Wiki+Why+Does+It+Work+so+Well

=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.