The Campaign Builder's Guild

Quote from: IshmaylI actually do have news after all.  It looks like MediaWiki, which is the wiki software we use for our wiki, has a FreeMind plugin that we will be implementing.  Fun, fun!

Hot!

I've been playing with FreeMind all morning, to the detriment of my other work.

Looks like I'm going to end up moving not only my Jade Stage notes into FreeMind, but also my to-do lists, lesson plans, recipe rolodex, and other delicious trifles as well.

I'm with Luminous here.  Ishmayl, that FreeMind is quite the find.  I can't wait to move my information there.  It's incredible!

that's great news guys, I'll be keeping you up to date on the progress.

Bumping this thread so people don't forget about the upcoming options. Who's excited? I am excited!

I'm interested in who will be using the new options, and how. I'm brainstorming ways to organize and present my information, and would be pleased as punch to hear about some of the methods you folks will be using.

Me, I like CSS/HTML, but the wikifarm is increasingly more enticing. Maybe I'll use both?

I, for one, love the idea of a wikifarm. I'll be posting my stuff on the normal wiki for now, and farm it once that gets here.

It's there a projected release date?

Quote from: LCWho's excited?

The Phoenix is so excited he might burst into flame!

I expect I'll start with the Wikifarm for the Kishar encyclopedia, then maybe use the new hosting options for the main website, with links back to the farm. In this way, I hope to cut down on the number of website documents I need for terms.

But then, it kind of depends on space limits on the wikifarm, too.

Quote from: EclipseIt's there a projected release date?

Not one precise enough to mark on your calendar, but we're assured it is "very soon."

In the meantime, what are you using for your campaign wiki? I might be interested in having a throwaway sort of space to play with my campaign information before the wikifarm goes live, with expectations of transferring it all to the wikifarm later.

So far, not anything - I'm still getting everything organized in MSWord. I'll be transfering it over sometime in the next few days. I'll be using the CBGWiki. :) Same with the transfer to the wikifarm - for now, it's going to mainly be experimenting and getting information down.

Quote from: PhoenixI expect I'll start with the Wikifarm for the Kishar encyclopedia, then maybe use the new hosting options for the main website, with links back to the farm. In this way, I hope to cut down on the number of website documents I need for terms.

But then, it kind of depends on space limits on the wikifarm, too.

I'm really torn between webhosting and wikifarm solutions. I think your mishmash of the two is a pretty good compromise between the two, but I'm still not sure how I want to manage my own stuff. Here's my trouble:

Webhosting: PROS

Lots of control over layout, setup, etc.
Can play with CSS, etc, have lovely fun
A groovy lc.thecbg.org address (and other stuff bundled in Ishy's hosting deal)
Freedom to use images, color, other visual niceties
Surprisingly cheap way to entertain myself
Easy to download a backup of the whole shebang


Webhosting: CONS

Updating stuff is a little more involved, time-consuming
Sometimes code can be frustrating! (but not too bad)
Need to learn more about webpage layout/navigation and design a better version than the one I've got now
Not searchable


Wiki: PROS

Easy/quick to update
Layout is pretty intuitive by default
Incredibly easy for readers to browse/navigate/find information
Searchable (HOT)
Don't cost nothin'


Wiki: CONS

Not as pretty as a custom page
Something else, I suppose?


Honestly, I think my ideal "have me cake and eat it, too" scenario would be a webpage with PHP, CSS, pretty pictures, and other goodies. BUT, it would be easily searchable like a wiki, and heavily interconnected with links the way wikis almost invariably are. (I want readers to be able to easily browse my information nonlinearly.) I will likely have to mix webhosting and wikifarming to achieve this, I think. I just can't make up my mind!

You know, now that I think about it for a while, I can easily see myself using a Wiki as a temporary information dump, to help me get my thoughts in order before transferring everything to a nicer-looking webpage.

I think the wiki format's strengths involving ease and quickness of making new pages and linking ideas together makes a wiki very similar to an "idea map" style of prewriting exercise. I can easily imagine the process of getting things into wiki format jostling the writer's brain into seeing connections and parallels that may have been previously hidden.

Yeah, I found that a bit when making an inter-connected web page.

Quote from: Luminous CrayonWebhosting: CONS


Not searchable

Actually, it's pretty easy to set up a little search box that will search your site.

[/derailment]

Quote from: IshmaylActually, it's pretty easy to set up a little search box that will search your site.

[/derailment]

Tell me. I hmust know.

[/Inigo Montoya]

Quote from: Luminous Crayon

Quote from: IshmaylActually, it's pretty easy to set up a little search box that will search your site.

[/derailment]

Tell me. I hmust know.
[/Inigo Montoya]

Yes, yes do not keep us in the dark Ishy.

Is this one of the uses of databases in a site?