7 Components: the Function Pages - Developers

Sandbox
Establishing
conventions
Edit conflicts
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In step with this concept, several wikis offer a sandbox that invites
users to experiment. It is not a standard component of MediaWiki;
you must generate it yourself. This page has no special functions,
which means that it should be cleaned, that is, its contents deleted,
manually on a regular basis. A few explanatory lines detailing the
purpose of the sandbox can be placed on a separate page and embedded
in the sandbox as a template. The advantage to this procedure
is that the explanatory text cannot be destroyed by overzealous
experimenting.
A significant component to every wiki should be the provision of
a series of common conventions that promote the organization of the
system. It is a good idea to record them on a wiki page, because,
during the course of the project, they can be modified and tailored to
the needs of the group. These rules, which our tribal initiative will
define together, can include items such as work processes or name
conventions. Even the “obligations” of the participants are a component
of these stipulations, meaning for example, the setup of an information
page which we assume will be read by everyone on a
regular basis.
Note: Do not forget that every web presence should include an imprint
that cites the contact address, including telephone number and
email address, of the provider.
9.3
You Don’t Write Alone
In conventional forms of publishing, you primarily write your text so
that a reader can understand it. In a wiki, you also have to consider
that your readers may also be authors. Thus, you are also writing for
authors.
One central topic in this regard is avoiding edit conflicts. Often,
problems materialize when two users edit the same file at the same
time without knowing it. MediaWiki actually has a built-in mechanism
that detects such conflicts within a certain period of time and
makes them known. However, many authors prefer to edit a text on
their own computer over an extended period of time (e.g. due to
running online costs). In such a case, the automatic protection does
not work; in addition, it is very probable that someone else has taken
on the text. That is why it is advisable to agree that, when editing a
text, one should add a short note to the respective page indicating
that the page is currently being edited and will be available again
within a certain period of time.
9 Life in MediaWiki