WIKI software

[yamaha_george]

Hi,
bit cheeky but I have referred another web-site's owner ( NOT motorbikes but Robots ) to look at the WIKI here to use as central one stop page for all things Robot just as we do for FZRO .
He asked me (of all people) a set of technical stuff so i told him I would ask you guys what software you use here and how easy is it to set up at the back end .ie what O/s the server runs on, is the WIKI software cross platform or platform specific ? I was foolish enough to say that from an "author's " / collators point of view it was very easy to use.

Since he is suitably impressed by what you have achieved for the FZR community he wants to give it a shot for Robotics.

Remember it is me you are talking to so easy on the tech jargon PLEASE.
Thanks guys.

[ranmafan]

ie what O/s the server runs on, is the WIKI software cross platform or platform specific ? I was foolish enough to say that from an "author's " / collators point of view it was very easy to use.

I've done several setups with various wiki engines for work and hobby... but really, every case has its own requirements. The best solution for FZRO probably isn't the best one for a robotics forum.

Most popular engines are very easy to use from the author's point of view, and many support a standard markup language. PHP/Perl-based ones (including Dokuwiki, the one at FZRO) CAN be made to work on anything that has PHP/Perl.... but, as a rule, Linux/Apache will take the least effort, by far. Mediawiki (what Wikipedia runs on) with Linux/Apache/MySQL is usually a safe bet if you have a dedicated server and not sure what to start with.

There are also very neat ones like Oddmuse. The whole engine consists of a single Perl script, yet has all the basic features you'd expect from a wiki (plus addons for more).

However, by the sound of it, the fellow might also want to consider hosting it elsewhere, for the time being. There's a ton of free hosts out there. Most of them are pretty decent (EXCEPT WIKIA. Oh God. Do not do it. Learn from others' mistakes.)

[ragedigital]

Yep - we use DokuWiki. Easy to install, easy to edit, easy to Admin... Just need to make sure that they web host supports PHP, which any decent web host will.

If I remember correctly, I simply loaded the files and ran the install.php file and it did it's own thing.

darrin

[yamaha_george]

Thanks Guys,
Much appreciate the info and the heads up on what could be serious GOTCHA's . I passed the news on verbatum so he gets the full picture not my interpretation.
If he came make a good a job as you guys did then he just might be something useful in the Robot world, which is sadly lacking ie a good community without the ego's getting in the way.
Thanks again.
Y-Geo.who as you see from the time stamp is up with the Nurses bringing the morning tea round :-}