DBSTalk wiki or knowledgebase ???

[bhelton71]

Has there ever been any discussion around creating a DBSTalk Wiki / knowledgebase ? The reason I ask is there is a huge amount of knowledge locked up in the forum threads - anything you could want know really is all there. But as new people join - either they don't search or don't know how to construct a good search. Or even don't know what they are searching for - ie don't know the lingo. Anyway with the wiki they could just drill in until they get to the area of interest - and I think they would have more success finding what they want.

I know it would be a huge amount of work to get the initial data load - and obviously the whole thing would be dependent on the mods and/or the advanced users setting up the major divisions and reviewing submitted content for opinions and neutrality as well as factualness.

[Chris Blount]

Please see this thread:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=68184

[Supervolcano]

Ummmm, wellll, errrrrr .... Behind closed doors somewhere else, I'm working on something that stemmed from the following thread:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=121769

The original goal was to just have it be a sort of bug tracker forum. One thread per bug. But during my 3 days of thinking and writing up my ideas, I foresaw how equally invaluable a general FAQ forum could be, each thread revolving around a "common topic" ... and I put that on my "long-term goals" list of things I'd like to see done if the original "bug's venture" pans out.

Then instead of us asking new thread starters a zillion questions and them answering (which sometimes takes days), we just link them to the FAQ thread that pertains to their topic and ask em to go read it and then come back if they need to ask more.

Then last night the idea was actually brought up by someone about maybe using wiki as the "tool" instead of subforums to help us accomplish what we are seeking out to do.

Quite to coincidence, ehh?

bhelton71,
If your interested in helping to put everything together AND your willing to help manage it .... please send me a PM expressing your interest .... but understand that we might not get to decide what "tool" we can use (wiki, subforums, etc...) if we get to do anything at all.

[bhelton71]

Please see this thread:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=68184

I guess I was bit broad - my intention was to collect those things that not subject to change and present in a hierarchical representation. Just as example - what got me even onto this - someone asked about firewire output on their HR20. As far as I know - DirecTV has never had and never will have a firewire port on their boxes. So that is just a hard cold fact - but I'd be willing to bet it has been answered 50 different times in various threads. Or another related favorite - how do I record hd from my settop ? Those two fit would comfortably fit under an 'External Recording Questions' along with archiving to DVD for example.

I think the EKB idea is closer to where I was thinking - grouping of major areas with just very common questions/topics in areas that are not subject to change. I wholeheartedly agree a true wiki poses its own set of challenges - and I would not want to create a new gripe zone as it were. But in my mind I was thinking more of the structure it offers rather than everyone going in willy-nilly adding what they think about something - thats where the forum structure shines.

And then you have the folks who have done an excellent job of collecting data - MiloMinderBinder2 and Spanky_Partain come to mind with their networking and tips tricks & faqs sticky threads - I think those would benefit from being placed in a common central repository - possibly unlocked from pdf to hypertext. But then I am back to the central problem - some of the knowledge is fluid and subject to change so where is the line ?