Wiki As Software Support Tool

Wikis seems well-suited to replacing certain newsgroups that primarily enable inexperienced software users or developers to find answers to their questions. I see the following benefits:

• You can edit out wrong answers
• Connecting related threads will be a little more seamless
• The ability to look up a topic or phrase and getting a page list with matches
• The advantage being in the "Wiki Now" with hyperlinked external related material available with a click
• You can adapt the script (or scripts, depending on what clone you start with) to do all manner of neat things. AutoTracker is one example.
• There is no obstacle to contributing (like logins, etc.), so everyone is both a reader and a potential contributor, and are likely to do so

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I'm finding it difficult to get people to use wiki. It's just different enough to put them off :-(

I've found it hard to get people to start using a sparsely populated wiki. Unless some people get immediate value, they won't come back. If you can start with a small number of people who "get it," work with them to populate the wiki, and then bring others in. If people see immediate value, getting them to the next step--where they see the value of actively participating--is a lot easier. -- DaveSmith

For some strategies to deal with this problem, see WhyDontOthersGetWiki and PromotingWiki.

Also see CoreContributorFoundation. After the initial work has been put in, then it becomes self-sustaining, especially if you allow WikiHomePages. People will identify more with Wiki because a small part of it is "theirs". My $0.02. I fully agree with the above-mentioned advantages of Wiki.'' -- CarlosNsRodrigues