What+is+a+Wiki

=Why Do Wikis Work So Well?=

There are five elements that, in combination, are the "secret sauce" to wikis:


 * 1) You **edit in them in a browser**, without the need for specialized programs;
 * 2) You can link to uncreated page, so the **organization of the wiki can be created on the fly**--without interfering with creativity or interrupting the thought process;
 * 3) Wikis keep a chronological history for every page, so **nothing is lost forever**, no changes can be completely destructive, and revisions can always be undone;
 * 4) Wikis include a discussion area, so there **can be a dialogue about changes before**, during, and after they are being made;
 * 5) And finally, and in some ways most significantly, you **can monitor a wiki or a particular page and receive notification of any changes to that page--**which is why an error in a site like Wikipedia can be corrected in a matter of a few minutes.