Documentation

[Carlos Milovic]

As long as I'm aware, everything under the pixinsight.com domain (pteam, forum, www) is in the same server. Just different subdomains (and access permissions).

So, there should be no problem of having everything on the same place. As far as I know, PI has a dedicated server, with almost ilimitated disk space and bandwidth.

Now that you bring the recompilation service for new modules... this is something I have been discusing with Juan since a very long time I think that there should be a much more flexible downloads center, with sepparate sections for the core application and the modules. Of course, this has some disadvantages... more complexity for the users, more complex to keep it clean and up to date, slower... and we need a quantity of modules beyond a certain number to make this worth the effort.
Also, this new downloads center may be integrated with a webpage for each process (and the core app), describing it, listint the changes log, linking to the wiki/help, etc etc. Sounds like a lot of work, and time consuming, right? So, this is the reason why this topic has not gone too far from ideas But, maybe we are reaching the time for seriously take that into consideration.

[georg.viehoever]

Good morning!

Not on the same server are:
- most images of the forum (100k limit)
- modules by Sander and others
- Videos by Harry and others
- surely there is more...

The problem with these is that you have to find them, and since domains come and go, some links no longer work. That's why I think everything should be in one place.

Georg

[Niall Saunders]

Hi Georg,

A point well made - a lot of the 'extra stuff' certainly deserves a home on the PI server.

However, for the sake of discussion, let's consider Harry's Video Tutorials. He is, quite rightly, proud of his achievement. So he puts them on his own website, and we all flock to them, downloading like mad (perhaps pushing his own private bandwidth allocation to the limits permitted by his ISP). And we wait for his next one.

But, in the meantime, in the new PI server setup, Juan graciously asks if Harry would like the videos to be hosted on the PI server. Harry is happy and onto the server they go.

Now, what does Harry do? If he doesn't tear down his own distribution page, then we end up with a parallel setup, with the highly likely possibility that the two sites will eventually NOT contain the same information. So, Juan would have to permit Harry to 'control' the new server location, and web-page front end, so that all changes, updates, corrections, etc. can be made by Harry himself.

Problems still exist regarding 'ownership' and 'intellectual property' - but I think that they could be solved by a simple agreement between author and server host.

But, what happens if Harry 'gets bored' and no longer updates the pages, or if Juan needs to do a major website revamp. What happens if someone else want to add a video tutorial to the web page, but has no idea, or inclination, to do the detailed work (other than create the video itself)? Someone then has to take the video and 'paste' it in to the website in an appropriate manner (the video obviously having been vetted by this time, and deemed suitable for inclusion).

To my mind, the devolvement of control of the server will have to be passed to a wider group, still under Juan's overall supervision of course, with different team members having responsibilities for different areas.

It will be an interesting task !

[Simon Hicks]

Hi Niall,

I think you raise some important points. I would just say the following;

Now, what does Harry do? If he doesn't tear down his own distribution page, then we end up with a parallel setup

Harry should either keep it on his site as well or take it down...its his call....its his video. There's no problem with having the same video on ten different sites....the more the merrier....more Google hits! I can't see an issue here.

with the highly likely possibility that the two sites will eventually NOT contain the same information

If there's different versions of the video then Harry is free to submit his latest one to PI or not...as he chooses....again, its his gift to give. And you are describing a situation where there is too much information....i.e. we are getting concerned about the mopst up to date version. The actual problem is not enough information.

So, Juan would have to permit Harry to 'control' the new server location, and web-page front end, so that all changes, updates, corrections, etc. can be made by Harry himself.

Surely Harry would submit an updated video. Then Juan, or whomever has been given the task, would make an updated link to any controlled PI website pages. OR if it was all on the Wiki then Harry could upload his updated video and make any amendments to the accompanying Wiki text entry himself....as we all could.

Problems still exist regarding 'ownership' and 'intellectual property' - but I think that they could be solved by a simple agreement between author and server host.

This is an interesting one! Surely if you upload a video for display on a site then you are giving that site permission to display it. You obviously retain copyright over it. Maybe there needs to be a set of Terms and Conditions for the Wiki???

But, what happens if Harry 'gets bored' and no longer updates the pages, or if Juan needs to do a major website revamp. What happens if someone else want to add a video tutorial to the web page, but has no idea, or inclination, to do the detailed work (other than create the video itself)? Someone then has to take the video and 'paste' it in to the website in an appropriate manner (the video obviously having been vetted by this time, and deemed suitable for inclusion).

To my mind, the devolvement of control of the server will have to be passed to a wider group, still under Juan's overall supervision of course, with different team members having responsibilities for different areas.

Would this all be easier if the Videos were part of the Wiki? Their placement on the site and surrounding text, and links to other parts of the site would then all be handled by the "community".

By the way, I'm not an experienced Wiki user at all....so I may have got the wrong end of the stick here!

Cheers
         Simon

[Harry page]

Hi Gent

Nice to subject of conversation ( I think  )

On the subject of my video's they are obviously free for private use , whether Juan wants to effectively make them official by putting them on his site ( which I do not object to ) is up to him, but in his defense he might feel he has no control on the content and may be unhappy about this    Perhaps a larger advert for them on the site might be the way to go and inclusion in the wiki

I will still keep the video's on my web page , because I like too    but I would always make sure the available video's are the same at both sources and people could say what they liked on the Wiki

Always open to suggestions about my small contribution of the video's and where people want them though

Lastley I would say we do not want things to complicated or thing might get out of control and personally subscribe the school of K.I.S.S

Regards Harry

[papaf]

It has to be said that the true server on which the videos are is not that relevant, IMHO. Once the wiki is setup, it will be hard to tell where the videos come from anyway.

Fabio

[Juan Conejero]

OK, gents. Since it seems you are willing to work, who am I to disappoint you?  

http://pixinsight.com/wiki/

also available as a subdomain:

http://wiki.pixinsight.com/

I finally have decided to install TikiWiki instead of MediaWiki, since Tiki has a lot of nice features and seems better suited to "closed" collaborative groups. Not to mention it is much better in terms of configuration and installation features.

Everyone willing to collaborate, please register and I'll approve their membership quickly. This is my first wiki installation/configuration, so if you see something weird, just blame me

Happy wikiing!

[Simon Hicks]

Great stuff Juan!

But how do we apply to register?

[Simon Hicks]

Hi Juan,

Ignore the last post....I've found the Register button......boy that is small! 

Cheers
          Simon

[Niall Saunders]

TikiWiki instead of MediaWiki

Juan,
doesn't that make the site a TikiPixiWiki  - or should we be calling it a PikiWiki, or PiccieWiki, or PIWiki 

I've registered . . . .

[Simon Hicks]

LahLah, Po and TinkieWinkie might have something to say about that Niall 

[Simon Hicks]

Juan,

I'm new to WIKIs. Maybe this is a daft question, but how do you want us to use the WIKI? Maybe this needs a seperate thread?

Cheers
         Simon

[Niall Saunders]

Maybe this needs a seperate thread?

Juan, if the Wiki does get going - and I am sure that it will - perhaps a separate discussion area in the 2nd category of the Forum, entitled "PixInsight Wiki" is needed, with a 'sticky' link to the Wiki (a 'StickyWiki'  ) as the first thread, and with your usual eloquent description of what users can expect to find within this Forum area.

Cheers,

[papaf]

Nice! Although I don't have any experience with this engine.

Fabio

[Simon Hicks]

a 'StickyWiki'

Taxi for Mr Saunders!

I agree....I thought the WIKI would be a fantastic idea....a place for us to put the help snippets, help on all the Processes, descriptions of this, that and the other. But now I'm registered....I have no idea what to do. 

What is the grand plan? How can we help?