Clinamen

We have yet another example of how Wikipedia has shaped (and narrowed?) our understanding of what a wiki does. The latest in the "pedia" craze is McCainPedia.

McCainpedia.org is a wiki run by the DNC's Research, Communications, and Internet teams. The goal is to centralize research material, allowing the general public to use it as they see fit. Unlike some wikis, McCainpedia is read-only and can't be edited by the public. This allows us to fully validate all of the information that appears, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

It's not that McCainPedia is bad, it's that it contributes to an ever-growing list of "pedias" that envision a wiki as a knowledge repository or an information dump. Are there other ways to use wikis? Ways beyond the encyclopedia model? It seems like we're not even trying to imagine what wikis can do.

McCainPedia is not an "anyone can edit" wiki; it's written by the "DNC's Research, Communications, and Internet teams." Its information seems to be well-sourced (statements footnoted with links to the Congressional Record). But why use wiki software for this? Couldn't this be done on a regular old website? It's as if the DNC is attempting to tap into the collaborative ethos of a wiki without actually allowing for collaboration. The site shows a history of edits, which I guess is useful. But beyond this, I'm puzzled as to why this site is powered by MediaWiki software.