WikiMac:Press releases
From WikiMac, Everyone's Mac Knowledgebase
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WIKI INFORMATION PROJECT FOR MACINTOSH USERS GOES LIVE
David Feng, President of the Beijing Macintosh User Group, has announced the opening of the Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users (WikiMac) (http://mac.wikicities.com). This is a new Macintosh knowledge community which not only allow Mac users and Mac enthusiasts to browse freely, but also to edit an overwhelming majority of articles.
"We're ready for prime time," commented David Feng, who is also the founder of the Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users.
CORE CONCEPTS AT WIKIMAC
The most important core concept at the Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users is the idea that "you can edit this page now". This allows any user to join in and to edit an article. It even does away with the process of registering and logging in.
"This is going to revolutionise the way Macintosh information is spread and, indeed, edited on the Internet. Up till now, a majority of Macintosh websites were read-only, which gave the viewer a great deal of information, but no way to change that. Updates and mere corrections of typos were not possible. With WikiMac, things are going to change, with any living Mac user -- and anyone, at that -- being empowered to add new articles, edit existing ones, and do constructive things they've never thought about before."
With WikiMac, viewers are immediately transformed into editors. They will not only "just" have the ability to browse, but also to edit. With even registration an option (no longer a necessity), this sharply reduces the barrier toward participation in the project.
A central concept at the Wiki project is the idea of "diving in". Users are encouraged to "dive in", to expand articles and to create new ones. "If it's Mac-related, we're letting you dive in and create that article," says Feng. "No more "can I do this?"; at WikiMac, it's a direct policy of "diving in" and adding and editing articles."
The project also has affirmed a neutral point of view, as well as multiple points of views, to be its leading guidance when it comes to the way articles should be written. According to Feng, "neutral point of view keeps everything more credible and prevents edit wars, and multiple points of views mean that different sides can be allowed to air their views; this is also a complement to the neutral point of view policy".
"Pages that, at first, don't seem neutral or contain multiple points of views are not going to be deleted. They may be edited to appear more neutral, however."
VAST KNOWLEDGEBASE
The range of articles being offered at the Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users is extremely comprehensive, covering all releases of the Mac OS, all control panels, extensions, Security Updates, Macs, peripherals, Apple software and utilities, troubleshooting info, and a Macintosh calendar and Macintosh geographic information.
"There is vast potential in the project. We are creating a new, centralised Macintosh information knowledgebase. While, sticking to our policy of "multiple points of view", it may create certain competition, it is a boon to the average Mac user and researcher, who now needs only one address to access the canon of Mac knowledge," says Feng.
AVAILABILITY
The Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users is available immediately in English and Chinese at the Web address: http://mac.wikicities.com/ (Chinese address: http://zh.mac.wikicities.com ).
The project will be expanded to include versions in German, French, Italian and Spanish in the next few days.
The Wiki Information Project for Macintosh Users aims to be everyone's Mac knowledgebase. WikiMac is for the use of anyone with a Mac or with Mac interest, be they veterans from the 1980s or the newest iMac G5 user, be they a Mac researcher or a Mac technician. WikiMac aspires to be a new, central Macintosh information centre. As an international, multilingual project, WikiMac also is a website for Mac users around the world.
CONTACT INFORMATION
David Feng
Beijing, People's Republic of China
david@beimac.com
+86 13910039329
For other Wikicities press releases, please see Wikicities:Press releases.
This press release was posted to the following websites:
- Macsimum News (accepted, posted February 2, 2005)
- Macworld UK (accepted, posted February 3, 2005)
- MacSurfer (accepted, posted February 3, 2005)
