Call for OpenGL Experts to act as OpenGL Wiki editors

[Khronos WebMaster]

We are beginning a new OpenGL Wiki to replace and advance the current OpenGL Getting Started and Technical FAQs. By involving the OpenGL developer community, we hope to keep the Wiki FAQ more up-to-date and more comprehensive than we could with the current static FAQ.

A basic framework has been started by Tom Nuydens (Delphi3d.net), and is now awaiting experts to fill in the framework holes and add in the content. If you are interested, send an email to webmaster (at) OpenGL (dot) org.

To help us select the best set of experts, we are requiring that contributors be frequent contributors to the message boards or members of an ARB member company. So, in your email, be sure to include your qualifications, any particular areas of OpenGL expertise, your message board handle, your familiarity with editing in MediaWiki, and anything else that is relevant.

[selwakad]

This is an excellent Idea.

[glDesktop]

An brilliant idea, but I don't see much happening, am I missing something obvious.

Some links would be helpful here.

[zero0w]

Yes, and I recommend the MediaWiki engine.

After all, many people are getting used to Wikipedia and it is good for users of other languages as MediaWiki handles Unicode well.

[Khronos WebMaster]

The new wiki is availalable for viewing on the new site. People who want to contribute should email webmaster at opengl dot org

[errantkid]

Isn't the conditions for becoming an editor a little strict? After all, not all "OpenGL experts" frequent the OpenGl.org forums. In fact, I doubt that very many do... I suppose it's to prevent vandalism, but how much danger is there really? Maybe simply provide more restricted access to the sensitive areas?

Final point: Technical FAQ sounds a little too much like a plain FAQ. I would personally love to have tutorials, OpenGl reference documentation etc on the wiki.

Other than that, it's a really great idea! Thanks a lot!

[sqrt[-1]]

Is it just me, or are other people getting DB errors when they try to add new pages to the wiki?

A database query syntax error has occurred. This may indicate a bug in the software. The last attempted database query was:

(SQL query hidden)

from within function "SearchMySQL4::update". MySQL returned error "1016: Can't open file: 'mw_searchindex.MYI' (errno: 145) (localhost)".

[V-man]

Dorbie has had the same problem.
See "due to a DB error"
http://www.opengl.org/wiki/index.php/Shading_languages

I would like to add that
http://www.opengl.org/wiki/index.php/Getting_started

needs to be developed further. That thing about downloading opengl95.exe should be removed or asy that it's obsolete.
There should be mention of extension loading libraries, a short code about how to use them.

[evanGLizr]

Originally posted by Metro:

To help us select the best set of experts, we are requiring that contributors be frequent contributors to the message boards or members of an ARB member company. So, in your email, be sure to include your qualifications, any particular areas of OpenGL expertise, your message board handle, your familiarity with editing in MediaWiki, and anything else that is relevant.

All this is good, but - and please take this as constructive criticism - why doesn't the OpenGL wiki have anonymous or free login editing like Wikipedia?

I don't think that having an "elitist" wiki where you have to send references & prove that you are an expert to be able to edit articles makes the wiki any good.

Frankly, I myself can't be bothered registering and sending my "references" or "qualifications" by email to someone I don't know just to be able to write to someone elses wiki things that I already know, I can already write whatever I want in my blog.

Also, you don't need to be an expert to correct formatting or obvious typos.

I think the wiki would benefit greatly from allowing anonymous editing or open log-in (like opengl.org forums). Vandalism can be corrected with a click by any "expert", and if doesn't work you can always lock pages, ban IPs, etc. The same goes for misinformation.
I don't think being pro-active against vandalism and misinformation is the right approach in a wiki.

Had wikipedia taken such a closed approach, it would be nowhere where it's now.

[jtipton]

It doesn't take hardly any time to get a Wiki login. It is nice to know that the writers will be experts in the field. The content is more likely to be trusted and respected.