Answers To Pattys Questions

1. What's a wiki?

Hard question!

Many pages on this topic on the original wiki (and other wikis) have been written, re-written, deleted, discussed, reformulated and synthesized.

The original Wiki: , and it's search page: http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?FindPage

In short and to be sure incompletely and inaccurately:

Wiki is a hypertext system in which every page can be edited by anyone, and typing the name of any page automatically creates a link to that page. Generally included are a page of RecentChanges, search capabilities, and often means to customize appearance. It is difficult to be specific about features because there are literally dozens of wiki implementations, several each in the usual languages (C/C++/Java, Perl/Python) and more than a few of the unusual languages. Some accept HTML markup, most accept a sort of wiki markup (usually few keystrokes) with two quotes for italics and three quotes making bold, something for indenting, etc.

There is no inherent front-page to a wiki, since the front page looks like nearly every other page. PikiePikie (the wiki that runs my weblog) is a very un-wiki wiki in my opinion.

Wikis have been used to develop books (it has spawned three), for groups to develop documentation together, as a personal/group information manager, as a discussion system, an encyclopedia, any combination of these and no doubt other uses as well.

I have written far too many words here, because in the end there is something philosophically profound about wiki (it has spawned at least two separate wikis arguably about philosophical/religious matters -- one serious, one humorous).

http://www.ourpla.net/cgi-bin/pikie.cgi?WikiWiki

2. Mac or PC?

What's a PC?

I own more than half a dozen Macs, and one Linux box (never seen MS software).

That said, i got over my religious phase around when i really understood what Richard Stallman was talking about. That made Apple and Microsoft both "bad guys", but i never converted to being religious about free software/open source, just highly opinionated :-).

One thing that makes Dave Winer interesting is that he publishes proprietary software but the use of the software, and much of how Dave and his company themselves work, is so open that it shares the spirit of openness that Stallman is after (except for the non-UserTalk code base of course).

3. What grosses you out?

Hm, everything really gross edges quickly into horrifying. I guess some of the ugly violent sexual imagery i've had the misfortune to run across from horror fiction, generally any kind of drastic and/or cold violence. Hm, grossed out -> horrified -> sad at the tragedy.

Oh yeah, and maggots.

4. How long have you been going online? (in any form)

Well, i used a teletype machine to access a computer that my dad's company had timeshare to by modem in 1975 or 1976? Not really a network situation.

But the net (probably BITNET mostly?), 1988 i think, as a help desk support to a room of Macs, PCs?, and VMS (i think) terminals.

5. Do you play any musical instruments? If so, what?

Just my voice.

6. List some of the things on your desk.

Piles of stuff i haven't looked at since i got a laptop. Scary but true. My office needs a thorough deconstruction.

7. Do3z 7H|z 53n73nc3 m@k3 53n53 7() j00?

Strangely, yes. I guess this 31337 writing is sort of a modern take on rot13, with the advantage of being decodeable with a meat brain (though i have heard word of some who can decode rot13 on the fly).

8. Tell me about something really embarrassing that has happened to you.

I never thought i'd spend so much of the money i inherited.

9. What would you rather be doing right now?

Aiyo...well, i checked the clock and it's 4am so i thought sleep, but that's not really where my head/heart's at.

I'd rather be in a real community.

10. Who would you not want to be trapped in an elevator with?

Any impenetrable, patiently compulsive evangelist of, well, almost anything.

11. Will you buy me something from my wishlist?

I don't know, but i'll go take a look and we'll see. I'm only just realizing that these wishlists are a 'thing' done on some weblogs.

Great questions! Thanks...