Wikis: What, Why and How?

Wikis - What are they?

A wiki is a web page that allows the interlinking of other web pages. It is easily created and edited, so as to better share information and coordinate topics. There are several websites that allow creation of wikis, whether free or paid for. For example, Wikia, Wetpaint and PBWorks.

What do you think?
Wikia is a more every-day wiki, with content starting from your favourite TV show, all the way to your favourite video game. It appears to be more entertainment-focused. Wetpaint is more confusing to me; I clicked on some links and didn't really feel like it was easy to manage. PBWorks is a more business-focused wiki, and although the basic work spaces are free, the general, more usable wikis require payment, of about $99 per year.

Out of these three, I'd have to say I prefer Wikia. It's simpler, less convoluted, and you know exactly what the content of the wiki is. One of my favourite wikis is for a video game that I play, called "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind". This wiki allows me to look up anything in any of the Elder Scrolls games, which is a series of games, Morrowind being one of them. So if I'm looking for a location called Sulipund, all I have to do is look it up, and low and behold, I find Sulipund, and everything that I need to know about it, including a map, how many NPCs (non-player characters) there are, and any quests associated with that place.

Wikis in Libraries
So how can this be useful for a library? Well, it can be useful in a number of ways:

1. To allow staff to coordinate upcoming events.
2. To inform patrons and staff of new materials, in an easy-to-update manner.
3. To share detailed information about books, multimedia equipment, etc.

Wikis are a useful tool that can be used easily in any library, and while some require payment to get the full package, the free ones can still be a useful tool for a library.

So what do you think about wikis? Which is your favourite? Have you used them before, or not?