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Categories: Contributor News Localization

How our wiki is different

2 responses

To say that the SUMO knowledge base is just a wiki really doesn’t do it justice. While it’s very easy to start contributing to the knowledge base and simply assume that it works just like many other wikis (e.g. Wikipedia), there are a number of characteristics of SUMO tailored toward user support which make it different. This can be both a blessing and a curse. We need to understand how SUMO is different; but once we are familiar with it, the community has better tools to provide better user support.

If you’re a new knowledge base contributor, please read our new How we are different page, which lists the differences between SUMO and other wikis and gives an overview of why we are different. New knowledge base contributors will also be able to find a link to that page in our introduction to contributing to the knowledge base.

This is also part of our response to localizer feedback, which we have been continually gathering from active SUMO localizers. Remember that if you are a SUMO localizer and would like to meet with us, just contact us on this blog or post in the Contributors forum.

2 comments on “How our wiki is different”

  1. Axel Hecht wrote on

    Hi Chris,

    good idea to have a document like that. Just that it reads highly technical. The second paragraph is hard on the eyes in particular.

    I’d rephrase the staging area bit, too. Something like:

    Your normal wiki is providing information to users, and offers them to enhance or fix the given information. On SUMO, our users come in with a problem with Firefox and would feel bad about having to fix the page that’s supposed to fix their problem. Thus we only put pages or edits live after they’ve undergone review from an experienced contributor. Once someone’s problem is solved, it’d be great if they contribute back and join our community.

    Or something like that. Just emphasize that people come to SUMO with an initial level of frustration and angst that other wikis don’t face.

    I’d make the bugzilla link something more specific. Like a query to open bugs on SUMO.

  2. Chris Ilias wrote on

    Thanks Axel,
    I made some edits to the page. I disagree with your assessment of the staging area section. The staging and review system is purely about ensuring that the info users see is correct, because the expectation of accuracy is higher. It has nothing to do with angst.