Write On! :: Discuss the art and craft of writing

Background information

by janra
Posted to Diaries, Diary on Mon Jul 22, 2002 at 02:28:57 PM PST
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Well, prompted by gitm's article about developing background information and keeping it organised, I installed TWiki on my computer. It's great fun, and I can see it being so much more useful than my current set of notes (which, by the way, are stored in about 6 different places).

Then I thought, well, most people wouldn't find this the easiest thing to get running - a web server needs to be installed first, after all - so what if I offer the use of it to other people so they can use it even if they can't get it running themselves?

Ok, so here's the deal. I am offering the use of a wiki, the associated storage space, etc. For free.

Those who know about wikis know that one of the fundamental design principles is that anybody at all can change anything at all. Well, in the case of TWiki (and I'm not sure how many other WikiClones), there is an access control system. You can restrict reading and/or writing at your discretion, by page or by web. Now a web is a subset of pages that acts almost like an independant site. I've made a web for my own novel's background information and restricted it so that only I can read and write in it, while leaving the rest of the site open. You can do the same.

The catch is that I can't create subdomains under write-on.homeip.net - only under write-on.indy. Therefore, the address of my wiki is http://ideas.write-on.indy/ - you can only access it if you are using the OpenNIC. If you're not already using OpenNIC, there's a little blurb down at the bottom of the page with some info.

Once you can get to it, you can look around and see how things work. There's a "Test" web that's wide open, feel free to muck about and add pretend information to a pretend story background. I've put in a few things just so it's not totally blank. There's also a "Notes" web which is for - well, notes. Anything public, anything shareable, anything to do with writing. You can, for example, post a story idea you had but aren't planning on using. You can post notes on building up backgrounds. You can collaborate with other people to write an article for Write On! even.

Hey, I think it's cool.

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Background information | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden)

Oh, it's so nice... (none/0) (#1)
by janra on Mon Aug 05, 2002 at 02:25:28 PM PST

I'm getting stuff written up and placed in my Wiki, and it's fabulous. I'm writing something and if I want to refer to a subject I'm going to write a page about later, I just make a new, appropriate WikiWord, and there's a new link - marked so I know it doesn't exist already. Automatic reminder to add more information.

It's super easy to cross-reference people to events to places and back and forth, and every which way. The text is just incredibly rich with information - want more about a subject? click the WikiWord link - or just keep going. I'm really enthusiastic about using this Wiki to keep my story backgrounds in. For one, now that I can actually cross-reference effectively, I'm more likely to write stuff down and work it out in detail, because I know I won't lose it or forget about it as easily. It's all right there.

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?

Actually... (none/0) (#2)
by BradHeintz on Thu Dec 05, 2002 at 03:26:16 PM PST

...that's the best idea I've heard in a while. It's also one that I should have thought of on my own, but no matter - I expect I'll be setting up PhpWiki on my own site this weekend.

I just registered an account at this site today, and this idea alone was worth the price of admission. Thanks!

OK,
- B
http://www.bradheintz.com/ - updated daily

admission (none/0) (#3)
by janra on Thu Dec 05, 2002 at 03:28:26 PM PST

this idea alone was worth the price of admission.

Worth $0? Gee, I thought it was a better idea than that... ;-)

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

It was a joke! (none/0) (#4)
by BradHeintz on Thu Dec 05, 2002 at 03:48:21 PM PST

Yes, it was far better than that. And even if it wasn't, it's better than the goddamn stack of legal pads fouling my desk right now. Those are worth less than $0 - it takes me 45 minutes to find anything, plus I'm out the cost of the pads.

OK,
- B
http://www.bradheintz.com/ - updated daily
[ Parent ]

: hehe (none/0) (#5)
by janra on Thu Dec 05, 2002 at 03:52:20 PM PST

Yeah, I hear you. I had notes in about 6 places before I installed the wiki - and that's counting my 5 notebooks with the rough draft of my novel as one place!

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

Error? (none/0) (#6)
by MrBucket on Sun Jul 20, 2003 at 09:28:12 AM PST

I tried to get to http://ideas.write-on.indy/ and got an instant "could not be found" error. No server timeout or anything, just "could not be found."

Is something wrong with the domain at the moment? Is there any other way to get there?
-------------------------
You're back into the bog.

quick question (none/0) (#7)
by janra on Sun Jul 20, 2003 at 09:42:53 AM PST

You are using OpenNIC, right?

If you are, I'm at a loss, because the DNS information is correct and the server is responding just fine.

I suspect, though, due to the instant "could not be found" error, that you are not using OpenNIC to get your domains. ICANN (aka the DNS root that most people use) doesn't support the .indy TLD and will return that error if you try to get a .indy domain.

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

oops (3.00/1) (#8)
by MrBucket on Sun Jul 20, 2003 at 09:53:08 AM PST

I guess I'm not. I went and read the openNIC FAQ, but only after I'd posted my comment. Sorry about that.
-------------------------
You're back into the bog.
[ Parent ]

: heh, no problem (none/0) (#9)
by janra on Sun Jul 20, 2003 at 02:13:13 PM PST

I haven't had quite so many people asking that I'm sick of it yet :-)

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

trouble getting on (none/0) (#10)
by Ann Kelly on Sun Sep 21, 2003 at 01:34:45 PM PST

Hi, i have been using your twiki for a while now and find it really useful but i haven't been able to open the page for some time - i had the main page bookmarked and now get an error message when i use it. I am not sure what the problem might be and would appreciate any help you might be able to give me. Thank you

could be any number of things (none/0) (#11)
by janra on Sun Sep 21, 2003 at 06:25:58 PM PST

Can you copy/paste the error message you get? The twiki is running fine (I just checked), so I'd need to find out what your symptoms are before I can help
--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

error message (none/0) (#12)
by Ann Kelly on Mon Sep 22, 2003 at 12:41:19 PM PST

hi, here is the error message i've been getting - i get the same when i try to sign in via the write-on link

The page cannot be displayed
The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings

[ Parent ]

you're using MSIE, aren't you? (none/0) (#13)
by janra on Mon Sep 22, 2003 at 12:47:06 PM PST

That looks like one of IE's perfectly useless error messages, the ones that are all identical no matter what the error actually is.

There's usually something down at the bottom that has the real error, something like "server not found", printed in very small print so you don't notice it.
--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

error message again (none/0) (#14)
by Ann Kelly on Tue Sep 23, 2003 at 02:57:03 PM PST

sorry, here's the rest of the message.
Please try the following:

Click the Refresh button, or try again later.

If you typed the page address in the Address bar, make sure that it is spelled correctly.

To check your connection settings, click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Options. On the Connections tab, click Settings. The settings should match those provided by your local area network (LAN) administrator or Internet service provider (ISP).
If your Network Administrator has enabled it, Microsoft Windows can examine your network and automatically discover network connection settings.
If you would like Windows to try and discover them,
click Detect Network Settings
Some sites require 128-bit connection security. Click the Help menu and then click About Internet Explorer to determine what strength security you have installed.
If you are trying to reach a secure site, make sure your Security settings can support it. Click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Options. On the Advanced tab, scroll to the Security section and check settings for SSL 2.0, SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, PCT 1.0.
Click the Back button to try another link.

Cannot find server or DNS Error
Internet Explorer

None of this makes sense to me since i could get on before!!!!

I am finding MSIE super annoying - is netscape any better?

Thanks!!!

[ Parent ]

aha (none/0) (#15)
by janra on Tue Sep 23, 2003 at 04:47:23 PM PST

Cannot find server or DNS Error

That would be the real error message. Since DNS is working fine on my end, I strongly suspect you've either changed your DNS settings away from the OpenNIC servers (which are needed to get to ideas.write-on.indy) OR your ISP has put a proxy in without telling you. The latter often gives a different error, but it's still possible.

I'd suggest trying to set yourself up for OpenNIC again (with the instructions linked to in the article above), and if it still doesn't work, well, there's always anonymizer.com...

I am finding MSIE super annoying - is netscape any better?

Depends on the version - Netscape 4 is horrible, but Netscape 6 or 7 is great. It also doesn't try to hide the error message, but gets straight to the point.

--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

isp (none/0) (#16)
by Ann Kelly on Wed Sep 24, 2003 at 04:34:20 PM PST

i am pretty sure it was the isp - because i changed nothing but have been having problems with lots of webpages
will investigate further - thanks very much

[ Parent ]

open-nic (none/0) (#17)
by Ann Kelly on Wed Sep 24, 2003 at 05:02:25 PM PST

i tried re-installing the open-nic and still no luck.
so i am now downloading from anonymizer.com but not sure how this will work - is it possible to IM you so i can understand what's going on?
i am not so sure about the anonymizer because some of the sites i am a member of require cookies
thank you again

[ Parent ]

anonymizer (none/0) (#18)
by Ann Kelly on Wed Sep 24, 2003 at 05:26:35 PM PST

it seems that i don't have the right version of IE for the anonymizer :(
any more suggestions?
thank you :)

[ Parent ]

no download (none/0) (#19)
by janra on Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 05:22:23 AM PST

Just put the URL in the free anonymous browser (Private surfing for FREE!!! [input box] Go>>>) - there's no need to download anything. And you don't have to surf all of the other sites through anonymizer if you don't want, so your cookies won't be affected.

Basically you should bookmark this:

http://anon.free.anonymizer.com/http://ideas.write-on.indy/view

and otherwise surf normally.
--
Who needs to be big and burly when you can just apply physics?
[ Parent ]

IT WORKED! (none/0) (#20)
by Ann Kelly on Thu Oct 09, 2003 at 12:39:05 AM PST

Thanks very much! :)

[ Parent ]

: the anomysizer (none/0) (#21)
by Ann Kelly on Thu Oct 09, 2003 at 12:50:57 AM PST

I was able to access my pages but when i tried to add a link, i was blocked by an upgrade message from anomyizer.
I was able to edit an existing page but that is it :(
Any suggestions?
I would like to thank you for all you've done so far, in any case!

[ Parent ]

Background information | 21 comments (21 topical, 0 hidden)

	Yes, and I'll use it	21%
	Yes, but I don't think I'll use it	35%
	No, it's a dumb idea	0%
	No, you shouldn't have it OpenNIC-only	14%
	No, who's going to trust you with such important stuff?	0%
	Dunno	0%
	WikiWikiWiki!	28%