Idiot Wind: Blogs vs WikiWiki

Blogs vs WikiWiki

This question must have been asked many times before. There is only one difference - whether we intend to do this Creative Process on our own or, collectively.

I decided to put up an OpenWiki online after playing under my IIS for a couple of days. I am not sure if OoooWiki will ever takes off but it has no doubt given me an opportunity to learn some SQL and server setup. My present host is using Apache and mySQL but Openwiki definitely needs Microsoft (the choice of database, however, is very much up to the end user who may want MS Access, MSSQL or mySQL). I was lucky to have found an excellent trial offer by DotNetCentral a while ago (12 months free + a free domain!!! It was a great give-away. I was probably the last one to sign up as the offer was closed the next day I revisited the site.)

The major advantages of WikiWiki (as compared to MoveableType, WordPress or other blogging software) are its ability to provide an open and casual environment for online collaboration and its relatively ease of use - all it takes is to learn some of its ‘Formatting Rules’ and it will create new pages, tables, links, categories on the fly.

The major drawback is its inability to fend off spams. All the WikiEngines I have seen will likely require a considerable effort from the administrator to do a regular and frequent clean up.

When 99% if your POP3 emails are spams and you cannot really exercise any control, you find an alternative like gmail. The days of POP3 are numbered if there is no major revamp to enable fighting spams more effectively. WikiWiki’s has even fewer options in this regard because if its free editing feature is turned off or limited to registered readers, it effectively becomes a team blog. WikiWiki may likely prevail in a closed environment; say within a certain department within a company. As regards the idea of public Wiki, I am not particularly optimistic.

Posted on October 7, 2004 08:10 PM
Categories: Play

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