MusicIDB’s Wiki-Claimable Pages
At it’s core, MusicIDB is about connecting people, both at venues and in cyberspace. We think the best way to do this is to use wiki features. Our pages are “wiki-claimable,” meaning that anyone can create or contribute to them, and the real-life owners can lay claim to the benefits the pages create.
What is a Wiki?
A “wiki” is a web page that anyone can edit. The most famous example is Wikipedia, which is an encyclopedia that you or I can contribute to. Know something about Lady Gaga? Go ahead, edit her page (you’ll need to create an account at upper right.)
According to Google, the word “wiki” was first used by Ward Cunningham. He knew a little Hawaiian and thought the phrase “wiki wiki,” meaning “quick” was a good way to summarize the speed with which information can be collected.
It turns out to be very fast, indeed. Since Wikipedia was launched in January, 2001, the site has grown to be 1,900 times larger than the Encyclopedia Britannica ever was. And that’s counting just the pages written in English!
How does the MusicIDB Wiki Work?
Unlike Wikipedia, MusicIDB’s wiki features are very specific. You can’t just write free-flowing text about a topic. You can, however, contribute to certain fields within that topic.
MusicIDB’s Three Major Wiki Topics
- Artists
- Venues
- Events
Any fan who registers for the site can create a new page for an artist (musician, band, etc.) or a venue (restaurant, coffee shop, night club, etc.). Any artist or event organizer who registers can create an event.
You can enter as much or as little information as you like. Down the road, someone else can come along and contribute new information.
Wiki-Claimable
When an artist or a venue sees the page, they can “claim” it and we’ll verify that the page is about them, their group, or the venue they own. Once a page has been claimed, that venue or artist can be booked using our integrated booking system.
Wiki Now vs. Wiki Later
Right now, events can only be edited by their creator. This is because we don’t have all the code to manage edits from people who might have the wrong information.
This is the same reason why artist and venue pages can no longer be edited using wiki features once they’ve been claimed. We want to build a “clout system” where only users with “clout” can edit a page without review. Otherwise, anyone could come by and change your page without you approving. Right now, though, once a page has been claimed, only the claimer can edit it.
How to Win Friends and Influence People
The best compliment you can give someone is to say, “I love your band/venue so much, I created an MusicIDB page for you!” And then send them a link. It doesn’t take a lot of time, but it certainly is a nice way to showcase your fandom. It’s also a cool way to try out MusicIDB and to help the site grow.
Have you tried adding an artist or a venue? Go ahead and give it a shot (you’ll need to register first if you haven’t already)!