Help Me Build The Ultimate Porsche Tech Wiki Using This Board!!!
 

All of this thinking about Warren has brought an idea into my head that I can't believe I didn't think of before. I would like to start on a "Best of the Board" archive project that would create a "virtual workshop manual" based upon the most useful and valuable posts on the BBS. Obviously, I would need plenty of volunteers to help me figure out which posts to include, and which category structure to include them in. I'm thinking that we break the categories down into groups like:

- Bosch Fuel Injection
- CIS
- Motronic
- MFI
- Brakes
- Upgrades
- Bleeding Tips
- Pads / Disc Replacement
- Caliper Upgrades / Rebuilds

etc. for example. We can have it echo the 101 Projects book layout if necessary, although I think that the categorization for the book would be too simple for the vast amount of knowledge locked away in here. Basically I would like to avoid having extremely useful posts locked away or hidden in the archives. We can use the board, or we can use a Wiki model. I already have MediaWiki (the open source software used for running Wikipedia) installed at the following url: http://wiki.pelicanparts.com , but I haven't ever used this software before, and I don't know anything about it.

So, basically I'd be looking for volunteers to help with the categorization project. Perhaps a group of knowledgeable leaders, and a set of helpers who can search the archives for various useful topics. I'm not against compiling links from the outside world (and also linking to our own technical articles too). The goal would be to create the ultimate source of techical information for all Porsche models (and BMW too, eventually) using the knowledge and expertise of the people here.

I don't have the time or resources (or collective experience) to attempt a project this big. I'm looking for help. I think the potential end product would be a *tremendous* asset to the DIY community - far more comprehensive and useful than one Bentley manual or my 101 Projects book. In fact thinking about this is making me excited. But again, I cannot do it without extensive help from the board.

What say you?

-Wayne

I say, that I have herad of this idea on here before. At least, I remember the word 'wiki'. Sounds like a good idea, Wayne. Glad you thought of it.

You coming out to play on Tuesday?

I think this is the thread you are thinking of. Some good ideas about possible approaches and issues.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/355276-wikipelican-coming-soon.html?highlight=wiki

Right, I don't have a good short term memory. Instead of making the Wiki a source of information, we'll make it point to other sources of information, like a big list of links or a depository. Basically the one source for all links to information useful on a topic, and then we can point people to the wiki when they ask on the forums.

I need volunteers and helpers!

-Wayne

I have a lot of time. I'm not familiar with BMW though. I'm up for it.

How about extracting the posts on this board of some of the key technical players into an Excel spread sheet? (or something similar)

If you made a list all of the hardcore tech gurus, extracted all of their posts into a spread sheet. I think you might be surprised how fast you could pare it down by deleting anything that wasn't a key technical point. You would be left with a large collection explanations of most of the subjects that we would want for the wiki.

Off the top of my head I would think you could pull the posts from Grady Clay, John Walker, Steve Weiner, Bill Verburg, Warren Hall, Steve Wong, etc. (add names of experts in specific fields that are lacking) You would end up with a really good selection of concise explanations that could be edited into really good basis for the wiki. Then the ongoing wiki process would solve the rest of it.

Cool, we can discuss it more in detail on Tuesday, if you'd like. Maroon 911 Carrera, right? Coupe?

-Wayne

Actually, it's Arena Red and a Targa. Sheesh! :D

Some people have 10,000+ posts. I think that we would need to create the base Wiki section, and then have a post here on the boards that said: "Contest - find the best links / info on Bosch MFI and post them to this thread". Then we'd gather up all of the links and put them in the Wiki.

-Wayne

Maybe I will start by taking the 101 Projects list and chapter breakdown and then starting there. One question on Wiki stuff - how do you prevent buttheads who are out to sabatoge stuff (Internet terrorists?) from deleting everything? I guess you can have a moderator approve every change?

-Wayne

Hmm, I bet I can modify the forum software / templates to add a "Recommend this page/post/thread be added to the Pelican Porsche Wiki" link that you can just click and it will be sent to a group of Wiki people who can review and add it if necessary?

-Wayne

If you can raise Messie Jessies score, you can do anything!

If you go the Wiki way (which I think would be great) another group you could have is the definitive technical details of each of the major interesting 911 variants.

It could link together the photo posts ("Show me your 3.0RS/IROC/RSR" etc) with the mountain of fine details available in various posts about each - would help those setting out on a reproduction/lookalike build to understand the differences between them. eg Fuchs on a 3.0RS are 15 x 7" and 9", on IROC they are 15 x 9" and 11" and on RSR are centrelocks (don't know how acurate this is but you get my drift)

I'll help as much as I can - but it will be more with the grunt searching for raw data and leaving it to the experts to review and decide what the correct entries are.

Tim

I'd suggest we start with every post Warren made - should be easy to search on his user name...

A search page will bring up numerous pages - each volunteer can be assigned to 1,2 or 3 of those pages, and can characterize them as to what 'section' or keywords are involved. One person - Wayne - should be in charge of the final assimilation or of handing out the key words or sections t be used. That will cut down on confusion.

Also, for structure - lay it out the same way as the factory manuals.

I think you might be surprised at how fast you can rip out the chaff from a 10,000 line spread sheet. The real key would be to spread it out among volunteers so you can spread out the load. (Which is the key to a wiki to begin with.)

That being said, I think the contest idea for the different subjects would be a great way to get focused relevant threads and posts. The posts that people remember are pretty much the ones that you need.

Part of the wiki software should be a version control system. Editor's changes are graded and after they develop a reputation for accuracy their 'score' will allow them to publish more easily. The software should take care of the problem. Buttheads/newbies will be automatically limited because of their lack of a positive score.

Check these out for a starter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Semi-protected
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Protected_pages

For a little fun:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Most_vandalized_pages


BTW - You need to make sure that there is a section based on the Admit to your stupidity thread where you can highlight some of the better cautionary tales! (I just love watching train wrecks)

Another idea:
How about a button on posts where users can nominate a post to go into the Wiki? Set a threshold of how many different users need to click on it to make it pop up on your radar.
Additionally with a little programmer help you could add a grading score to add extra weight to the recommendations of users who have a tendency to recommend relevant posts. That would help reduce the quantity of direct labor you would need to put into the initial knowledgebase to get it going.

Yep, the Wiki idea was mentioned here a while back:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/296791-ping-wayne.html

:D

Thanks Wayne!

Kudos, credit duly noted to Willem Fick for suggesting this a year ago!

-Wayne

Okay, here's the deal - I have officially added the Wiki project to my master ToDo list for 2008. I will start by creating a categorization structure based upon my best guess as to what will work, and then open it up to editing / comments. It will probably take about a year to get fully populated. Some sample topics that I can think of:

- How to value your 911
- Information on the Porsche 959
- 911 Videos
- Info on troubleshooting MFI
- How to decode VIN options
- Porsche photos

Etc.

I'm excited about this, I see a vision of where this can go...

-Wayne

The Porsche WSM structure seems to be a good platform to start. It has categories and is structured by model groups...

In addition the conversions (engine, body, backdating) seem to be discussed a lot here over the years and should have a place. I am looking forward to this.

Ingo