know about (yet). But for now, and assuming that most wiki whackers (yeah, good term so I'm borrowing it) are unfamiliar with SEO, I've written a brief SEO Guide just for you.

If you are an SEO pro, or a budding SEO enthusiast, I invite you to join the site and add content if you wish. Contributers will eventually share PR. Don't know what PR is? Then you better start reading…

P.S. Site content has not yet been perfected, but the guide still contains accurate and priceless information. I will be improving the site and adding content throughout the next few months.

What kind of wiki?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:27:54 +0000

I was wandering around the mainpage when I noticed a strange thing: the top three wikis are about online games!
You may also notice that the three top tags are: RPG, games/game and online!
Isn't it a little weird?
Seeing what I see, I must assume that the only way to have a rapresentative wiki here on wikidot that may spread the word of this great wikibuilder is a game played elsewhere?
This sounds strange to me: can't we came up with something else and make a wiki at least as popular as those "game-cheaters"?

Hmm... search misuse

Tue, 06 May 2008 15:34:01 +0000

I've noticed that the largest percentage of internal searches on any wiki is usually "search this wiki".

Why do you think this is?

— Shawn

What is a Wiki?

Mon, 05 May 2008 22:07:47 +0000

Try to define a wiki. :) It's harder to do than you think. (or it's just me.) Consider this a challenge.

— Shawn

WYSIWYG Editors

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 22:36:49 +0000

I'm a fan of the decision not to use a WYSIWYG editor in Wikidot - it allows for the pages to be much smaller, and gives a lot more control over the looks. It's not that hard to do the code, either.

What makes a wiki better than another kind of website?

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:18:36 +0000

What makes a wiki better than another kind of website?

Why use a wiki rather than any other kind of website?

— Shawn

What makes a good wiki-whacker?

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:17:10 +0000

What kind of person do you think makes a good wiki admin?

— Shawn

What is success for a wiki?

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:12:57 +0000

What is success for a wiki?

— Shawn

Why WikiScience?

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:12:02 +0000

I've created this forum because we need a place to talk about making successful wikis. There is an art and science to it to be discussed. Well, stop reading this sticky and get to thinking about these questions :

What is success in terms of wiki?
- What categories of success are there?
How do you achieve that success?

— Shawn