Definition of a Wiki

Half of a Hawaiian term for quick. Any other questions?

Ok, a Wiki is a collaborative website comprised of the collective work of many authors.

A Wiki allows users to easily upload, edit, and interlink pages. At their best, Wikis foster vibrant online discussion, proceeding in unpredictable, interactive ways.

The first wiki was created by Ward Cunnigham in 1995. They're increasingly popular with scientists, software engineers, knowledge communities, & others collaborating on projects.

Blogs vs. wikis

Blog users can post, modify, or delete their own content on a website using a browser interface.

Wiki users can modify any entry, even material posted by others.

Notable wikis

Wikipidia: an open content encyclopedia

Everything2: a community-edited "microsociety"

Still curious? Proceed to Characteristics of a Wiki, or jump back to general information about this website