豆知识 2009-08-09&08-15 Wikis

 These four friends are going on a camping trip. They need to bring the right supplies because they’re backpacking. The group needs to plan and plan well, so coordination¹ is key. They’re all computer users, so they start planning with an email. It starts with one, but quickly becomes a barrage². Email is not good at coordinating³ and organizing a group's input⁴. This is the old way. Boo!

 

The important information is scattered⁵ across everyone's inbox. This isn't coordination. Let's start over. There is a better way. It requires using a website called a wiki. Using a wiki, the group can coordinate⁶ their trip better. This is the new way. Yay! 

 

Most wikis work the same way. They make it easy for everyone to change what appears on a webpage with a click of a button. It’s as easy as erasing⁷ a word and rewriting it. The buttons are really important. There are two that are essential. They are 'Edit' and 'Save'. And they are always used together. Let's see them in action.

 

Here are our camping friends and here is a wiki website. Like all wikis, it has an 'Edit' button. All you have to do is to click it and the webpage becomes a document ready for editing. Editing the page means you can add, remove words or change how they look, just like writing a letter. Once you’re finished editing, you can click 'Save' and the document becomes a webpage once again and is ready for the next person to edit it. Easy. Edit, write and save. Using this process, a group can coordinate more easily.

 

Let's apply this to our camping friends who need to bring the right supplies. Mary signs up for a wiki and then sees the new site for the first time. She clicks the 'Edit' button to get started. She creates two lists for camping: what we have and what we need. Under 'We Have', she lists the things she will bring: a cooler, a stove and a flashlight. Under 'We Need', she lists items that others need to bring: compass, lighter⁸, water and food. She finishes the process by clicking 'Save' and the website now has lists for the camping trip.

 

Now it’s John's turn. John visits the wiki website and clicks 'Edit'. The page becomes a document ready for him to make changes. John volunteers to bring food and water, so he moves those to the have column. He also realizes the group will need a knife and a rope. Once he's finished, he clicks 'Save' and the wiki is ready for the next person.

 

Henry visits the wiki, clicks 'Edit' so he can edit the page. He remembers they need a tent. Henry saves the page and the wiki is ready for Frank. Frank edits the page and agrees to bring the remaining items, completing the process. He saves the page and then realizes something awesome⁹. The group has created the perfect camping list, without email. Yay! 

 

But wait! One thing is missing. They need a location for the campsite! The wiki can help with this, too, but another page is needed.

 

John visits the wiki and clicks 'Edit' to edit the page. He types in the word 'Locations' and highlights it. He then clicks the 'Link' button. This changes the word 'Locations' into a link to a new page. John clicks 'Save' and next, Frank visits the wiki. He sees the lists and clicks on the 'Locations' link to arrive at the new page. This new page enables the group to use the same “Edit, Write, Save” process to coordinate locations. This process can be repeated over and over.

 

These three buttons, 'Edit, 'Save' and 'Link' make it possible to organize a great camping trip, or create the world's biggest encyclopedia¹⁰.

1 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

2 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

3 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

4 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

5 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

6 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

7 erasing   

v.擦掉( erase的现在分词 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• He was like a sponge, erasing the past, soaking up the future. 他象一块海绵，挤出过去，吸进未来。 来自辞典例句
• Suddenly, fear overtook longing, erasing memories. 突然，恐惧淹没了渴望，泯灭了回忆。 来自辞典例句

8 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

9 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

10 encyclopedia   

n.百科全书

参考例句：

• The encyclopedia fell to the floor with a thud.那本百科全书砰的一声掉到地上。
• Geoff is a walking encyclopedia.He knows about everything.杰夫是个活百科全书，他什么都懂。