Instructions

The idea here is to collaborate and share knowledge, right out in the open. We can use this space to aggregate resources, conduct research, express opinions, float ideas, and generally learn from one another. This is what the web is for.

Every user is provided with their own userpage, which they may use however they wish. You may wish to post your e-mail address and PGP key to facilitate secure communications.

Add, augment, modify, edit, proof, challenge, and otherwise engage with the materials here, BUT REMEMBER: The Commons is available on the public Internet. This is not a private space, and MUST NOT be used to facilitate illegal activity, whatever the hell that means. Basically, my advice to you is CAUTE. Think before you post, and remember that big brother is probably not watching, but little brother most definitely is.

Basics

Create User account

An avatar? You can tell a lot about a thing from its avatar.

Click 'create account' in the top right.

Create User Page

When you create your account, you are automatically provided two pages. The first is your user page, which is sort of like your profile, or your plan, or just your user page, if you want to keep it simple. This is a good place to put your contact info, a bio, what have you. This page doesn't have anything on it to begin with, so you'll want to navigate to that page by searching 'user:YOURNAME' and then creating the page. This will also create what's your talk page, which is located at 'user_talk:YOURNAME'. This is like your wall, I guess, a place for people to say things to you.

Create a new article

Search the name of the article you would like to create. If no such article exists, a link will appear to create a new page. Now, articles get pretty lonely when they've got no one to talk to. Sometimes it's cool for a page to be all hermit-cavey, but most of the time you're going to want to at least link in to the page you've created. Otherwise, how will anybody ever find your creation?

Edit an existing article

Navigate to the article you would like to edit, and click 'edit', just to the left of the search field. Wikipedia's editing primer is full of useful techniques, in terms of both form and content. It is located here: [How to Edit @ pedia]

four tildes '~' in a row will insert your signature and timestamp, like so

Isaac 17:15, 22 December 2010 (CST)

Next Steps

Markup

Markup is the stuff you use to format an article.

Standard Gloss: [Markup @ pedia]