What can you use the application for?
Wikidot.com is online platform that facilitates creation of ‘wiki’ themed websites that allow for seamless collaboration amongst users. One can also share documents with friends and groups and can publish content immediately in this customized and centralized platform. It provides free hosted websites that provides users to add image galleries, petitions, forums and web widgets to create interactive sites. Wikidot can handle not only small websites but also portals. The user can embed bibliography items, footnotes and LaTeX-style equations etc. One can utilize the Wiki editor to create exactly what is desired. Domain mapping can be had for free. Moreover, it is also possible to stay notified by RSS for page changes, page comments etc. Security of data is one of the top priorities of developers of this website. Wikidot also does database replication and synchronization of uploading of files, on a live basis. The user can also smoothly create and download a ZIP archive that contains the snapshot of Wiki. Besides these, one can also have control as to who can attach, rename or edit files within the pages of website. The syntax that has been used is really powerful, making possible handling of not only simple websites but also create ones that require more complex technical know-how.
What is the history and popularity of the application?
Wikidot was founded by Michael Frackowiak and Pieter Hintjens and is based in Torun, Poland. The public version was presented in August 2006. Today it has numerous websites hosted on it and boasts of a substantial user base.
What are the differences to other applications?
The website differentiates itself on account of the ease in which it allows people to create their own wiki themed sites. In addition options like starting a forum and other add on does keep it a notch above competitors. That apart usual and ordinary features exist with some of the mentionable traits include a free storage of up to 300MB.
How does the application look and feel to use?
The home page does not have much to be talked about. Use of red and black on a white background gives a subdued impression and the overall site relies more on functionality than on style. Moreover, there is immense scope for improvement in the way information has been organized. Though navigation is not a problem but there is a need for proper structuring. Information has been displayed in an extremely haphazard and random. The only area where one can heave a sigh of relief is the absence of quiet ads or pop-ups.
How does the registration process work?
Registration process utilized by wikidot is fairly simple and it provides a chance to create own website. Information enquired for includes the screen name, e-mail address, language (option to choose from English and Polish are there), and password. A confirmation e-mail is sent to the e-mail address provided. The account is created after one inserts the verification code in the box. No credit card details are demanded at the time of registration.
What does it cost to use the application?
All the services offered by Wikidot whether are absolutely free. The site provides the facility of hosted Wikis with interesting features without charging anything from the users. No direct ads are placed on the site but users can post ads on their website and can earn 80% of the generated revenues.
Who would you recommend the application to?
Wikidot is recommended for people who need a considerable degree of coordination and collaboration in the operations and workings. Teachers can set up Wikis to streamline the flow of proceedings. This has become one of the fastest growing wiki farms and claims to have about 3000 new users per day. This application can also be used by those who wish to search sites. This is possible either by directly putting the name of the site or searching by tags is also possible.
