Wiki todo @ 12am 9/5

[Deanna Zandt]

From now on, I'll be posting general updates here for discussion purposes, but please look at and take tasks here:

http://hurricane08.info/wiki/Wiki_Task_List

Here we go:

-- There are a bunch of pages for new states that need information! Helplines, shelters, etc. See to do list

-- How to handle volunteering is an item open for discussion still: we started discussing over the weekend, but didn't finish. The short version of the question: do we let people offer services on the wiki, or do we direct them to organizations? For upkeep reasons mostly, I'm leaning towards the latter. Thoughts?

-- I need to work on the front page some more, but have a look at the changes I made and let me know what you think

-- John and I will continue the work on categorizing pages and fitting everything into this faceted-category structure. If you're and organizational OCD nerd and you want to join us, have a look at the plan here: http://hurricane08.info/wiki/Category_Team

Tomorrow afternoon is going to be a bit hectic for me, and I'll be offline for a good portion of the evening. (Great timing, I know.) I'll be available via email and twitter to answer questions after 2pm ET.

[Brad Banner]

At http://www.hurricanewiki.org/wiki/Talk:Aid_Agencies I added the following text. We can discuss it here, there, or both places :)

"I've added a http://www.hurricanewiki.org/wiki/Aid_Agencies#National_and_Interna... . We can add subtitles like Responding to Gustav, Responding to Hanna , etc if needed and wanted.

I think it is not a good idea to add a bunch of text to the link, just the links and maybe a phone number (or wikify a contact page url). When you add too much text, it is an invitation to others to do the same(which can end up look like advertising copy) and it lengthens the page quite a bit.

I also prefer to wikify the title of an agency with its url. Thoughts? "

I go by the nickname bldarter on the wiki (internet nick that I've had for looong time in a lot of places)

[Brad Banner]

I also copied a template used in a past project. See http://www.hurricanewiki.org/wiki/User:Bldarter

[Ben Tremblay]

Brad, do you know the purpose for having links showing their URLs? I mean that instead of a link to a page it very often shows up as this:
A link to a page http://www.hurricanewiki.org/wiki/Aid_Agencies.

I was about to edit the two dozen links on that page that are formatted that way and it occurred to me that this might be intentional.