Hi! I go by Chris, but that name's so common that I often must use a handle. I don't want to remember hundreds of nicks, so I just use this one everywhere.
I'm a programmer, a bicyclist, and a Christ-follower. I throw my whole being into my activities, so I may suddenly disappear from Wikia. In that case, I've found something else to focus on which I deem more important; this is not unusual for me.
I administrate the JavaScript, Programmer's, and HTML & CSS Wikis, and contribute to the Government and Software Wikis. I also contribute minor English corrections to any wiki I read. My interest in most wikis is based on programming (particularly JavaScript).
Wikia History[]
I first learned of Wikia via Freeciv on 6 February 2008. I got bored shortly, but the next month a Wikipedia article of mine needed a new home; I also began referencing the JavaScript Wiki around this time. On 24 September 2008, I began building "yet another" JavaScript tutorial to address common grievances against the currently popular ones (most notably the one from W3Schools). The next day, I accepted the role of sysop on the JavaScript Wiki[1] (then called Javascript).
I soon discovered the wiki's founder, Brettz9, and contacted him to get advice and ask whether he would be returning. I got the impression that he would not and continued editing alone. Being lonely, I evangelized a couple communities and got one guru, Twey. I still respect him, and enjoyed taking his input on various topics. He eventually stumbled on the founder's series of articles which focused on implementing the PHP library in JavaScript. I had seen them but was taking a policy of live-and-let-live, but he wanted them gone. Respecting Twey and not being aware of Brettz9's presence as an IP user, I moved the articles out of the main namespace so they would be preserved but not tarnish the wiki's credibility. Brettz9 didn't appreciate this, and I must admit 2/3 isn't much of a majority in a community of 3 people.
So Brettz9 left, and eventually Twey did too. I got lonely again and began to help other wikis, and tried to ignite a more lively community among the programming wikis. I hoped that their population would overflow to the JavaScript Wiki, plus editing is just easier when you have company. I finally burnt out on wikis altogether, and went back to programming. Unfortunately, my Ubuntu Linux laptop is decaying rapidly and programming of any type is impractical. So while I wait on the new Ubuntu Live CD to arrive I need a constructive hobby.
Wiki-editing became that hobby on April 30, 2009, when I accidentally founded the Public Accountability Wiki. (I had intended to only make a section on the Scratchpad Wiki Labs,[1] but the registration form had a usability bug.[2]) Around May 10, I began to resume my patrol over the below wikis and the JavaScript Wiki. I also discovered a convenient way to track recent changes for inactive wikis in Ubuntu, although I wish I could turn the result into another RSS feed: Liferea.
On May 12, I noticed that a neighbor of PAW, namely the Governance Wiki (Giki), has a mission (governmental accountability) which includes or at least overlaps PAW's. As such, I contacted Giki's administrator about a possible merger or other cooperation. His reply presented no obstacles to my proposal, so I began to settle down. Partly because my mission was dependent on clear definition of offices, I first noticed that geographic categories were so twisted up as to be unusable.[3] This has so far resulted in friction with two members; I hope I can improve my track record soon.
Inactive wikis which I patrol[]
As a member of a technology wiki, I have an interest in the success of the following inactive wikis and try to patrol them regularly. (Well, I did before I burnt out... I'll try to pick that habit back up.) If you would like to take any of them off my hands, please say so. (Better yet, adopt one of them.)
(potential) resources[]
to be merged with the Programmer's Wiki[]
others[]
Accounts[]
- JavaScript Wiki
- Programmer's Wiki
- Internet
- Mathematics
- Freeciv
- HTML Wiki
- The Wiki Guide to PHP
- Public Accountability Wiki
- CSS Swatches
- Flash Wiki