MediaWiki != wikimedia

Elements:

• subpages. pages contain subpages.
  • subpages show up in breadcrumbs.
  • may contain relative links.
• name spaces
  • very popular early on, but use is fading out.
  • generally not recommended.
• links
  • special pages in MediWiki. special: prefix.
• categories
  • widely used
  • similar to tags
  • hierachy/taxomomy based
  • special name space
• templates
  • have same text on different pages
  • can take parameters
  • - will not be included in other pages - may contain information on how to use template.
  • - will only appear when template is included in other pages.
  • subst - out-dated technique - expands template and replaces with content when saving page.
  • templates often nested - like oop out of control.
    • –> Template:Linux –> Template:Navbox –>
    • templates often have lots of dependencies.
• name spaces
  • every name space has a corresponding talk name space
  • template name space
  • category name space
  • Main, Project (Alias), Help.
  • default name space = main name space, no prefix.
  • special name space
  • imaage name space
  • MediaWiki name space - require Sysop rights to change

Special pages

• some special pages can be included in other pages. {{Special:Recentchanges/5}} - include 5 most recent changes.

Images

• special name space because they are treated specially.
• any binary file fits into this name space, despite the image name.
• [[Image:foo.jpg]] - embed image
• [[:Image:foo.jpg]] - link image
• [[Meida:Image:foo.jpg]] - link to file directly, eg. for PDF files which can’t otherwise be displayed.

MediaWiki name space

• not easy to find the page that needs to be changed
• Special:AllMessages
• default pages may be overkill and include links to pages you don’t want to create.

MediaWiki:Sidebar

• customize sidebar
• move search box to top
• links point to pages in MediaWiki name space. Help internationalization.

Look & feel

• Different skins
  • MediaWiki:Common.css
  • MediaWiki:Common.js
  • MediaWiki:Monobook.css
  • MediaWiki:Monobook.js
• Can add per user User:Foo/Monobook.css and User:Foo/Monobook.js

Special words

• __NOTOC__ - turn of TOC generation
• __TOC__ - turn on TOC generation
• #REDIRECT - redirect to another page
• __HIDDENCAT__ - hidden categories - put this on category page
• variables - look like templates
  • templates override variable with same name
  • time and revision related
  • statistics

User access levels

• Anonymous
• Registered
• Sysop
• Bureaucrat
• Bot
• Special:ListGroupRights makes it clear who has what rights.

Autoconfirmed?

• can protect a page so that only sysops and above can edit
• can edit a page so that only registered and autoconfirmed users can edit
• prevents users from registering just to edit a protected page

Gadgets

• Needs installation
• MadiaWiki:Gadgets-definition special page.
• Share JS and CSS between users without duplication.
• Creates preference tab.
• HotCat - for management of categories.
• wikEd - not WYSIWYG - syntax highlighter.

“uselang” hack

• Multiple upload pages based on the uselang http parameter.
• Needs assistance from sysop for initial installation of object.

central repository for code

• mediawiki.org
• vary widely in quality
• extension manager being worked on