Wiki for Dummies - Confluence Wiki

What is this?

• Hybrid web application
• Spaces = Wikis + Blogs + BBS
• Page = Wiki
  • Version Control
    • Fall back to previous versions easily
  • Shared Editing
    • For group use one scribe
      • scribe saves
      • Group members refresh page
  • Tree Stucture
    • Parent - Child order
    • Not always strictly used
• News = Web Log / Journal
  • once written not edited or changed
• Comments = BBS / Threaded conversation
  • for Pages and for News
    • Hierarchical
• Attachments = versioning control
  • use the comment field to note differences

Where Am I? – the Navigation

• Top Dark Blue Bar
  • Breadcrumbs in upper left
  • Search Engine in upper right
• Dashboard / Root Page
  • left column – list of spaces / wikis you can see
  • Top Right – Latest entries
  • Bottom Right – You Favorites
• Space Layout Types
  • Top Tabs
    • Internet2 Staff Wiki – https://wiki.internet2.edu:443/confluence/x/7gs
  • Side Tabs
    • Choices are more hidden – uses drop down menus
    • Teaching and Learning SIG – https://wiki.internet2.edu:443/confluence/x/1w
• NOTE You can only see what you have permission to see
  • This applies to search too. You only can search what you have permission to see.

Functions

Add a Page

• Use "Add Page" option
• Create link while editing a page using brackets

Add News

• Use "Add News" button

Attach File

• Click "Attachments"
• Browse for file to be attached

Edit

• Rich Text Editor
  • WYSIWYG
  • Icon bar typical
  • Has its limitations
• Wiki Markup Editor
  • better for cleaning up pages
  • needed if you want to use macros
• Copy - Paste
  • Works pretty well
  • Caveats
• Making a link
  • use brackets [ ]
  • Use link icons in edit window
• Advanced Topics
  • Restricting - read and write
  • Moving a page to a different parent page

Watch this Page

• How?
  • Use envelope icon on right side
  • Browse Space > Advanced Tab > left column
• Lurker Special – you can turn on email and sit back
• pushes information to your mail client

RSS Feeds

• NB: RSS from this version of Confluence are NOT standard and do not play nice with RSS readers.
• generate feed from various sources
  • Space Level
  • entire wiki level
• pushes information to your RSS reader
  • FireFox Sage extension – http://sage.mozdev.org/
  • RSS New Reader Application
    • Wikipedia entry page listing number of readers – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_aggregator
    • Web based – Google RSS Reader – http://www.google.com/reader/view/

Quick Tips

Quick Start and Help links on Dashboard

• Notice in paragraph at top left.
• Quick Start Page
• Wiki Support Page

click INFO Tab for a shorter URL

• important for long URLs