[mbigna]

I came up with this idea after reading the Aug 25 front page. Joe C. wrote about an Australian O/C site that had a Wiki for freeware. It just dawned on me that this is THE place to find info about overclocking and there is a huge amount of talent here that would probably be willing to add their experience to such a project.

The neat thing about an O/C Wiki is that there is very little chance of people entering false or obnoxious info--there would be so little to gain. (arguments over Vendor X is better than Vendor Y notwithstanding)

To me, it is sometimes difficult to search the forums for specific topics to find what I'm looking for. I think it would be so much easier to navigate through a Wiki--which may have links to discussions in the forums. Most information about overclocking doesn't change over time (e.g. the bridges' functions on an [particular version] Athlon XP are never going to change). There should be several tutorials about how to lap and links to all sorts of benchmark software. We could probably take the stickies we have now (and the retired ones for that matter) and place them in appropriate subjects in the Wiki.

I am not a Wiki expert by any means. I use Wikipedia all the time and find it very useful and easy not to mention mostly accurate considering the number of varied people who contribute to it. I really don't know anything about installing, maintaining, or administering a Wiki and I don't know how much it might cost to implement (even if the software is free, it will still require some hardware and bandwidth).

Anyone else have any ideas to add to this?

[greenmaji]

I think procooling took a shot at a Wiki..
I don't really use Wiki myself though, seems like there's a big gap in the information given sometimes, I like details

[AmbientFiction]

Sorry but WTF is Wiki?

[mage_x]

www.wikipedia.com

basically a user driven online encyclopedia for nearly everything that exists.

[AmbientFiction]

I see

[ShadowPho]

Great Idea!! Lets do it!

[z0n3]

Umm...Why? If they already set one up why go through the hassle. It'll just end up as two sources with the same or similar information. A good way we could make it different how ever would be to have pages for prominent members of the community ,pages for events ,or threads that held community attention. Might be a good way of preserving OCF history.

[Lionsault_100]

Originally Posted by mage_x

www.wikipedia.com

basically a user driven online encyclopedia for nearly everything that exists.

and HE'S NOT EVEN KIDDING, HE LITTERALLLY MEANS EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS.

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by z0n3

Umm...Why? If they already set one up why go through the hassle. It'll just end up as two sources with the same or similar information. A good way we could make it different how ever would be to have pages for prominent members of the community ,pages for events ,or threads that held community attention. Might be a good way of preserving OCF history.

The Wiki from O/C Australia is dedicated to FREE SOFTWARE, not about overclocking. As far as I know, there is no Wiki dedicated to overclocking, techniques, products, terminology, etc.

[UnseenMenace]

Originally Posted by mbigna

The Wiki from O/C Australia is dedicated to FREE SOFTWARE, not about overclocking. As far as I know, there is no Wiki dedicated to overclocking, techniques, products, terminology, etc.

Want to know why, would you really want to keep that updated with regards to technology ?? - overclocking evolves greatly and as such the wiki would always be old information.

[Springbok]

Originally Posted by mbigna

The Wiki from O/C Australia is dedicated to FREE SOFTWARE, not about overclocking. As far as I know, there is no Wiki dedicated to overclocking, techniques, products, terminology, etc.

This is what he was talking about, http://overclockers.com.au/wiki/Main_Page

Not a bad idea, I'm sure ocforums has way more info to contribute.

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by Springbok

This is what he was talking about, http://overclockers.com.au/wiki/Main_Page

Not a bad idea, I'm sure ocforums has way more info to contribute.

I stand corrected. But I took a quick tour through that Wiki. It didn't seem to me like it was very focused on overclocking. In fact, there was very little information specifically about overclocking. In fact there was exactly ONE page titled "Overclocking 101" here:

http://overclockers.com.au/wiki/CPU_Guide

I searched for the term "lap" in their search box and it found NOTHING.

I think we have LOTS more comprehensive studies here at OCForums.

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by UnseenMenace

Want to know why, would you really want to keep that updated with regards to technology ?? - overclocking evolves greatly and as such the wiki would always be old information.

True, hardware will always evolve. But, certain techniques and principles will never change. For instance, a tutorial about lapping (sanding, smoothing, flattening) a HSF/heatpipe/waterblock can be written once [or more likely, just copied from the enormous amounts of information already in the forums] and left forever. Once the formulae for shorting bridges or pins on a particular CPU has been published, it can be pretty much left alone. Certainly as new processors and techniques become known, those person(s) who had that experience can write up the article about their processes and results for everyone else.

I know that we have extensive tutorials and tables and rankings on the www.overclockers.com front page and we have lots of stickies (though many are retired) in the forums. But IMHO, the search function for this glorified BBS leaves much to be desired. A Wiki creates a container where a boatload of articles can easily be sorted out. It encourages better organization, searching, and cross-linking that eases the acquisition of information. Experts--current and future--here will be able to update and correct articles and the Wiki will become more robust and useful over time.

[mbigna]

I wanted to post a link for you all to look at. This is the general overview of overclocking that exists at wikipedia.com:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overclock

After looking at that, and perhaps comparing it to what Overclockers Australia have going, I think you can see the potential for what we could really do with a dedicated Overclockers Wiki here.

[z0n3]

I don't think that a wiki could really adaquately explain a subject to anyone new to said subject how to do anything. What will end up happening is a lot of posts will go from "I read the stickies but I'm still confused," to "I read the wiki but I'm still confused."

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by z0n3

I don't think that a wiki could really adaquately explain a subject to anyone new to said subject how to do anything. What will end up happening is a lot of posts will go from "I read the stickies but I'm still confused," to "I read the wiki but I'm still confused."

hahahah! nahhhh.

Nobody reads the stickies!

Seriously, though. What you hear more often is "I SEARCHED the forums and couldn't find what I wanted." Wiki's give far more relevant searches in context than the brain dead vBulletin search.

Furthermore, if a member were to search the Wiki and not find anything close to what he is asking, (s)he can create a "stub" which is a topic with no contents. Other contributors can be notified and either write their own article or solicit others to write the article--or link the stub to a relevant forum entry or outside source.

Of course, if someone is still confused, they can always pose the question in the forums as usual to get help. If someone knows that this is a topic in the Wiki (perhaps by some other keywords), they can direct them there.

[tenchi86]

I really doubt that any Wiki we make will ever be an offical partner of ocforums.com. So even if we did make one we would have to direct everyone to it just like we do google. Personally I think it would be a great thing to have, though many problems could come up; such as fanboys posting false information, the site not getting enough support and dieing.

[Captain Slug]

We do have a wiki, it's called the "search function".
I did make a generic dictionary for modifications though.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=109005

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by Captain Slug

We do have a wiki, it's called the "search function".
I did make a generic dictionary for modifications though.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=109005

Well, you already know about my low opinion of the vBulletin search function. It's next to useless when you are trying to find something specific. And no, a "search function" is nowhere close in the functionality of a Wiki.

BTW, that link would be a prime canditate for placement in such a Wiki. Something a Wiki would allow members to do would be to fill in some of the blanks or otherwise add to and embelish your current definitions.

[jeffeulogy]

http://www.wikihardware.com/wiki/ind...itle=Main_Page

some people over at xtremesystems had been working on that. i'm not sure what the current status of the project is. an overclocking wiki is a great idea, and i'd personally love to have one to refer to as a resource but i'm far from knowledgeable enough to contribute anything substantial. good luck!

[Sheepeeshaun]

I'd love to contribute to an overclocking wiki - if I could
I agree that a wiki has better search features than the standard vBulletin search, the huge amount of info stored in stickies (and other posts) would be a lot more accessible.

Maybe we should have a poll?

Maybe some more senior/high up oc-forum peoples could respond?

EDIT: this isn't the right section, right?

[skou]

Guys, from my limited experience with Wikipedia, we CAN make contributions there. All we need to do, is to post it.

At the end of every paragraph, there is an "edit" link. Looks like all we need to do, is to type something up.

steve

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by Sheepeeshaun

I'd love to contribute to an overclocking wiki - if I could
I agree that a wiki has better search features than the standard vBulletin search, the huge amount of info stored in stickies (and other posts) would be a lot more accessible.

Maybe we should have a poll?

Maybe some more senior/high up oc-forum peoples could respond?

EDIT: this isn't the right section, right?

I have to admit, this isn't getting quite the response that I expected. Perhaps it is in the wrong section...

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by skou

Guys, from my limited experience with Wikipedia, we CAN make contributions there. All we need to do, is to post it.

At the end of every paragraph, there is an "edit" link. Looks like all we need to do, is to type something up.

steve

I had considered that idea, but I decided that a separate Wiki would be appropriate. I see Wikipedia as the public "World Book" online and as it is, the entry for overclocking is more or less an overview of what overcloking is, rather than a manual for overclocking. Of course, being a Wiki, there are links to other outside references to take those who are interested in delving further into the subject. If we do create a overclockers specific wiki, I would certainly advocate adding a link to it on the current Wikipedia entry.

[gt24]

Not all overclockers use ONLY the latest hardware. I have a few older boxes still kicking around, doing their thing, and I don't want to post a "How do I overclock and AMD K6-3?" thread. It isn't a huge deal... and the information did exist... somewhere... but irregardless, it would take too much effort to overclock that older machine.

However, a wiki would have the older article in there and I could locate it quickly. The information is "dated", I know, but it is quickly accessable just in case. So, an idea of a wiki is plausable.

However, vandalism, fanboyism, incorrect information, and alike could cloud the wiki requiring even more moderators than we have right now. Secondarily, it very well could be a resource that nobody will visit (lack of information) or contribute to (lack of knowledge, time, etcetra). I'm not certain how well it would work for smaller topics than "EVERYTHING"... and I think it wouldn't do so well in that context.

A potential model for this could be Ubuntu. They have a wiki that appears to be non-wiki like. It seems to be aimed moreso at how-tos and less like an encyclopedia...

So, while it might be a good idea, and I can see how it can work, I think neglect and vandalism will take it down in flames...

[Kemon]

I personally have a lot of experiences in dealing with Wiki's. I set up one at work using mediawiki which is the platform that Wikipedia uses. They're fairly simple and they definately have a place where they come in handy. My IT department uses it for writing down solutions to problems... procedures... business practices etc. It works out great for this because everyone that writes on it knows what they're doing and what they're talking about. I would think the problem with an O/C wiki is that there are a lot of people out there that will come in and write information that isn't exactly true. Then another user comes along and sees what the other person wrote and goes along with it and screws up their system.

O/C information has to have some sort of authenticity about it... the people that are posting information must be the most knowledgable people out there otherwise it's just a bunch of people posting nonsense. Ok so then people say... well we'll just moderate it and take out the bad information. If you do that.. the wiki you created isn't a wiki at all anymore. A wiki is meant for anyone to post whatever they want... it's supposed to be self monitored and self sustained. This is going to be really hard for O/Cing because there is so much that needs to be said and there are so many people that don't know what they're talking about.

[mbigna]

Originally Posted by Kemon

O/C information has to have some sort of authenticity about it... the people that are posting information must be the most knowledgable people out there otherwise it's just a bunch of people posting nonsense. Ok so then people say... well we'll just moderate it and take out the bad information. If you do that.. the wiki you created isn't a wiki at all anymore. A wiki is meant for anyone to post whatever they want... it's supposed to be self monitored and self sustained. This is going to be really hard for O/Cing because there is so much that needs to be said and there are so many people that don't know what they're talking about.

I guess that's the same reason that Wikipedia is so unsuccessful.
(um, yes--sarcasm)

Really, who hangs around here and posts bogus information? Overclocking is pretty much a straightforward process. There are facts, principles and methods involved that simply are not in dispute.

You forgot to mention another benefit of a Wiki--it keeps a complete record of edits AND editORS. So anyone intentionally placing bogus information in this Wiki would be easily found out--and probably banned from writing/editing articles again. That being said, I would recommend that only members be allowed to write and edit articles.

It is my opinion that as far as overclocking is concerned, the members here ARE the most knowledgeable in this field. I've always witnessed a spirit of helpfulness in these forums. While it is true that there exist among us fanbois of certain products, whether it be CPUs, memory, motherboards, video cards, sound cards, software...whatever--there have been very few efforts to outright mislead someone when it comes to tweaking their rigs. In those rare cases someone was given bad information, other members quickly correct it. If anything, members here go out of their way to make sure that fellow overclockers do everything right so nobody experiences a silicon meltdown. And if a computer goes up in flames, everybody wants to pitch in to help them recover.

As for you statement about if a Wiki is moderated, then it really isn't a Wiki anymore--I ask WHY IS THAT? Wikipedia.com is heavily moderated. The reason being is that being a general online encyclopedia, there are articles written on many controversial subjects. Often, particular articles are restored and locked so that only facts are printed and opinions are omitted. Face it, there just isn't much controversy about the subject of overclocking. It's just a set of methods of getting more out of your computing hardware. There are risks and there are rewards and costs, as well. We do our best to talk about all three honestly here. This would be the ideal place to consolidate, enumerate, elucidate, and disseminate all things overclocking. [yes, I am proud of my alliteration]

[Kemon]

I personally like wikipedia, but the fact is you cannot say all the info on wikipedia is valid... which is why none of the teachers in any of my college classes allow wikipedia to be a resource. The benefit of a wiki is, as you said, the ability to log changes and change back to previous states so if something bogus gets put in it can be undone. It's definately cool and it's the core behind what makes a wiki a wiki. My main question though is what's the difference between a heavily moderated wiki and a forum? That's all i'm asking. I'm not here to step on your idea or anything... just asking why it would be a benefit to us.

[mbigna]

It's true. Not everything in Wikipedia is accurate. But not everything in World Book and Britannia is completely correct. Books can be suspect, photos altered, and even the newspapers and the evening news (calling Dan Rather) have been known to make stuff up out of thin air.

I think your teachers are a little paranoid about Wikipedia. I would rather have a rule that Wikipedia is not allowed to be a SOLE source for a particular subject. Neither would I would allow one book or one magazine article to be adequate for supporting a particular thesis. But you probably agree that Wikipedia can be a good place to start your research. Most entries there are complete with outside sources for you to pursue. In fact, most articles that people write in Wikipedia are based upon the references that the authors source in those entries.

The benefits of a Wiki are in the consolidation, organization, and searchability of information. Consider an overclocking subject that you would like to research and start searching these forums for it. If you get a bit frustrated, join the club.

As far as an Overclocker's Wiki being heavily moderated, I doubt that we'd need to patrol this Wiki nearly as thoroughly. Few people here have any major axe to grind against any particular manufacturer. There are enough knowledgeable people here that obviously bad information would be easily and (hopefully) quickly found out. Furthermore, the kind of debates that are of the type "product A vs. product B" would not be going into a Wiki anyway.

Which brings me to another benefit of an Overclocker's Wiki: Symbiosis. Both ocforums.com and an Overclocker's Wiki would benefit each other. Ocforums.com would have a ready resource to direct people to when many 'noob' type questions are asked. Instead of disparaging potential new members, telling them to "search the forums" (or other forms of "RTFM"), we can easily direct them to our Overclocker's Wiki. The Wiki would (unoficially) take the place of the many stickies that are already underutilized. People searching the Wiki for "what sort of equipment should I buy" questions could be directed from the article(s) to the applicable forum (or even a specific thread). THAT is where any debates can take place as to members' opinions as to what equipment is the best [for the enquirer].

[JigPu]

After constantly finding myself using the Gentoo Linux Wiki while getting my laptop running, I can see how an OCing wiki could be a very good thing. Tutorials, how-tos, definitions, information... There's a lot of stuff about overclocking that's just waiting to be compiled in some format.

Vandalization could be a bit more of a problem then you think though. "Little to gain" or not, its going to happen. It's just the way the internet works. Give people the mask of anomnity (an IP address is usually anonmyous enough, and even a username isn't too identifying), and they turn into trolls. OCForums has a lot of eyes looking for trolls, and we deal with them harshly. To prevent vandalization of the wiki, similar (if proportianally smaller) measures will need to be taken.

I really do like the idea though, and will see if I can find some free hosting to "experiment" with. If it bombs, we're out nothing, and if it succeeds, then thats awesome.

JigPu