| Revision as of 23:17, 5 September 2026 by OpenWiki (Imported from the OpenWiki starter corpus) | Revision as of 00:19, 6 September 2026 by OpenWiki (Updated from the starter corpus) | ||
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| == It is not a wiki page == | == It is not a wiki page == | ||
| − | This is the one part of OpenWiki that is deliberately not a wiki. On most wikis, discussion happens on a page that everyone edits: you scroll to the bottom, add your comment by hand, sign it by typing a code, and hope nobody mangles it. That has real | + | This is the one part of OpenWiki that is deliberately not a wiki. On most wikis, discussion happens on a page that everyone edits: you scroll to the bottom, add your comment by hand, sign it by typing a code, and hope nobody mangles it. That has real costs: people edit-conflict with each other, replies land in the wrong place, and anyone can alter what you appear to have said. |
| Here, a discussion is a set of '''topics''', and a topic is a set of '''messages'''. Each message is its own record: | Here, a discussion is a set of '''topics''', and a topic is a set of '''messages'''. Each message is its own record: | ||
| − | * it carries its own author and timestamp, recorded automatically | + | * it carries its own author and timestamp, recorded automatically – there is nothing to sign; |
| * it cannot be edited by anyone except the person who wrote it; | * it cannot be edited by anyone except the person who wrote it; | ||
| * replies attach to the message they answer, so a conversation keeps its shape; | * replies attach to the message they answer, so a conversation keeps its shape; | ||
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| == Posting == | == Posting == | ||
| − | ; Start a topic : Open the discussion for a page and use '''Start a new topic'''. Give it a subject that says what it is | + | ; Start a topic : Open the discussion for a page and use '''Start a new topic'''. Give it a subject that says what it is about, such as "Neuron count needs a source" rather than "problem". |
| ; Reply : Open a topic and write in the box at the bottom. To answer one particular message, press '''Reply''' on it; your message is then shown attached to it. | ; Reply : Open a topic and write in the box at the bottom. To answer one particular message, press '''Reply''' on it; your message is then shown attached to it. | ||
| ; Edit : You can rewrite your own messages. They are marked ''edited'' afterwards, so the record stays honest. | ; Edit : You can rewrite your own messages. They are marked ''edited'' afterwards, so the record stays honest. | ||
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| == Posting without an account == | == Posting without an account == | ||
| − | You do not need an account. A message posted without one is signed '''Anonymous''', followed by the '''IP address''' it was posted | + | You do not need an account. A message posted without one is signed '''Anonymous''', followed by the '''IP address''' it was posted from, as unregistered edits are attributed on Wikipedia. |
| That address does two things: | That address does two things: | ||
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| * It is '''public.''' Anyone reading the discussion sees it. | * It is '''public.''' Anyone reading the discussion sees it. | ||
| − | If you would rather not publish an address, [[Special:CreateAccount|register a name]]: messages from an account record the account and no address. Addresses also | + | If you would rather not publish an address, [[Special:CreateAccount|register a name]]: messages from an account record the account and no address. Addresses also change. If yours changes, older messages of yours stop being editable, because the only claim you had on them was the address. |
| Site administrators can run OpenWiki with <code>OPENWIKI_SHOW_ANON_IP=0</code>, which shows a short pseudonym such as <code>#4b7c</code> instead of the address while keeping everything else the same. See [[OpenWiki:Privacy policy]]. | Site administrators can run OpenWiki with <code>OPENWIKI_SHOW_ANON_IP=0</code>, which shows a short pseudonym such as <code>#4b7c</code> instead of the address while keeping everything else the same. See [[OpenWiki:Privacy policy]]. | ||
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| == Closing a topic == | == Closing a topic == | ||
| − | The person who started a topic, and any administrator, can '''close''' it. A closed topic stays readable but takes no new replies. Close a topic when the question is | + | The person who started a topic, and any administrator, can '''close''' it. A closed topic stays readable but takes no new replies. Close a topic when the question is settled, not to end an argument you are losing. |
| == What discussions are for == | == What discussions are for == | ||
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