How to Access and Use Geek Goodies: RWP's TechWiki
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We will be using Geek Goodies for several reasons:
- As a Repository for our Research
We’ll use our individual Geek Goodies pages like a filing cabinet: a virtual place to collect and organize our tech project data. For instance (and as you can see), I’ve already started the “Wikis” page. I have a long way to go, but the wiki allows me the flexibility to collect and (re)organize as frequently as I need to.
- As a Repository for Others’ Contributions to Our Research
Because anyone on the Web can access and add to our pages, our Geek Goodies pages allow others to add links to and offer comments about our research. Don’t fear: because seedwiki archives its pages, so in the case of vandalism, you can always recapture an earlier version.
- As a Resource for Others Interested in Our Tech Project Data
When we are ready, I will notify the National Writing Project’s technology network. TCs and Writing Project groupies will admire our digital library.
- As a Platform for Practicing Wikis
How better to learn and to gauge the efficacy of wikis than to use one?
And now for the “how.”
One-Time-Only Tasks
- Register with seedwiki.
Go to www.seedwiki.com, and click on the “start a free account” button on the right side of the screen. Once you’ve created your account—once you’ve been prompted to enter your information—you will be prompted to create a new wiki. Don’t do it! Resist! Instead, type "Geek Goodies" into the search box, and follow the “Geek Goodies” link that will appear about half way down the page.
- Subscribe to Geek Goodies.
Please subscribe to our wiki. This way, you will be notified by email every four hours IF someone has made a change/addition to the wiki. To subscribe this first time, click on the name button on the left side of the screen and then select “subscribe to wiki” option.
AFTER these one-time steps, you can always go right to our page by typing in our address: www.seedwiki.com/wiki/geek_goodies. If you misplace our URL, simply go to seedwiki.com and search on “Geek Goodies.”
Please log in to seedwiki every time you visit by clicking on the “log in” button on the left side of the screen. Thank you.
The seedwiki site offers a good deal of help concerning how to make and mess with wiki pages, so I’ll not duplicate that information in this email—except to mention two things.
- Finding Help
Both the “directory” and “changes” buttons on the left side of the screen lead to a screen with a tabbed menu. The “control panel & how to” tab leads to a pretty helpful menu, and I’ve found all kinds of neat things there. I’ve also linked to the set-up directions from our homepage.
- Making a New Page
From http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/geek_goodies, click on the “edit page” button on the left side of the screen. You will soon find yourself on a wordprocessory-looking page. Find the end of our current pages links (under out title), hit the spacebar once, type in a vertical line (|), hit the spacebar again, and then type your new page’s name (podcasting, digital storytelling, CPR, etc). Place [square brackets] around the name you type. Now click on the “Save Your Changes” button. Doing so will get you back to our homepage where you will see the name you typed followed by a little, underlined (hyperlinked) question mark. Clicking on the question mark will direct you to your new page patiently awaiting your links, text, images, whatever.
