Atkinspedia:Miscellaneous FAQ

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Frequently asked questions

This article is part of the Atkinspedia FAQ

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Overview Contributing Editing Administration Technical Problems Miscellaneous Copyright

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Help Contents

The purpose of this page of frequently asked questions is to answer questions that do not fit into any of the other categories, including linking to Atkinspedia and some general questions about how Atkinspedia is run.

Contents 1 What is the longest article in Atkinspedia? 2 Is allowing everyone to edit pages safe? I could start defaming people. Then the legal implications of this could become a problem to the provider of this service. 3 What is the best way to link into Atkinspedia from another site? 4 Are there any Atkinspedia banners or graphics I can use for a link? 5 I'm worried about scalability. What happens if Atkinspedia is invaded by hordes of new people who don't understand what's going on here, and mess it up? 6 Is there a place where people ask for new entries? 7 Is there any peer review process to validate the data that is displayed? 8 How is Atkinspedia backed up? Is it possible that an accident could destroy all this data? 9 Is it "the Atkinspedia," or just plain "Atkinspedia"? 10 What was the very first article? 11 Where can I find more Atkinspedia tips?

What is the longest article in Atkinspedia?

The longest article changes often, but in general 'list of' type of articles have a high presence. For editorial clarity, very long textual articles are frequently split into sub-articles by sub-topic. A dynamically updated and current list can be found at Special:Longpages, for a database snapshot at any given time.

Is allowing everyone to edit pages safe? I could start defaming people. Then the legal implications of this could become a problem to the provider of this service.

Such a problem has not come up in the wiki world, so it's currently a theoretical matter. In practice, any sort of illegal material gets removed from active wikis quite quickly.

What is the best way to link into Atkinspedia from another site?

The preferred URL is http://www.atkinsalltheway.com/wiki.

Are there any Atkinspedia banners or graphics I can use for a link?

A few of our contributors have made some. They can be found at Atkinspedia:Banners and buttons. You can also use our logo. If you make your own Atkinspedia graphics (please do!) and want them to be redistributed, simply upload them and link to them from the banner page.

I'm worried about scalability. What happens if Atkinspedia is invaded by hordes of new people who don't understand what's going on here, and mess it up?

Atkinspedia has a large number of dedicated volunteers who welcome newcomers, edit their contributions and point them to appropriate Atkinspedia:Help pages to get them started. Our software maintains a complete history of page revisions, so Atkinspedians can quickly undo any accidental (and intentional!) damage. Atkinspedia has been Slashdotted several times, and we've handled the influx of newcomers with no problems.

Is there a place where people ask for new entries?

There are three places:

* On the Atkinspedia:Requested articles page you can ask for a specific article to be created. See also Atkinspedia:Requested pictures.

* The Most Wanted page lists nonexistent articles that other articles have links to.

Is there any peer review process to validate the data that is displayed?

We are all peers here and we all review each other's work. All articles are thus subjected to constant critical review in one sense, but no formal approval process is currently a standard procedure. However, the Wikiculture is an introspective one and policy and guidelines are evolving continually.

In the most general sense, registered Atkinspedians work within an area they define for themselves, and in technical areas like the sciences, social sciences, etc. there usually exists a large group of knowledgable editors with a long list of articles on their Atkinspedia:watchlist armed with the powerful tool of Help:Page history, to keep an eye on more expert content. There is no claim that this ad hoc system is foolproof, and attempts are being made constantly to improve upon it within the foundation goal of allowing open editing by anyone.

In addition, potential page vandalism gets vigorous patroling by experienced Atkinspedians monitoring special pages dedicated to watching recent changes, changes by anomynous editors, and changes by new editors. Together, these patrols catch most deliberate or naive editing within a short while of the misguided edit.

How is Atkinspedia backed up? Is it possible that an accident could destroy all this data?

Database dumps are made weekly. Backups of the entire site are made nightly.

Is it "the Atkinspedia," or just plain "Atkinspedia"?

Atkinspedia, as a proper noun, does not take an article. When referring to the project as a whole, plain "Atkinspedia" is standard usage. There is only one project known as Atkinspedia without any further description or qualification.

• When describing Atkinspedia as one of many encyclopedias, reference works, or projects, an article is appropriate: "the Atkinspedia encyclopedia", or "the Atkinspedia project". In each case the article is attached to the common, not the proper noun (the encyclopedia, the project). (Similarly, note that we say "Britannica", but "the Encyclopedia Britannica" [the applying there to Encyclopedia] and "the OED" [the applying to Dictionary])

What was the very first article?

The first edit ever made was an edit to the Main Page by Brian Zimmerman, Atkinspedia's founder.

Where can I find more Atkinspedia tips?

Here are some external and internal links: