I’m not grasping this use of a wiki. Looks to me like a different way to format a thread. In this case, one that overlaps with aTbRef. Would probably be better to feed suggested updates on aTbRef to @mwra rather than start yet another reference file.
Maybe better clarity on what’s wiki, what’s content for aTbRef, what’s a conversation thread?
Thanks for the link to aTBRef. I didn’t see it. I’m fine if this message is deleted. Before asking a question I usually try to find it on aTBRef and in the forums.
You are right… . it is a different way to format a thread. Instead of asking my question, “why do notes have different backgrounds” and getting several responses I thought it would be helpful to share what I knew and have others fill in the blanks.
I see this entire discussion board as a reference file. My intention is to try to make it more useful. If it isn’t then I won’t do it.
FWIW, aTbRef is already to a large extent a summary of insights arising from 3 (4?) generations of TB community wikis/fora. It’s why aTbRef gets edited weekly if not daily. Indeed on first opening the thread I was already copying aTbRef links for a reply.
Whilst there is a link above to aTbRef on the content and type the note actually embraces this as well.
Not an auspicious start. I mean no disrespect to @Steve_Scott who’s motive is good. But this thread really reminds me why I hated using the old Tinderbox wiki. For all the good stuff there, 99% of posters assumed someone else would make their copy readable, link it etc. People would essentially ‘own’ a page (I don’t mean their actual biography/profile page), but rather people would page-squat and use that page to add content that ought to go elsewhere, essentially making it their private forum.
I put a lot of time and effort into keeping up this forum (and the Backstage, and aTBref, and demos, and…) but if I’m going to have to spend time every day making wiki edits into meaningful stuff, I think I may hang up my hat here as the admin load would be much higher for no real return. By all means have a wiki, but please not here—i.e. not in this forum/URL.
Also, please everyone, don’t even think of starting a wiki page here without first checking this information is not already covered elsewhere. This community is responsive and you’ll get a yes/no pretty fast. Otherwise we’ve unnecessary duplication and more confusion for learners who already think things are complicated.
Sorry if this sounds glass half empty, but please think about the behind-the-scences effort needs for usable wiki content: it’s much more than your imagine.
Let me row back a bit: I’ve messaged @Steve_Scott’s but I’ll note that fact here. His suggestion has merit: the devil is in the detail.
The point about the discoverability of info in aTbRef (or elsewhere) is an issue. Google refuses to index the site )I can’t get anyone competent to engage on why). That’s why I’ve added a DuckDuckGo search to all pages as a fall-back. aTbRef is hosted on my (shared, Linux) VPS, so I’m open to improvement ideas. For instance, is there an indexing tool I could put on my server so we don’t have to rely on Google, which keeps breaking its tools (move fast, break stuff: I know that’s the cool kids way)?
It is possible to download the aTbRef TBX and use Tinderbox to find topics, even if you then prefer to read them online.
The app help probably needs some manual indexing. The (HTML) pages for the helps are, you’ve guessed, made in a TBX so if not already indexed perhaps a volunteer could help with that. Indeed, perhaps we could set $Tags for key (all?) aTbRef notes. I think human curated indexing still tends to outdo machine-matching in terms of signal to noise, but it’s harder work.
@mwra, I tried to reply to your private message, but I accidentally replied here!
Thanks for your message in private and here. It is a challenge for me to find things because I sometimes don’t know the terms I’m looking for and evenif I have the correct terms I sometimes can’t find it.
Again, grateful for all of the people willing to help perennial tbx novices like me!
@Steve_Scott Take heart, you’re not alone on this one. We’ve recently (i.e. earlier today) a positive exchange in a different thread on the creating of a vocabulary map (aka a Tinderbox rosetta stone). It will be a lot of fun to work on this as the nuances in the language carry a lot of meaning.