What do you guys think about setting up some sort of AliensWiki - similar to Wookiepedia? I'm happy to pay for hosting on alienscollection.com if you want?

-Willie

Hey Willie,

I hd actually been thinking the same thing. I downloaded the wikipedia program and have been playing around with it on a subdomain on my server.

I don't giving it a hosting account and unlimited space etc on my server if that helps.

[img]http://www.colonialmarines.co.uk/images/banners/ukcm-banner-001.gif[/img]

I'd be up for it.

The difficulty I've had finding various bits of info has been, well... difficult!
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Pulse Rifle Poster
[img]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/pbr/sigs/m41aposter_banner_300x60.jpg[/img]

I have no idea how it would work but I'm more than willing to supply information etc.

Anything to help support and promote our little interest
[img]http://www.colonialmarines.net/Banner.jpg[/img]

Sounds fascinating... except I'm scratching my head to find it, because somebody already made one. More EU than anything else, really... but it's out there somewhere.
<span style="color:lime;]Cpl. Dom "SharP" Beaudoin - USCM Service Number Registrar
A10/TQ1.0.92147E1
<span style="color:yellow;]Need a USCM service number assigned to you? E-mail me at [url=mailto:cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com]cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com[/url]

[img]http://www.pbase.com/image/68371348/original.jpg[/img]

I'm sure, between us, we can do it bigger and better.

No prizes for guessing I'm a graphic designer by trade - I'd be happy to help out on the graphics side, workload permitting.
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Pulse Rifle Poster
[img]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/pbr/sigs/m41aposter_banner_300x60.jpg[/img]

I just think it'll help cut down on all the, "What guns were used to make a Pulse Rifle?" emails, etc. The shared knowledge of this board could be staggering...

-W

It would be great, but how do you monitor it?

example.
Wookiesearch 1138

What are you doing with a gun in space?

Don't get me wrong... I'm all for it! I LOVE wiki.
<span style="color:lime;]Cpl. Dom "SharP" Beaudoin - USCM Service Number Registrar
A10/TQ1.0.92147E1
<span style="color:yellow;]Need a USCM service number assigned to you? E-mail me at [url=mailto:cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com]cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com[/url]

[img]http://www.pbase.com/image/68371348/original.jpg[/img]

We need one!!
[img]http://www.angelfire.com/al/metalalien/pictures/tom_alien_banner.jpg[/img]

OK test wiki site has been set up for testing.

Despite the defualt Wiki look I could possibly do something more Aliens related

www.alienencounter.co.uk/wiki/

[img]http://www.colonialmarines.co.uk/images/banners/ukcm-banner-001.gif[/img]

Nice work Paul! I have logged in, although I haven't tried to create a page yet.

Can I make a suggestion? To try and keep the 'fictional' information separate from the 'factual' information. The Wookiepedia linked to by Joe above seems to do this by using the sub-heading 'Behind the Scenes'. Something like this:

<span style="color:yellow;]M41A Pulse Rifle
The M41A pulse rifle is a 10mm sub-machine gun with a 30mm grenade launcher (etc)
Behind the Scenes
The pulse rifles were made of Thompson M1A1 stuck to a Franchi SPAS (etc)

It seems like a good idea to me. Otherwise the line between reality and fantasy will become blurred and people won't know exactly what they're reading about. I'm not suggesting we use the same phrase 'Behind the Scenes', but something similar would be good. Can we lay down a guideline for this? I just thought a decision could be made early on.

Also one question: is it possible to start a page and not finish it, ie come back to it later? Or do you run the risk of someone muscling in and finishing it for you? I've never done an entry, so I don't know.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

I assume it will work like wikipedia which is the same software which I have used for the AliensWiki. I have never written a WIKI aerticle before so I couldn't really say.

As for the Behind the Scenes thing, that was something I was doing on the UKCM site before I changed it to a CM system. I am guessing it would be down to the authors to put the real world info alongside the fictional stuff.

With the wiki, I am happy to host it and give it a design make over, as for the content, well thats up to whoever contributes (as I am a novice when it comes to the fine details on Aliens stuff, need proof, ask clanger about the Drop Quote at Collectormania:lol: )

[img]http://www.colonialmarines.co.uk/images/banners/ukcm-banner-001.gif[/img]

So who's doing the first page? And what will it be about?
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Will this also cover the AVP films thus leading onto covering the Predator movies too?

Though how about the comic world too,after all the Aliens have pretty much had a go at most established comic icons,as too the Predators (if they are covered)

Jason
PVT.
STEAD,J "Axeman"
A06/TQ1.0.22140E1
UKCM

See, it's not as simple as it sounded! Someone has to make a ruling on this sort of thing pretty soon, or it could just get out of hand.

So what's it to be? The four films? The films plus comics? Novels? Merchandise? The films plus AvP? etc.

Tricky.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Heheh
I was the first one. Just a couple of things I added. I know Dom plays a bit on wikipedia therefore I expect him to do massive inputting.
Very cool Mantroon. Thanks.

Mike
A06/TQ0.0.22134E1
There is nothing more impressive than a bloody big Alien
wiggling on the end of a sharp stick!

Once I get back to the US I shall happily write details on the 9-10 paperback novels that are out there.

I'll also happily cover the Aliens cast details (names, short filmographies, photos etc)

Also I'll happily contribute to smaller details on the other stuff and fill gaps where necessary if possible.
[img]http://www.colonialmarines.net/Banner.jpg[/img]

Well, remember y'all, the wiki I have linked to is just a demonstration version I have put up to see what the board thinks.

As far as the wiki goes, I am happy to host it, do some design work on it (because the look of wikipedia is a bit pants etc etc. But as for the day to day running of the wiki, I can't really help there. Between 2 part time jobs and my own business to run, my free time is limited at best. Whether the board wants to take the Wiki on as a whole, or a couple of people want to step forward to manage it is a matter for discussion.

As for the content on the Wiki, again I'll leave that to the vote of the board, whether to stick to purely alien and/or pred movies or wheather to add EU, books comics games etc etc.

This does bring up a wee request I do have though. If its decided that the AliensWiki does go ahead, may I humbly request a "Software courtesy of MediaWiki, Hosting and Design by Bay12 Design" and link in small letters at the bottom of the page?

In the same breath (and considering my above request, this might sound a touch hypocritical), there is also the matter of selling on the AWiki.

This is a fine line to tread as I found out from doing the UKCM site. How many times do we get asked at events "dude where can I get me a gun like that!". When writing bits about armour or guns, I like to give options (TE, Spatcave, Golden Armour etc etc), because you know thats what people want to find out. But I try to be impartial and never sound like a sales pitch.

Again this relates to the subject of the Wiki content. I mean I certianly wouldn't be against having info about replicas and their makers, but I would want to see articles on the Wiki basically becoming adverts, for example:

"<insert prop name>

My <insert prop name> are the best you can get!!! made from <blah blah blah> and a steal at only <price>. Thats right! Screen Accurate!!!! so email me at <email address> and order my fine <insert prop name> today!!!!"

Theres two main reasons why I wouldn't want to see this happen:

#1 Its bloody annoying. If I want to watch a commercial, I'll watch an Infommercial

#2 It would SERIOUSLY piss of Fox and Liscense holders who as of yet have turned a blind eye to the majority of the AL activities.

I know this sounds like pot calling kettle black after my wee link at the bottom request, but it is something to bear in mind.





[img]http://www.colonialmarines.co.uk/images/banners/ukcm-banner-001.gif[/img]

Okay - so I was about to write an article, but if I did would I be wasting my time because this isn't the actual thing?

As for the other points: I see nothing wrong with you putting 'Design and hosting by me' at the bottom because that would indeed be the case!

But selling... I would see that as a Bad Thing. It's a cyclopaedia... it's meant to inform. If people want to sell stuff, there's always eBay.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Glad ya see where I am coming from Mike.

As for your article, you can do that and I can transfer it to the new Wiki if/when its agreed upon.



[img]http://www.colonialmarines.co.uk/images/banners/ukcm-banner-001.gif[/img]

Yup, us Mike's agree to this.

Mike
A06/TQ0.0.22134E1
There is nothing more impressive than a bloody big Alien
wiggling on the end of a sharp stick!

Wholeheartedly agree... a Wiki is not an on-line store.
<span style="color:lime;]Cpl. Dom "SharP" Beaudoin - USCM Service Number Registrar
A10/TQ1.0.92147E1
<span style="color:yellow;]Need a USCM service number assigned to you? E-mail me at [url=mailto:cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com]cplbeaudoin@hotmail.com[/url]

[img]http://www.pbase.com/image/68371348/original.jpg[/img]

Started an article... wanted to put an image in, but I get this:

Is that something you can fix Paul, or are we text-only for now? (Or am I doing it wrong?)
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"

Okay, I've made the First Actual Entry. It's not exhaustive, but it's there. The AliensWiki now has one page.
Mike

<span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:x-small;]"We're not heroes - we're from Finchley"