Recent Changes Considered Harmful

RecentChanges (and QuickChanges even worse) seems to mainly encourage ThreadMode. Since ThreadMode is ConsideredHarmful, this would appear to be undesireable. Are there better alternatives? How about something like PagesRecentlyViewed? and/or PagesRecentlyEdited? which would keep track of these things on a daily or weekly basis and score them according to frequency, rather than by chronological order. This might enable Wiki to maintain its focus on whatever it is currently focused on, without encouraging conversation.

RecentChanges and QuickChanges definitely serve some valuable roles here: For one thing, they allow VolunteerHousekeepers to keep tabs on changes being made, and pipe up if they think a change does more harm than good. But one of the problems about RecentChanges is that it de-emphasizes the way pages link to all the other pages, in favor of emphasizing their relation to RecentChanges.

What would happen if we didn't have RecentChanges and QuickChanges at all? How would people navigate Wiki? What fascinating corners would they find?

The problem with RecentChanges is they emphasize the recent changes, and hide the interesting and important pages. Interesting pages do happen to be edited more and show on RC, but they are also read more, something that RC does not show. Some important pages are not changed at all, because they are really good pages that does not need any change. These pages are hidden for RC junkies. --NirSoffer?

Yeah, how come thread mode is considered harmful again? Threads are for discussion. You know, thesis, antithesis, synthesis. All you XP guys are big time into this direct discussion with the customer stuff, so why not direct discussion among C2 Wiki contributors?

RecentChanges is valuable to show what topics are on Wiki's mind (as has been pointed out to no end). Stomping on RecentChanges and stomping on thread mode are stamping out discussion, a sure-fire way to kill a wiki.

Like with most things in life, there is need for a balance. RecentChanges is a tool. You can use it to monitor the Now of a Wiki, to check for potentially harmful edits or you can abuse it if you are a RC-Junkie to mingle with all and everything without consideration or to support the creations of ForestFires. --ManorainjanHolzapfel

I wouldn't have known that RecentChangesConsideredHarmful had recently changed without RecentChanges.

See: TooManyRecentChanges, RecentChangesIsNotTheWiki

CategoryWiki