nesdev.org

Right now the main page of the nesdev website has been frozen in time for quite some time. Wouldn't be great if people could contribute to it?

My idea is, why not just move that page inside the wiki and use the wiki to edit the content of it? You put a redirect of the main page to one of the wiki page and then anybody that have time can contribute to modify the layout.

I think this could be a simple but interesting idea. What do you think Membler (and other people of the community)? Would it make sense? That way, anybody could help you to modify the main page of nesdev through the wiki edit software like a CMS (content management system for web page).

Alternatively, the main page could have it's own wiki and style. There is still another wiki installed that I didn't use yet.

I would almost think putting these forums on the wiki and having the old page for historical reasons would be the way to go.

Basically have the wiki take over. The only thing I use this site for are the forums anyway.

It's a good idea for some links are outdated and new documents deserve to be linked.
Few days ago, I was wondering how to update some links of the main page. With the wiki, the operation would be easier and faster.

I've wanted to set up something like that for a while, but haven't been sure how to. From what I've seen so far, with the Wiki it seems like for users to upload files it's a big hassle. It seems that even uploading text files has all kinds of security issues. Sure it could be put in a ZIP file, or as a wiki page, but those to me seem like annoying little barriers to access a straight text file.

I've kinda thought about opening up an incoming directory on an anonymous ftp server, but that seems decidedly oldschool (what's next, 00index and file_id.diz files? heh).

Really I'd like something like what exists at http://2a03.free.fr/. But all the available CMS systems I've looked at look to be overly complex.

But yeah, a Wiki page seems to be closest to what I'd like to see.

As for uploading files, I would say don't let the user do it from the wiki. There is no approval of account so anybody and their dog can create one and could upload if the right is given by default. And we don't know how the files are saved so I don't like that either for archival purpose. For pictures, I don't mind much but for files I do.

Right now, the original page has been frozen for too long and there is no easy way for anybody to try to help you to update it so this is a problem. What I would suggest is I will try to do a sample page inside the wiki once I find time. The goal is to put back the original content of the page by section but wikified. This mean all links to files will be external links. I think this would make it more like a normal web page except you don't need to edit some HTML to edit the links, just the content which is a good thing. Where almost in 2010 so we should stop worrying about html tags and let the CMS do it

Once you approve the page we can put a redirect at the root folder to go to that specific page in the wiki.

Regarding upload, maybe some people lurking on nesdev have some idea of a system where you can upload then approve the file? Once the file is approved, you just put an external link inside the main page of the wiki, like when you edited the normal html webpage. Sometime some format like pure text is still better in its original form than wikified.

If we don't find a system then we can go oldschool with an anonymous ftp and a restricted folder. The only issue with that system is who will take the time to approve the file, move it to the real files folder and put it in the wiki.

Banshaku wrote:Where almost in 2010 so we should stop worrying about html tags and let the CMS do it

That just replaces HTML tags with CMS tags. MediaWiki has MediaWiki tags, and phpBB has phpBB tags.

Sometime some format like pure text is still better in its original form than wikified.

There's a tag for that: <pre>

Yes, you still need tags but in it simplest form, you don't need to know much compared to html. Another advantage of the CMS is that you have an history of your modification, other peoples can contributes to it live in the page without any FTP hassle.

Just for that, it's already better than modifying an HTML page don't you agree? The goal of this thread is to find a solution for the main page. If you have ideas then feel free to contributes them to this thread.

Started to import the content here:

http://wiki.nesdev.com/w/index.php/Nesdev

I'm too tired this week to convert a complete page at 1h in the morning when I just finished eating dinner. Did too much overtime to push it more.

Sorry for the triple post.

Someone named Cheesemeister is helping to make that sample page. He continued were I left of yesterday night and at the speed he's going, he will finish to convert the links soon. I'm happy to see people wanting to help for that cause.

Once the links are converted, we can think later how to improve the layout (put by section like wiki, re-organize etc). Now that it will be in the wiki, anybody can help.

The page is still raw but what do you think about it Memblers?

Edit:

I just finished converting the page available here.

Cheesemeister verified some of the link he converted. I didn't have the time to do so. I already modified the sidebar in the wiki to show the link to the nesdev page and wiki one.

Now I need people comment about it. I think it would do the job. Now we just need Memblers's blessing

I'm liking it! The original page layout was so simple that it translates really well to a wiki page.

Great then. Once you're ready to do the move, let me know. Basically you just need to put a .htaccess with a redirect to the wiki page URL and the job is done.

What will be left to figure out is how to upload files to nesdev but I'm sure we can figure something out.

Some of the images can be converted to look more like the wiki colors, like I did for the Wiki logo but I think there is no rush for that part since now anybody can help.

I've tried out putting the documents into a table format. Any thoughts?

That's a good idea to put documents into table. Ordered columns are very convenient

May be, it could be interesting to set two colors that alternate each rows. Thus, the reading may be easier when tables are displaying to many information. I think the two colors have to be pastel and not flashy

- Some items are really outdated!

2004 MiniGame Compo is on-going. The closing date for entries is Sunday, August 29, 2004.

I'm aware of that. This is the reason we want to move the main page on the wiki so more recent information can be shown. This way more people can help.

The goal was not right now to put newer information in this page but to show a prototype of how the page would look like in the wiki in it's current form, no more than that. Memblers seems already happy with the current prototype.