wiki wonderings [cross-post]

[perhaps more appropriate to the technology-oriented MMM list, but nevertheless
germane to the entire online tuning community, I hope]

I've been pondering the idea of a microtonal wiki, which Andrew first suggested to me. (A
wiki is a web of (mostly-text) webpages that may be edited by anyone at any time. A web
search will reveal much more about it than you will ever want to know!)

I think that having one is a good idea, for many reasons. Dredging through archives of
Yahoo groups is an inefficient way of finding any sort of specific information. Doubtless
we can make things easier for first-timers, everyone really, if we can free our collective
knowledge (and opinions) from the mandatory chronologically-based system here.

Certainly there are many websites by members here and elsewhere full of good
information. I already feel that I have enough of my own spin on things that I could have
one as well. But I'd much rather have a place where everyone could contribute, a place that
would not depend on one person having enough time to maintain it.

A wiki could in time accomodate several things that would be good for the
community. The ones I think of include:

•"microtonal solutions" as I like to say; not only examples of hardware-software setups as
Jon Szanto has repeatedly suggested but also acoustic solutions, experiencial
instrument-making info, a list with the location of every known rare microtonal
instrument, and perhaps a way for composers to write for such instruments (providing the
curators of them want this)

•lists of downloadable microtonal sounds and CD's, and perhaps discussion and criticism.

•a catalogue of scales that people like, or have composed in, or have created. and
discussion, sound examples of them.

•one thing a wiki is great for, an FAQ. Everyone posts questions, answers.

But ultimately the content of a wiki depends on what everyone wants there. I guess there's
no need for a grand master plan before starting something so insanely open-ended.

So where to start? We could either get run an open-source WikiEngine on
somebody's server, or start one on an existing "WikiFarm," or just leech onto an existing
wiki. For the latter option, take a look at www.composerplanet.com - to me its vision of
helping everybody make music is a more general version of what I am suggesting. But
perhaps we are a big enough community and this is a big enough subject that it needs its
own place.

Talk to me.

--Jacob

hi Jacob,

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Jacob" <jbarton@r...> wrote:

> I've been pondering the idea of a microtonal wiki,
> which Andrew first suggested to me. (A wiki is a web of
> (mostly-text) webpages that may be edited by anyone at any
> time. A web search will reveal much more about it than you
> will ever want to know!)
>
> <snip>

in fact, this is exactly what we (Tonalsoft) would like to do
on the Tonalsoft website! if you can provide some nuts-and-bolts
info, like how much webspace we need, etc., that would be
helpful.

-monz