Brian7632416
I've wanted to create a wiki ever since I discovered Wikipedia.org a few years ago. But I could never get non-MediaWiki software (e.g., FlexWiki) installed correctly on Windows-hosted (ASP) remote servers, and I had a crappy hosting service anyway (1&1 - shudder). So I put aside my ASP woes and tried a new Linux-based hosting service (Servage.net) that, like all the other hosts, claimed ease of use and auto-installation of scripts, but offering a MediaWiki auto-install.
I'll be darned; their auto-installer installed MediaWiki in about 10 seconds, and perfectly, even though I have multiple domains hosted in a shared environment (which 1&1 seemed to have a problem with).
And MediaWiki worked right from the git-go, and was very stable. MediaWiki.org's documentation pages were easy to understand in most cases. I was up and running with my recipe wiki DishiWiki pretty fast.
I still have a lot of questions about MediaWiki and php in general, but I'm learning as I go, and I'm having a lot of fun. Brian7632416 17:39, 28 September 2008 (UTC)
Here it is, about one year later, and I'm still having a blast, and I've learned a lot. Our Web site hasn't been publicized much, so it doesn't have a lot of visitors or members yet, but it's quietly maturing and readying itself for prime time, I think.
Having switched hosts three times, I finally found Aplus.net, an affordable service that actually works as advertised (uptime), and whose support techs have good written communication skills.
Thank you, MediaWiki community, for all the knowledge each of you shares every time you submit comments or advice. The contributors who write extensions are my heroes! Brian7632416 16:17, 8 September 2009 (UTC)
Our MediaWiki Web site for "Everyday Cooks Sharing Recipes" has come a long way, thanks to all the users who ask and answer questions. Those who submit extensions remain my heroes! Paul Gu's skin "GuMax" has helped DishiWiki to set itself apart, appearance-wise, so thanks, Paul. It is now about two years since DishiWiki went live. Usage in the form of visitors and members remains very low but is not unexpected or disappointing considering that we have not done any marketing at all other than submitting to Google search. Our vision remains "a community for everyday cooks," and I think DishiWiki has the right ingredients to head in that direction. We are keenly aware that there are thousands of recipe Web sites, but DishiWiki is not trying to compete. We just feel that everyone deserves to frequent the Web site that suits their tastes best, and we think DishiWiki brings a combination of casualness, ease of use, features and content that will appeal to a certain segment of the cooking public. I think the (hopefully) consistent editing style by volunteer editor(s) will make the content inviting and enjoyable to read.
Our Web site has again been moved to a new hosting service. I agree with popular sentiment that you get what you pay for, and DreamHost.com provides the service and economy that we need at this very early stage. I can no longer recommend any other hosting providers mentioned above, for various reasons, and even DreamHost is not without its issues lately.
What I've learned so far: PLANNING is absolutely imperative before creating a wiki. If you are considering starting a MediaWiki or other wiki site, do lots of research about all aspects before jumping in.
Thanks again, everybody at MediaWiki, We'd love you for taking a look at our budding site and give constructive criticism. Feel free to create an account if you feel you need to look under the hood more closely. Brian7632416 16:29, 18 December 2009 (UTC)