Wiki Process Guide

Before editing or making contributions, please make sure you are familiar with the applicable Membership Contribution Policy and IPR Policy of this community.

Getting Started with this Wiki
The Wiki Main_Page, a link to which can be found under the "navigation" block (on your left) would generally be the first place to go. Click on the KSU Logo (upper left of any page) should get you to the Main_Page too. Well designed wiki's should provide further links to appropriate content from that page.

Viewing of wiki content can be done with almost any web browser (no password is needed for "open" wiki's (which is the mode this wiki is working in); username/password will be needed for "community only" wiki's (where applicable).

To write-to (edit content of) the wiki, one will need to "Log in" (see: upper right corner). First time users should create an account if you have not already done so, with a user name for yourself (like "Jane Doe" or "Abraham Lincoln" before you proceed with a wiki authoring/editing session. Please use your real name, as that would allow contributions to be properly attributed to you. You will need to use a password (even if it's simple) so that your identity does not get spoofed too easily. Note that an email verification is needed for your new account to take effect. Text formatting rules for this flavor of wiki can be found at the Getting_Started page. For other guidelines to working with this Wiki, please read our Wiki_Style_Guide and Wiki_Process_Guide. First time users could read more about wiki's (say, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki) and then play in the Sand_Box.

[*Accessability considerations: the "create account" process employs a test mechanism to prevent spambots from acessing the edit mode; users who are vision-challenged should contact the WikiAdmin by e-mail so that authentication credentials may be created by the administrator on their behalf and sent to them.]

Editing of any wiki page can be done (after one has logged in) by loading that page on your browser, and then click on the "Edit" tab at the top of a page. Do your edits in the editing dialog box. One may click on the "Show preview" (or "Show changes") button to see how the new edits look like. When you are satisfied with the edit, please click on the "Save page" button (at the bottom of the page) to update the page. For significant edits, it is recommended that one should make an entry to "Summary" field to document the edit and help highlight what that edit session entailed (for the ease of future retrieval.) You may be challenged to perform some simple task (like solving a simple arithmetic problem) so the system can confirm that you are not a "spambot."

Check Recent Changes Regularly
It is good practice to click on Recent Changes regularly, to see what has changed, and possibly identify new avenues to which you can contribute. The Recent Changes link can be found under the "navigation" box on your left (any page).

Wiki Page Index and Special pages
Also at the left, under "toolbox" corner is the link to "Special pages" where you can find a whole spectrum of pages about the content of this wiki. Of particular interest would be the Page Index, as this provides a site-map of the content in this wiki workspace. Do make a note of this important resource.

Editing Open vs. Maintained Pages
Editing of content is general open to any person in the community. Proper netiquette applies, as usual.

Generally, everyone is welcomed to make edits. Please refer to styles and conventions for this community at the Wiki Style Guide page. However, if a page is marked as a [ "Maintained Page"], one should always refer updates and changes to the "owner" of that particular page.

Only one person can be editing a page at any one time. If there is a conflict (for example, someone actually updated the page while you had it open to add your own content), the system will indicate that. Under that situation, one may want to copy your new additions and changes (and set it aside, e.g. onto your clipboard or a tmp file), close the existing editing session and start a new one, and then add those new additions or changes in.

System Support
If you run into a problem, you can contact the WikiAdmin. .. or, feel free to ask anyone in the community who are more familiar with the system and the process -- this is what collaboration is all about.