Karl Eichwalder wrote:
Stirling Newberry stirling.newberry@xigenics.net writes:
In fact, one of the seeds for wikicite should be the wikisource database.
wikicite is superflous. Use technology that is state of the art, you will be able to extract interesting snippets from a document or a document system (XML with XPath resp. XPointer). Zebra (idzebra) is such an iplementation (cf. indexdata.dk).
That would be very nice in an ideal world.
Using state-of-the-art technology will probably very effectively accomplish what you say, but at what price? Retro-compatibility is essential, because only those most closely acquainted with the technology can afford to maintain their systems up-to-date. The VisiCalc program that I bought in 1982 did everything that I wanted it to. I did get away from my Apple II+, but the Microsoft Excel 5.0c from 1994 still does its job. Many users resent being obliged to buy new technology when the old one was adequate.
One of the key advantages of the wiki way is that it draws more people into the ranks of the knowledgeable. Binding ourselves to state-of-the-art technology may only result in creating a new elite. If we set about destroying the ivory tower it should not be with the sole purpose of using the debris as a foundation for a new one.
Ec