Kilt Wiki?

[xman]

If I might humbly suggest that a wiki be put in place, I am sure it would be of immense value to n00bs like myself. The forums are a great place to get opinions and advice and blogs the same in more depth, but there's nothing like a well thought out, developed and maintained source of information to troll through. It would require the services of a web guru and many of the members contributing articles and entries, but incentives and contests can be a great way to get the ball rolling. It would also make X-Marks THE one stop shop for all things kilted. I predict the site would grow quickly which would benefit the advertisers and the site as well as anyone who wants to get a kilt on. I know there was a recent change of hands and the site is going through some upgrades and whatnot, but I believe it would be a beneficial addition.

Just throwing that up in the air. Who can take a shot at it?

X

[Bugbear]

I don't believe in the Wiki anymore.

[skauwt]

I don't believe in the Wiki anymore.

yeah im with ted on this anything that can be altered at the push of a button without any clarification by anyone isn't to be trusted,

this is why Xmarks is the equivalent of my wiki with the member's on here all it takes is a quick query and you'll have more answers than is needed most of the time

[Steve Ashton]

X Man,

If I can respond to your thoughtful post.

There is a Wikipedia article on kilts already. The last time I looked at it the article was full of misinformation and perpetuation of myth. It had been worked over so many times that it was essentially useless for anyone looking for a kilt to wear.

I believe that X Marks already does exactly what you propose. We have member written articles, we have reviews of different styles and makers kilts. We have the largest membership of any kilt forum. And almost everything you see and read here is good solid information.

Could we use more articles from experts in the field? Yes we could. Would you like to write and submit one?

Can you give me more ideas and concepts of how to achieve what you suggest right here within the forum? Send me your ideas and concepts.

See, the problem is not the lack of information, we are chock full of information. We already have some members who are the experts in the field. Within our membership we have the ability to do almost anything.

The problem is how to present it in a way that is easy to find and access without making this forum a big encyclopedia lacking any fun and sense of community. Would you care to provide some ideas and input to how to achieve this? I'm just an email or PM away.

See what I'm getting at? It is our members who have set the mood on the forum. It is our members who decide what to contribute. If members don't write and submit articles or provide input we are just a place on the web to pass some time.

I hereby put out a challenge to every member of this forum.

Do you want this forum to be the single source on the web for information about this thing we call the kilt? Then get involved and make it so.

Do you want this forum to be a fun and enjoyable place to visit and spend some time with your friends? Then get involved and make it that place.

Do you want this forum to grow and become a Clan in the truest sense of the word? Then it is up to you to create that atmosphere.

We don't need some outside web design guru to magically appear and somehow create something that people can visit and have all their answers presented to them on a plate. We already have the best place on the web. Our members will decide what this is to become. Get involved, participate, and contribute.

Do you make something? Share with your fellow members some hints and tips on how you do it.

Do you have a good book on your self? Share that book with your fellow members.

Do you like taking pictures? Put them up on the forum for all to see.

Do you know of an event or get-together that will bring our members out and provide them with an enjoyable evening in the company of their friends? Then post the details of your event.

It is all up to you, the members of this forum to decide what this forum will be and grow into. Now make it that way.

I am here, open to any and all suggestions and comments from the membership. A simple PM or email and I will do what ever is possible to make this forum the perfect place you want it to be. Just tell me how.

[Mael Coluim]

What Steve said.

[auld argonian]

Really...why go to a wiki and get one answer to your question from one expert when you can come to Xmarks and get twenty or thirty answers from twenty or thirty experts. Then you can take your pick and feel perfectly smug because you found an answer that pretty much agreed with what you thought in the first place.

Seriously, though, the point that a wiki is so easily jerked around is quite valid. Here there is, at least, the give and take that will provide you with a better overview of a topic. You wanna answer? Dis mus' be da place!


Best

AA

[xman]

I hear what you guys are saying and I agree. I do not propose a wiki instead of the forums, blogs and articles, but as a compliment to the fine forums here already.

Can you give me more ideas and concepts of how to achieve what you suggest right here within the forum? Send me your ideas and concepts.

I will compose my thoughts and contact you shortly, Steve.

A grand and cheerful day to all,

X

[Bugbear]

Well... We do already have that member written artical section...

I don't know... I've been burned too many times by the words of the Wiki.

[BoldHighlander]

yeah im with ted on this anything that can be altered at the push of a button without any clarification by anyone isn't to be trusted

Indeed....that is why I'm always hesitant to mention wiki as a source, & when I do its only for convenience sake (after first double & triple checking their info thru various other sources )

[CameronCat]

Hello,

Mostly, I agree strongly with what Steve has stated--maintaining this community is up to us as keepers of the tribal knowledge.

What Steve realizes, I'm sure, but won't openly admit, is that this forum has become way more than just kilt-talk. It's now a full-fledged Scottish heritage site with discussions on language, heraldry, travel, history, humor, music and a lot more.

There is a huge amount of knowledge here and great interest in it by members and casual passersby. That knowledge should be preserved and made accessible. But as often happens, threads quickly spiral out of control and valid answers get occluded by other posts. For example, a question from a newcomer such as "What tartan should I wear?" needs at first only the simple reply of "any one you like." But the thread then immediately spirals off into entitlement, family links, military connections, my sister's wedding (here's 12 pics...) and the Lord Lyon's cat. Fifty posts later the original writer is more confused than when they entered.

There may be a middle ground for an answer. I am also a member of another forum, one for owners of a certain car. Being a Yahoo group, it has an owner and he has a couple helpers as mods. It has members all over the world and there is constant chatter about how to fix XX on a certain model and where can I get part YY to fit my model. We all help with what we know.

Occasionally, somebody posts a straight-genius fix for a frequent problem. "Here's an easy way to change the ..." When these small wonders occur, the List Owner or one of the Mods captures it and puts it aside. It goes into the "international encyclopedia" which lives on its own web pages, and is accessible from the List. The list owner has also occasionally asked a poster to trim and redo a post so it's more suited to the ency.

Thus, if I'm chasing a particular electrical gremlin in my headlights, I go to the IE and hit the electrical or headlight links in the table of contents. The result is a series of clear and well-written text posts on the topic, including wire colors, replacing connectors, switch terminal outputs, etc WITHOUT the surrounding static of unrelated/no-value posts like "my mum's car did that but we never figured it out." Much easier than scanning through many threads and sorting wheat from chaff.

So, would it be possible (not all at once, but over time) to distill out truly valuable general X-marks data into a reference section? ("wear the kilt at or around your navel" without the arguments of 2" above or 1" below. "PC jackets are considered evening formal wear, generally equivalent to a tux") Additional Scots related-topics providing good info or experience-based opinion could also be included, e.g: "The easiest way to get around Scotland will be in a rental car and here's why..." All this info exists on the forum already, and is just waiting to be picked.

If a separate web page isn't desirable, perhaps a read-only part of the forum called "So say we all" or "Essence of X-marks" or "Best Of" or whatever might work. Wouldn't be a full wiki, and would be protected from self-styled experts who just HAVE to be in there, but would also protect users from the "noise" of the rabble on the forum. The section would hold information of value but in distilled form. A newcomer could find straightforward answers quickly.

Hey, that might work; we all know how much Scots like distilled products.

Just a thought.

Peace
JT