CZ:Getting Started: Difference between revisions

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imported>Nancy Sculerati MD
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imported>Larry Sanger
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Starting over...
'''If this is your very first visit to this wiki, welcome!  And please read this.'''  It'll get you started, and it has some "do's and don'ts" you should know about.
 
If you've never used a wiki before, finish reading this page first for an orientation, then make [[Help:Contents|the help page]] your next stop.
 
'''What do you want to do here?'''  You should do precisely what you want to do.  Since this is a bottom-up project, there is no one telling you what to work on, when.  But here are some ideas:
* [[:Category:CZ Live|Look at the pages that others have been working on]], and help out.
* Start a whole new article! Put the name of a topic that interests you in the search box there to your left on the side bar. Hit Go. If there is an article that comes up, read it and add to it if you think you have something to say. If a notice comes up that says "no article with that title exists", then here's your chance!
* If you start an article,
** '''Do''' add "<nowiki>[[Category:CZ Live]]</nowiki>" to the bottom of the article.  That makes it show up on [[:Category:CZ Live]].  That way we keep track of what we've done.  (Later, that list will be constructed automatically.)
** '''Do''' add a "<nowiki>[[Category:<discipline> Workgroup]]</nowiki>" tag to the bottom of the article: see the [[CZ:Discipline Workgroups|list of workgroups]].  This will help people in that workgroup follow changes made to articles in their area.
 
'''Make your user page.'''  We think it's only polite to let other people know who they're dealing with.  So, when you get a chance, edit your user page (a link to it will be up at the top of the page) and say a little about yourself.  But user pages should be ''limited'' to only the following sorts of information:
* Biographical information (your education, interests, etc.).
* Articles you have started or are watching.
* "To do" lists.
* Other helpful notes directly of personal use to you in your work on the Citizendium.
* Editors require further information--a link to CV-type information and a list of your areas of expertise.  See [[User:Gareth Leng]] for an example (sorry to put on the spot there Dr. Leng :-) ).
* Wikipedians: please don't use "user boxes."  CZ discourages standardizing group membership in this way.
 
'''Here are a few general hints.'''
* To learn the technical means of editing a page on Citizendium's wiki, see [[CZ:How to Edit Citizendium|how to Edit Citizendium]].
* Everybody wants to know what's going on on the wiki.  For that, use the [http://pilot.citizendium.org/wiki/Special:Recentchanges recent changes page] (link on the left, not to be confused with "Random page" and "Related changes") is a source of endless fascination.  It allows you to explore what other people are up to, help them, and "keep them honest."
* This is an "alpha" pilot project, which means that things might break occasionally.  Don't let that freak you out.  Just ask questions if you're curious.
* Be bold in updating pages!  Don't be shy!
* But be kind and collegial.  Among other things, this means that if you edit someone else's work on the ''Citizendium,'' you should explain why you made the edits you did on the "discussion" page. 
 
* Want to discuss general policy, get help, etc.?  Don't do that here on the wiki except about particular articles (use the "discussion" tab).  Instead, join [https://lists.purdue.edu/mailman/listinfo/citizendium-l Citizendium-L] and, if you're an editor, [https://lists.purdue.edu/mailman/listinfo/citizendium-editors Citizendium-Editors] (you should already be subscribed, actually, if you accepted our invitation).  Also, there's a lot of good stuff in the [http://smf.citizendium.org/ Citizendium Forums].
 
'''Where are the rules?'''  This is a wiki.  That means that smart people working in good faith usually don't need rules.  But we do of course have some rules that are under active development.  See [[Citizendium_Pilot:Project_Home#Policy|our Policy Outline]].
 
'''"I'm an editor, where do I go to learn about my editor duties?"'''  Again, see [[CZ:Policy Outline|our Policy Outline]].  An important page to read covers our [[CZ:Approval Process|approval process]].  Also, as an editor, you can start making decisions about articles in your specific areas of expertise.  Simply begin a section titled "Editors' Instructions" (or something similar) at the top of the article's discussion page.  If you have some question as to whether you are in fact an editor of a particular article, consult the policy outline, first, and if you have questions still, then contact Larry Sanger.
 
'''Why ''Citizendium'' at all?'''  Because we love knowledge and love formulating it beautifully.  Because the world needs a better free encyclopedia than Wikipedia.  Because it's merely productive to respect expertise.
 
'''Next stop?'''  If you've never used a wiki before, then make [[Help:Contents|the help page]] your next stop.  But if you have, what are you waiting for?  Dive right in!

Revision as of 16:07, 21 January 2007

Starting over...

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