Welcome to another deep dive where we dig into some fascinating topics.
Yeah, today we're going to be talking about media wiki media wiki.
Yeah.
And before we get started with this, uh, fascinating topic of media wiki,
just a quick shout out to safe server.
They're the ones who keep this whole operation running, uh, uh, by
hosting our software and they're great.
They can provide a lot of advice on digital transformation, digital
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Now let's get to media wiki.
You might not realize it, but you've probably interacted with media
wiki in some way.
Oh yeah, for sure.
I mean, it powers Wikipedia.
It does.
It's the engine behind Wikipedia, but it's not just Wikipedia.
No, no, no, no.
It goes way beyond that.
Uh, it's used by thousands of websites and organizations all over the world.
All over the world.
Yeah.
So let's, uh, let's figure out what is this media wiki?
How does it work?
So we've got a couple of sources here.
We've got the media wiki, github page.
We've got the media wiki.org website.
And we're going to try to piece together.
What is this thing?
Yeah.
So on the github page, it says the software that runs Wikipedia.
Simple, straightforward.
Okay.
Right to the point.
So it's the engine behind Wikipedia.
It is, but there's got to be more to it than that.
There is.
What else does it say on the github page?
Well, it also emphasizes that it's a collaborative editing software.
Ah, so you can have a lot of people working together.
Exactly.
Multiple people working together to create and edit content.
That's the beauty of it.
Which makes sense for Wikipedia.
Absolutely.
Makes a lot of sense.
Yeah.
Um, so anything else stand out to you from the github page?
Let me see.
Uh, well, there's the fact that it's open source, open source.
Yeah.
Which means that anybody can use it, modify it, distribute it.
So I can download the code and I can make my own version of Wikipedia.
You could, you theoretically could.
Wow.
Yeah.
It's written in PHP and yeah.
And that open source nature is really key to its widespread adoption.
Oh, so that's why it's, that's one of the big reasons why it's so popular.
Okay.
Yeah.
So we're starting to see why MediaWiki is so powerful.
We're getting there, yeah.
Now on the MediaWiki.org website,
it talks about a vibrant community.
Yeah.
What's that all about?
Well, it's a huge community of developers and users
all over the world who are constantly contributing
to MediaWiki's development and offering support.
So these are people who are really
passionate about MediaWiki.
They're passionate, they're dedicated,
they're constantly working to improve it.
So it's not just a piece of software, it's-
It's more than that, it's a community, it's a movement.
It's community.
Yeah.
Okay, and then the website also mentions
something about languages.
Oh yeah, it's available in over 350 languages.
Wow, that's a lot of languages.
It is, and that just shows their commitment
to accessibility.
So anyone in the world-
Anyone in the world can use MediaWiki.
Can potentially use it in their native language.
That's the goal.
That's really cool.
So we've got this open source code,
we've got this vibrant community,
we've got global reach.
We do.
But what about the actual features and benefits?
Well, that's what we're gonna talk about next.
Okay, let's dive into that.
Let's get into the nitty gritty.
The nitty gritty of MediaWiki.
All right.
After a quick word from our sponsor.
All right, so features and benefits of MediaWiki.
Let's get into it.
Okay, so both the GitHub page
and the main MediaWiki website,
they really emphasize that it's feature rich.
Feature rich, okay.
And extensible.
Expensible.
Yeah, so it's got a ton of built-in functionality,
but then you can also extend it with hundreds of add-ons.
So you can really make it your own.
You can really tailor it to your needs.
That's cool.
Yeah.
What about if my project starts getting really big,
can MediaWiki handle that?
That's where scalability comes in.
Scalability.
Yeah, so it's designed to work for both small websites
and really large websites.
Oh, wow.
So it can grow with you.
That's important.
Especially if you're dealing with a lot of information.
Absolutely, and it's also designed to be reliable.
You want to make sure that your content is always available.
Right, because if Wikipedia went down.
Oh, the world would panic.
I think so.
So thinking about all that information,
what kind of support does MediaWiki offer?
Well, they've got extensive documentation.
They've got FAQs.
They even have a dedicated support desk.
So if you run into any problem.
Real people you can talk to.
You can reach out for help.
Wow.
And for the more technical users,
there's a developer portal and really
detailed technical manuals.
So no matter what your level of expertise is.
There's something there to help you.
That's pretty impressive.
It is.
They've really thought of everything.
They have.
Yeah.
So we've talked about the features, the benefits,
the support, the community.
It's a pretty impressive package.
But how are people actually using MediaWiki besides Wikipedia?
Well, that's a great question, and the applications
are really quite diverse.
So a lot of companies use it for internal knowledge bases.
So like all their documents and policies and procedures.
Exactly.
It's all centralized.
Makes it easy to find everything.
Easy to find, easy to update, easy to share.
And it's also a popular choice for project management
and collaboration.
So teams can work together on documents.
Exactly.
They can track progress.
They can share ideas all in one place.
Like a supercharged internet.
That's a good way to put it.
And because it's so customizable,
you can really tailor it to your specific needs.
Cool.
So what about outside of the corporate world?
Are there other examples?
Oh, yeah.
Tons of example.
Like what?
Well, educational institutions are
using it to create online learning platforms.
So students can collaborate on projects?
Exactly.
And they can access course materials.
Oh, that's really interesting.
Yeah.
And nonprofits are using it to build community portals,
share information about their work,
engage with supporters.
So it really seems like the possibilities are endless.
They are.
It all comes down to leveraging those collaborative features
to make information more accessible.
And empowering people to create and share knowledge.
Exactly.
That's what it's all about.
That's really powerful.
We've seen its transformative power with Wikipedia.
And now we're seeing it revolutionize collaboration
and learning and teamwork across all sorts
of different sectors.
That's amazing.
And it all goes back to that open source philosophy.
The belief that knowledge should be shared.
That collaboration leads to greater achievement.
Exactly.
MediaWiki embodies that philosophy.
It's more than just a piece of software.
It's a movement.
It's a way of thinking about information and collaboration.
It's about breaking down barriers,
empowering individuals.
Fostering a more connected and informed world.
This has been an incredible deep dive so far.
It has been.
I mean, we've learned so much about MediaWiki.
From its technical foundations to its global impact.
And it's clear that this software is more than just a tool.
It's a driving force for collaboration and knowledge
sharing.
Shaping the world as we speak.
It is.
So if anyone listening is intrigued by MediaWiki,
where should they start?
Well, the best place to start is the mediawiki.org website.
OK.
It's got all the information you need to download and install
the software.
All right.
Links to documentation support forums.
All sorts of community resources.
And don't forget, if you're looking for assistance
with hosting your MediaWiki site.
Yes.
Our sponsor, Safe Server.
They're the experts.
They can help you get your project up and running.
Absolutely.
You can find them at www.safeserver.by.
Check them out.
All right, so there you have it.
Everything you need to know to embark
on your MediaWiki journey.
Your journey begins now.
But before we wrap up, I have one final thought
for our listeners.
OK.
If you could use MediaWiki to create
a collaborative platform for your own project or community,
what would it be?
Ooh, that's a good question.
What kind of knowledge would you want to collect, organize,
and share with the world?
That's a question that deserves some serious thought.
It does.
I think we should leave our listeners to ponder that one
on their own.
You're right, it's a question that warrants some introspection.
Some soul-searching.
So to our amazing listeners out there,
we leave you with that thought.
What will your MediaWiki project be?
What will it be?
So before we sign off, I did want
to touch on something we kind of briefly mentioned earlier,
the technical side of MediaWiki.
The techie stuff.
So we talked about how it's open source
and that it's written in PHP.
What does that actually mean?
What does that mean for the average user?
Yeah, for someone who might be interested in using
MediaWiki.
Right.
So understanding the technical side
can be helpful even if you're not a hardcore developer.
So let's break it down.
PHP, it's a scripting language.
Basically, it's a set of instructions
that tell a computer what to do.
Instructions?
Yeah, like a recipe for the computer.
And in a case of MediaWiki, those instructions
are all about managing and displaying content.
So PHP is the language that makes MediaWiki tick.
Exactly.
It's the engine under the hood.
Gotcha.
What about open source?
Open source.
Why is that so important?
Well, open source means that the source code of the software
is freely available.
So anybody can see it.
Anybody can see it, use it, modify it,
just slivered it.
Wow, that's pretty open.
It is.
And that has a lot of implications
for MediaWiki's development and its accessibility.
So anyone can contribute.
Exactly.
It's all about collaboration.
Are there any downsides to having open source code, though?
That's a good question.
I mean, so while open source is great for transparency
and community involvement, it also
means that the code is open to scrutiny.
Right.
Anyone can look for flaws.
Exactly.
And that can be both a good thing and a bad thing.
So for example, security vulnerabilities
might be more easily discovered.
That's a risk.
It is a risk.
But the MediaWiki community is very proactive about security.
So they're constantly working to patch any holes.
Absolutely.
They have a really good system for reporting and patching
vulnerabilities.
That's good.
Yeah.
And the fact that so many people are looking at the code
really helps identify and fix issues more quickly.
So it's like a self-healing system.
In a way, yeah.
The community is always working to make it better.
That's really cool.
Anything else we should know about the technical side
of MediaWiki?
Well, I would say it's worth noting
that MediaWiki is a pretty complex piece of software.
OK.
So while it's designed to be user-friendly,
there is a learning curve.
OK, so you might need to invest some time.
A little bit of time and effort, especially
if you want to go beyond the basic setup.
Right, if you want to really customize it.
Exactly.
The good news is there's tons of resources available.
Documentation forum.
A very supportive community.
And even if you're not a tech expert yourself.
Just understanding the basics can help
you make the most of MediaWiki.
Well said.
On that note, I think it's time for us to wrap up this deep dive.
Yeah, we've covered a lot of ground today.
We have.
From the history and philosophy of MediaWiki.
To its technical underpinnings and its real world applications.
It's been quite a journey.
It has, and a huge thank you to you
for sharing your expertise with us.
Oh, the pleasure was all mine.
To our listeners.
Yeah.
We hope you found this deep dive informative and inspiring.
We hope you learned something new.
And if you're interested in learning more,
be sure to check out those resources.
Definitely.
And don't forget that question we left you with.
Right.
What will your MediaWiki project be?
We want to hear your ideas.
We can't wait to see what you create.
Let your creativity flow.
And remember, this deep dive was brought to you by SafeServer.
Your partner in digital transformation.
You can visit them at www.safeserver.com.
Until next time, happy collaborating.
Happy editing, everyone.