I appreciate your suggestion Klez. When a MilkyTracker wiki does come to be, I do hope that a downloadable db is also available.
It sounds like a tricky feat. Here's why:
1. Wiki's I believe are usually run as SQL or MySQL server backends to a PHP or Asp front end. That means that the db backup would likely have to be done offline for it to be done simply. A live sql server can be backed up while it's online, but in my experience that frequently requires costly applications. (Granted my SQL experience is limited.)
2. Wiki's that have downloadable backups of the database that are regularly created for end users to download tend to be rare in my experience. (Wikipedia does allow you to download theirs)
3. Converting said DB to a format presentable as standalone documentation may frequently be an incredible and time consuming feat.
4. I never know that a wiki might or is going to vanish until it is too late. This is why it's incredibly ideal to have a document/manual that is included with software package. Years later, the manual is still located in the download or extraction of the program, easy to find and not requiring hours of labor to answer the simple question of "How porous paste works" or something.
See here's the thing. I'm old and I'm stubborn. I will use a software package from 15 or even 25 years ago. (I recently replayed Zork) I don't know if you've ever tried to find info or documentation about software from 10+ years ago, but trust me, it's usually vanished off the face of the earth. The company is usually gone, and if it's not, anyone familiar with that product usually is. The answer you'll get is "buy the new supported product" regardless of whether it performs some obscure function of the old product that's made you keep it around, and regardless of whether it's compatible with the rest of your operating environment.
I'll restate: I like wiki's. I really do. But as a computer scientist/engineer I've came up with a saying: "Never put a computer in a position where a light switch would do." It's a way of illustrating the concept of KISS or (Keep it Simple stupid!) A small efficient html or even a bloated pdf is a fantastic resource to include with the Milkytracker package. It's viewable on a PocketPC (which I use Milkytracker on) and by having a copy I know I can read it as long as I have something that will run milkytracker, regardless of whether I have Internet access or if the wiki still exists.
Wiki editing might be more inviting to geeks, but it's also harder and requires learning another code base. The method I suggested above requires only simple document editing abilities, to later be cleaned up by someone and parsed into an efficient document. It also doesn't require anyone to learn how to build a wiki server and can be done quickly and easily.
Putting my money (or in this case time) where my mouth is: I have started the skeleton document and should be able to upload it in the near future. I have taken most of the screen captures necessary from the PC version, filled out a rough structure, and even filled in some parts already. At current the skeleton document is a word document at 790kb. It's bloated but simple to work with at current. I will convert it to html, and parse it down to HTML 3 standards for very simple and easy to manipulate code. This will make it easier for Raina to convert to a CSS style addition or addendum to the manual later.
It is likely that in it's work phase we'll keep in the .doc format because most people can read and write that format and it's relatively easy to convert from that format to one that is more ideal for distribution of a read only document. (less people can edit an html or pdf document than a .doc)
I think raina had a good idea about breaking the document into smaller parts for updating. It may prevent people from doing overlapping work, and by breaking it into smaller steps it might make the job seem more appealing and less taunting to contributors.
I don't know what the ideal way is to crowdsource working on the document is. I appreciate the fact that a wiki would be the easiest way. But this is something we can get done now, and will have the advantages outlined above. If I had a public IP I would donate a server to the cause. But I don't
BTW: If there's a simple way to convert/view/reformat wiki databases on a desktop and pocketpc, I'd love to here about it!
