Wiki: Pedia
<p>A wiki is a web platform that enables multiple users to collaboratively create, edit, and arrange content through a browser.
They emphasize simplicity and openness — pages can be created or modified without special technical skills, and most maintain an edit history so revisions can be reviewed or reverted.
Key features
- **Collaborative editing:** Several contributors can edit pages, sometimes at the same time.
- **Edit history:** Each change is logged with a time and the editor’s name or IP.
- **Interlinking:** Creating links among pages is straightforward, which helps interconnect content.
- **Lightweight markup:** Pages are typically formatted with lightweight markup like WikiText or Markdown.
- **Permission settings:** Access controls vary — from fully open editing to permissions for certain users or groups.
- **Discussion pages:** Talk or discussion pages let contributors debate edits and organization.
Frequent uses
- Crowd-sourced knowledge resources (e.g., Wikipedia)
- Project documentation and internal company knowledge repositories
- Collaborative writing and shared note-taking
- Classroom and educational projects
Advantages
- **Fast collaboration:** Multiple people can add and refine content quickly.
- **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions.
- **Expandable:** They scale organically as users add more pages and topics.
Cons
- **Vandalism and false information:** Public editing can lead to vandalism or incorrect information.
- **Inconsistent quality:** Articles can differ greatly in depth, tone, and reliability.
- **Organizational issues:** Poor coordination or governance can cause content fragmentation and disputes.
Notable example
- **Wikipedia** — a well-known wiki operated by the Wikimedia Foundation and written by volunteers around the globe.</p>