NYWiki.com has launched. I’ll try to explain…
A Wiki is a type of website that allows users to edit and add to the site as they view it. Imagine a website comprised entirely of Microsoft Word files instead of HTML pages. Wikis are very effective at fostering group collaboration on documents, especially among small teams.
A couple of years ago work began on a collaborative encyclopedia using wiki technology, dubbed the Wikipedia and written and edited by thousands of volunteers around the world. This effort has been a huge success — I challenge you to find substantial subjects that are missing from the Wikipedia.
As you probably know if you’re reading this website, I own a New York blog modestly titled Everything New York. The original idea behind ENY was to use technology (how, it is unclear) to create a comprehensive view of the city. At some point this idea fell by the wayside and ENY became an index and search engine for NY-area bloggers.
Chocolate, meet peanut butter.
NYWiki is a website where you can write and upload photos about everything in New York City. Eligible topics:
- Peter Stuyvesant
- Ess-a-bagel
- The 1986 Mets
- Sushi in Tribeca
- History of Department Store
- etc etc etc
Once you’ve contributed to the site, other people can edit and expand your work. Over time the average of everyone’s writing creates something better than any individual could possibly create themselves (see also: Wisdom of Crowds).
I hope you will take the time to explore NYWiki, add a couple of entries about your favorite parts of New York, and let me know what you think.