Help:Tracking changes: Difference between revisions

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(Splitting off the section "Types of pages" to http://wiki.flightgear.org/index.php?title=Help:Namespaces&oldid=93256)
(Removing what is left except from the section "Keeping track of changes")
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{{WIP}}
One of the main characteristics of a wiki that like the FlightGear are using the MediaWiki software is that the edit history of all pages is preserved and is available to everyone.  This allows for very transparent collaboration.


This '''tutorial''' is mainly aimed at people new to the [[Main Page|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.
=== 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  These could for example state that an article could be out of date, contain factual errors or is to be deleted.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.
==== 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.
==== 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 ==
=== 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.
As the ''revision history'' of pages is kept, changes can be tracked in various ways.


==== Recent changes ====
== Recent changes ==
The page [[Special:RecentChanges]] is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.
The page [[Special:RecentChanges]] is a list of all the recent changes on the wiki.


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As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.
As it shows all the latest changes it is often the place where one will find any spam, vandalism or other unwanted edits.


==== Watchlist ====
== Watchlist ==
The ''wathlist'' will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.
The ''wathlist'' will help you keep track of interesting pages if the recent changes page is too busy.


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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.
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 ====
== 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'' 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.
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.
=== 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]].
== Whats next? ==
* [[Portal:Wiki]]
* [[Help:Your first article]]


[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Help]]

Revision as of 07:56, 21 February 2016

One of the main characteristics of a wiki that like the FlightGear are using the MediaWiki software is that the edit history of all pages is preserved and is available to everyone. This allows for very transparent collaboration.

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.

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