Help:Tracking changes: Difference between revisions
(Extending; Removing the old content - Still WIP though) |
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The main purpose here is to explain how to use the wiki software, how it is structured, where you can learn more about it, and not less important, how to interact with the part of the FlightGear community that is directly involved with the wiki. | The main purpose here is to explain how to use the wiki software, how it is structured, where you can learn more about it, and not less important, how to interact with the part of the FlightGear community that is directly involved with the wiki. | ||
== For readers new to a wiki == | |||
{{tip|If you are very familiar with Wikipedia, you can just skim through this section or even skip it.}} | |||
A wiki is a place for collaboration. There are many like it but this is ours. As with most wikis they allow readers to browse through the ''articles'' and other ''pages'' making up the content of the wiki. Pages can also be found by using ''links'', traversing ''categories'' and ''searching''. But lets start by describing what you can see on a typical wiki page. | A wiki is a place for collaboration. There are many like it but this is ours. As with most wikis they allow readers to browse through the ''articles'' and other ''pages'' making up the content of the wiki. Pages can also be found by using ''links'', traversing ''categories'' and ''searching''. But lets start by describing what you can see on a typical wiki page. | ||
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=== Typical article layout === | === Typical article layout === | ||
==== Messageboxes ==== | |||
At top of some articles there can be ''messageboxes'' with general notices about the article. These could for example state that an article could be out of date, contain factual errors or is to be deleted. | |||
Sometimes there are messageboxes in other places in article as well. | |||
==== First section ==== | |||
The first section of the article, before the table of contents should contain a summary of the article. Sometimes you might instead find this information further down in a section named something like ''Goal'', ''Background'', but this practice is discouraged. | The first section of the article, before the table of contents should contain a summary of the article. Sometimes you might instead find this information further down in a section named something like ''Goal'', ''Background'', but this practice is discouraged. | ||
==== Infobox ==== | |||
On the top left in many articles you can find an ''infobox'' with a summary of information relevant to articles about certain subjects, for example aircraft, airports and software. | On the top left in many articles you can find an ''infobox'' with a summary of information relevant to articles about certain subjects, for example aircraft, airports and software. | ||
==== Navbox ==== | |||
Below the infobox or at the bottom of the page there is often a ''navbox'' with links to related articles in a series of articles. | Below the infobox or at the bottom of the page there is often a ''navbox'' with links to related articles in a series of articles. | ||
At the bottom of the article you can find links to related wiki articles and FlightGear project web pages like forum topics, developer mailing list threads and source code. | ==== Links to related FlightGear resources ==== | ||
At the bottom of the article you can find links to related wiki articles and FlightGear project web pages like forum topics, developer mailing list threads and source code. | |||
==== Links to external resources ==== | |||
Sometimes there is also links to pages external to the project. | |||
==== Category links ==== | |||
At the very bottom of an article there should be ''category links'' to category pages which list all pages in a category with pages on the same subject. | |||
== Wiki features == | == Wiki features == | ||
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This allows for very transparent collaboration. | This allows for very transparent collaboration. | ||
=== | === Tracking changes === | ||
* | As the ''revision history'' of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways. | ||
* | |||
* | ==== Recent changes ==== | ||
* Watchlist | The page [[Special:RecentChanges]] is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki. | ||
If you want to have a feel about what is going on on the wiki you could start your wiki session by having a peek at that page. | |||
Some of the things visible there is: | |||
* Edits to pages | |||
* Creation of new pages | |||
* File uploads, usually images | |||
* Creation of new users | |||
* Pages being protected | |||
* Deletion of pages or files | |||
As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits. | |||
==== Watchlist ==== | |||
The ''wathlist'' will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy. | |||
The watchlist is accessible from a link in the top right corner of every wiki pages when you have logged in. | |||
At first the watchlist will be empty, but pages can be added to it by clicking the ''watch tab'' (the star icon tab) or by clicking the "Watch this page" box below the edit summary text box when editing or creating a new page. | |||
==== Page revision history ==== | |||
The ''revision history'' of a page, accessible from the history tab, holds all the changes to a page. Some data regarding deleted revisions is only available to users with sufficient rights. | |||
The revision history allows you to look at and compare selected revisions using ''page diffs'' (or often just ''diffs''), as well as link to a certain revision or comparison of revisions. | |||
=== Types of pages === | === Types of pages === | ||
Revision as of 06:52, 21 February 2016
 |
Work in progress This article or section will be worked on in the upcoming hours or days. See history for the latest developments. |
This tutorial is mainly aimed at people new to the FlightGear wiki, but might also be useful for the more experienced users from time to time.
The main purpose here is to explain how to use the wiki software, how it is structured, where you can learn more about it, and not less important, how to interact with the part of the FlightGear community that is directly involved with the wiki.
For readers new to a wiki
| Tip If you are very familiar with Wikipedia, you can just skim through this section or even skip it. |
A wiki is a place for collaboration. There are many like it but this is ours. As with most wikis they allow readers to browse through the articles and other pages making up the content of the wiki. Pages can also be found by using links, traversing categories and searching. But lets start by describing what you can see on a typical wiki page.
Elements of a wiki page
While there are two ways to view wiki pages, the desktop view and the mobile view, we will go through the desktop view here as the mobile view hides many features for the sake of simplicity. The features are described as seen with the default Vector skin.
From the top you have user links on the top right. These are related to your account (if you have one). On top of the content of the page there are some page tabs related to the page. On the left is the sidebar with navigation links, links to various tools and links to other language versions of a page. On the bottom of the contents of a page is a category link a link to a category page listing other pages in the category.
User links
If you have an account and is logged in the user links to the very top right are related to you user account:
- Your user page
- Your user page, where you are encouraged to describe who you are and what ambitions you have on the wiki.
- You can also add subpages to your user page with for example drafts and other wiki projects.
- Talk
- You user discussion page, where other users may be able to take contact with you.
- If your discussion page have been edited, you will get a notice when you load any wiki page.
- Preferences
- Your wiki preferences, where you can adjust and customize some settings.
- Watchlist
- Your watchlist, which list changes on pages you have "starred" and are watching.
- Contributions
- A summary of your contributions and uploads to the wiki.
- Log out
- Through which you log out from your account.
Page tabs
On top of the page content there is a set of tabs:
- An article or page tab
- For viewing the article if you are on another tab or for going directly to the page if you have been redirected.
- The page tab also gives an indication about what kind of page you are on.
- A discussion tab
- With the discussion page for a wiki page or a user.
- A read tab
- With the exact same function as the page tab
- An edit or source tab
- Which will allow you to edit a page on the wiki when logged in or see the page source if not.
- A history tab
- Which will show the edit history for a wiki page.
- A star tab
- That will add or remove a page to or from your watchlist.
- A more tab
- That hide some more functions, in particular a function to move pages. Wiki admins also have a protect and a delete function.
Search box
On the top left above the page content and to the left of the page tabs is a search box.
Sidebar
To the near top left is the sidebar with:
- Navigation links
- To some pages deemed important enough to link to from every page:
- The main page of the wiki
- Where you end up when going to http://wiki.flightgear.org
- The recent changes page
- Listing all the latest changes on the wiki
- A random article
- The village pump
- The village pump is the page for wiki discussion not related to a particular page or user.
- The summary of help pages
- The portal pages
- FlightGear web sites
-
- The main website, http://flightgear.org
- The forum, http://forum.flightgear.org
- The bug tracker at SourceForge
- Links to info on events, like expositions where FlightGear developers can or have met in real life
- Toolbox
- Slightly dependent on the type of page you are viewing
- A summary of pages linking to the page you are viewing
- A summary of edits related to the page you are viewing
- The upload wizard
- A set of special pages, with information on pages, categories, files and users
- A more printer-friendly version of the page
- A link to the particular version of the page you are viewing.
- Information about the page you are viewing
- Language links
- To versions of the page in other languages
Category links
At the bottom of the page should be links to one or more category pages, which are listing pages in that category.
The page footer have some information related to the page and to the wiki in general, such as the license, privacy policy and terms of use.
Through the "Mobile view"/"Desktop view" links one can change between the desktop and mobile views.
Typical article layout
Messageboxes
At top of some articles there can be messageboxes with general notices about the article. These could for example state that an article could be out of date, contain factual errors or is to be deleted.
Sometimes there are messageboxes in other places in article as well.
First section
The first section of the article, before the table of contents should contain a summary of the article. Sometimes you might instead find this information further down in a section named something like Goal, Background, but this practice is discouraged.
Infobox
On the top left in many articles you can find an infobox with a summary of information relevant to articles about certain subjects, for example aircraft, airports and software.
Below the infobox or at the bottom of the page there is often a navbox with links to related articles in a series of articles.
At the bottom of the article you can find links to related wiki articles and FlightGear project web pages like forum topics, developer mailing list threads and source code.
Links to external resources
Sometimes there is also links to pages external to the project.
Category links
At the very bottom of an article there should be category links to category pages which list all pages in a category with pages on the same subject.
Wiki features
Main characteristics
The two main characteristics of a wiki that like the FlightGear are using the MediaWiki software are:
- Anyone can register and edit most pages
- The edit history of all pages is preserved and is available to everyone
This allows for very transparent collaboration.
Tracking changes
As the revision history of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways.
Recent changes
The page Special:RecentChanges is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.
If you want to have a feel about what is going on on the wiki you could start your wiki session by having a peek at that page.
Some of the things visible there is:
- Edits to pages
- Creation of new pages
- File uploads, usually images
- Creation of new users
- Pages being protected
- Deletion of pages or files
As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.
Watchlist
The wathlist will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.
The watchlist is accessible from a link in the top right corner of every wiki pages when you have logged in.
At first the watchlist will be empty, but pages can be added to it by clicking the watch tab (the star icon tab) or by clicking the "Watch this page" box below the edit summary text box when editing or creating a new page.
Page revision history
The revision history of a page, accessible from the history tab, holds all the changes to a page. Some data regarding deleted revisions is only available to users with sufficient rights.
The revision history allows you to look at and compare selected revisions using page diffs (or often just diffs), as well as link to a certain revision or comparison of revisions.
Types of pages
In addition there are several types of pages. These different types of pages are usually separated in different namespaces:
- Articles
- Pages in the main namespace, making up the most of the wikis content.
- Files
- Generally images used to illustrate the wiki.
- Categories
- Grouping together pages with similar content in a somewhat hierarchical fashion.
- Templates
- That are used when the wiki editors either want content to be presented in a consistent manner or to lessen the amount of typing needed for common things like repository links etc.
- User pages
- Where users can present themselves, have to-do lists etc.
- Discussion pages
- These are used for discussions about the wiki, individual pages and with users.
- Portals
- Howto pages
- Help pages
- Like the one you are reading now.
It may not be obvious at first, but pages in these namespaces are used in different ways, many of them are for example linked to in very different ways.
Wiki markup
To format the text of the wiki, adding images etc, wiki markup or wikitext is used. For a summary see Help:Your first article and for details, see Help:Formatting.