Wikipedia + Myspace = ... An idea for an interesting site

It's has been awhile since I last posted an idea and winning the Trap 17 Mad Scientist award I feel I must post! Anyways here is an idea and I'll post the good and the bad about it.I'm not sure what it would be called and wiki is used WAY to much, but for now we will call it WikiBio. WikiBio is a site to post your bio and update it. I am not talking about a quick bio like on Friendster and Myspace. A full blown out bio. You write about youself all the way everything you know even your social security number, ok the social part was a joke, but seriously, it's just a place to post a bio on yourself. It's a wiki site for the reason that your friends can add things about you. Past experiences you might have forgot about. Only friends can do this like comments almost in myspace. The layout wouldn't look as nasty as myspace does and sort of like wikipedia, but I want people to go there and know its WikiBio not Wikipedia. Like i said before, i dont want Wiki in the name!So what are benefits of this site? Why would you put personal info down? Think about the future and history. We all wont become famous and we all wont do something that will make the news That's why there would be WikiBio. If your detailed enough you could have a nice bio page and pictures. Friends post things about you so you never forget them. Now think, if it lasted, 100 yeas from now. What was great grandpa/grandma like? Or how about a simple historian looking up statisics like, how many people in Washington state were Christian etc. The search you could look up "Fireman in washington" and maybe find a co-worker you had and learn about them later on. Maybe a friend who moved away and found them on there and see how they are doing. There would be a messaging section, but that's not what it's for. You simply read. I know personaly I would find it interesting to look at people bios and read about them in depth. No matter how small we all have interesting lives in some way. Obviously you wouldnt put anything incriminating down and I bet no politicians would put stuff down.So what do you guys think about this? What name? What would it look like? Would anyone want to help me make it? Would you ever use it?

I would use this site. It would be good to keep track of what I've done and be able to look back on it. Let's develop it. I have tons of experience with PHP and mySQL and programming in general.

Okay, now this is one idea in a long time I really think is great! And I am really in for this idea. The name WikiBio doesn't sound good to me atleast... But you are using the Wiki system to develop this, aren't you? Then I guess we should add Wiki to it.I am surely going to use it if you or anyone else makes something like this. WikiPeople will do? I know it's equally lame but that's all I can think of for now. Commenting and all and having a photo journal would even help.I can just imagine what if we had time-lines there and we suffer an invasion of emo kids like MySpace did... That would be such pathetic, their stupidity is okay but even the faux-sadness makes me sad. Comments/testimonials would be pretty good idea 'cause then we don't have to sound so self-obsessed and self-praising. I always wanted something about me on Wiki, and now with this everyone can have one. :lol:Or if you guys are making it from scratch, I don't know how Wiki-based sites are made, but I can surely lend some help with CSS and Minimalistic Graphics, I know this ain't much, but still atleast work will be distributed. :PIf you need any help with this ever, and it's within whatever I can do, I will surely do it.

Man, It sounds like a great idea but will it work? It is a direction in which social networking seems to be headed. Since lot of blogs actually are really autobiographies, this may be the place where they all converge. Sounds great but we have to make it work. With the Wiki format, I think it would be a great mimimalistic version. Keep up the good work dude.

I think this is a really great idea. I mean people can leave out as much info as they like for security issues and if you don't like the idea of your information out their for everyone, then just don't make an account. It will be up to you what information you want on there. The only problem I can think of at the moment is what if someone creates a page for someone else? I don't want someone making a fake page about my life and then posing as a real one. There would have to be a way to validate it of some sort because people can make anyone they want a myspace with just a picture of them and fake information. It's still a good idea though and I think you should start something or gather people and start something. It'd be neat to look up people of the past or be able to group people together into families and see who you are related to distantly.

WikiMe? WikiFriends? This is an amazing idea. I want to sign up as soon as it's created. It's brilliant.

There are many sites like this already, so it's definitely not a new idea. But I know many people don't join sites like this because of how bad identity theft is and because people are always paranoid about giving their information online (and for good reason).I can't remember of those sites that have exactly as you say (though I ran across some on Stumble Upon the other day) but I know a wiki+blog+profile is Mindsay.com and it is pretty good.

Sounds a interesting idea, but to me it just sounds like a combination of blog, myspace, and wiki software and like Smack mention in his above post, Identity theft and cyber stalking is such a big deal these days not to many people would want to do put up there personal lives for everyone to read and know about.. Also with the fact your introducing wiki software into this, that would mean your bio would be editable and thus people will have the chance to delete everything or post up some bad stuff, especially when its people who loath you or treating you like junk. Interesting idea but again why go through the effort when you can just combine a blog and mypace profile together and display it on a web page.

The only problem I can think of at the moment is what if someone creates a page for someone else? I don't want someone making a fake page about my life and then posing as a real one. There would have to be a way to validate it of some sort because people can make anyone they want a myspace with just a picture of them and fake information. It's still a good idea though and I think you should start something or gather people and start something. It'd be neat to look up people of the past or be able to group people together into families and see who you are related to distantly.

I agree that this problem will be a big one, and we might even have kids creating 10 new accounts everytime they hear a new band! Like we have most nowadays. I guess there should be some kind of validation in here and creating an account and maintaining your own Wiki shouldn't be that easy like register yourself and go ahead!

I can't remember of those sites that have exactly as you say (though I ran across some on Stumble Upon the other day) but I know a wiki+blog+profile is Mindsay.com and it is pretty good.

Mindsay.com is just another social networking site just with wikis, it doesn't really appeal me much anyways, it's more of a social networking site and too filled with stuff. I guess a minimalistic Wikipedia-styled one would do loads better and we don't want it to look like a social networking site either, the only things we are taking in are messaging and commenting (or to rather put it in a better way, part of a profile which can be publicly edited). And there can be some parts of the profile that can be edited publicly and the rest should be restricted to the author of the page.
Just think of having your own page on Wikipedia, only that, and then to me it looks far more better than any blog or MySpace! Discussion can finally lead to what should actually be the site 'cause if we keep speaking about identity theft and more and more features, it'll just become like any other site out there.

OK to reply to some of your comments. Also i think since people will help I need to make a project name until a name has been agreed on. I'll name it the Human Autobiography Project or HAP. This will make it easier just calling it HAP.

I would use this site. It would be good to keep track of what I've done and be able to look back on it. Let's develop it. I have tons of experience with PHP and mySQL and programming in general.

OK perfect Ghostrider. So you'll be lead programmer? So we would need a user system as well as a way for friends to be able to add onto peoples pages, but non-friends can't. Think you could do that? Also need a way to sort all those bios. A upload form for images would be required also.

I can just imagine what if we had time-lines there and we suffer an invasion of emo kids like MySpace did... That would be such pathetic, their stupidity is okay but even the faux-sadness makes me sad.

Emos could join but be subject to terms and conditions. This is a autobiography site. Not a personal social friend site. The could be a restriction, just like here, on messages. There wont be a comment system because there would be no need for it. You would message him and tell him to add you then he could edit it. Its to much of a hassle to add friends who aren't friends. Plus myspace has taken care of the social scene. This would not be a problem.

sylenzednuke lots of little graphics would have to be made and I can make them so we could collaberate and both do them so one person isn't stuck doing all of it. Would that work?

It is a direction in which social networking seems to be headed. Since lot of blogs actually are really autobiographies, this may be the place where they all converge. Sounds great but we have to make it work. With the Wiki format, I think it would be a great mimimalistic version.

To answer you question about social networking site, no. Why, because its about YOU. Not a place for friends (myspace) a place for you. You write about yourself and if you add them as a friend or family member they can add things. I'm not sure how that would work yet, but maybe an approval process or at least a notification. You would only be able to have so many emails in your box and what would be the point of having lots of friends? You could look people up and read about them, but if you dont know them you wouldnt add them because its not about how many friends you have. I think it would be best to even hide the number. You could find relatives and old friends, but you would then ask for their myspace or email because the site message system has limits.
See im still worrying about the Wiki format also. Minimalistic would for sure be best wiki or not.

Also Blogs though are not usually like this. They are about one thing that happened or a new application you have and movie and game reviews. This is strictly about you.

The only problem I can think of at the moment is what if someone creates a page for someone else? I don't want someone making a fake page about my life and then posing as a real one. There would have to be a way to validate it of some sort because people can make anyone they want a myspace with just a picture of them and fake information.

I thought about this and this could be a major issue. Luckily I thought of two ways that could actually work.

1. Show proof its you by holding a sign saying something like "http://www.hap.com/
myusername; and hav your face in it and provide a first and last name. If someone then goes to make a fake one about you the name is in the archive and when they show the face they wont match and then we would work it out to see if they were trying to copy them based on other information like city and county and state your living in and other things. If they just have the same name the name, birth year, and other info wouldnt match anyways. If you don't understand how that would work just ask. I have seen it on some other sites.

2. This one might not be popular because it could look like we are stealing. You would upload a picture of your drivers license and you could block out any info you wanted except the picture your license number. There would never be anyone else with your valid drivers license unless it was stolen. This is the best way, but least likely to succeed.

3. This would be with one of the other methods. We would have admins and mods scanning through for fake profiles. "Hi my name is Bill and im so gay i like it in the..." is obviously a fake one. It would be deleted without notice. If one sounds real but we have two of the same names and some of the private info is the same we could email both asking for proof of you and if one doesnt respond or shows fake we would delete them and ban them.

Myspace is just so bugged out with to many people, crapping coding, and no enough mods. Actually i know one person who had a fake profile made about them with nudes AND they were under 18 and it took them weeks to take the profile off.

WikiMe? WikiFriends? This is an amazing idea. I want to sign up as soon as it's created. It's brilliant.

Thanks. I will take those and ill have a vote soon so i can start on the logo process. Thanks for the submissions.

There are many sites like this already, so it's definitely not a new idea. But I know many people don't join sites like this because of how bad identity theft is and because people are always paranoid about giving their information online (and for good reason).
I can't remember of those sites that have exactly as you say (though I ran across some on Stumble Upon the other day) but I know a wiki+blog+profile is Mindsay.com and it is pretty good.

Yes and i looked at that site and it's actually nothing like what I was thinking. It's not a blog. It's one big autobiography on you. When i went there two people on the front were talking about there favorite movies. That's NOT what I had in mind. I'm talking about "In 1990 I had joined the US Marines. The first day I was there they made me run 18 miles through a swamp. I thought I was going to die, but..." This would have basic info about you and i guess "Trivial Questions" about you, but it's more about your life since the start until you leave the site. Hopefully someone who is 12 would sign up and would write and add until they are 90 years old. This is such far fetched example, but just picture that. You scanning members and you can read about this guys actual LIFE not about what he had to eat and what song he is currently listening to, but about his life for the past 78 years. It would have his family members profiles such as grandson and the generations would go on. They could look back or learn about distant family members as well as complete strangers who have the same interest. Such as look up Designers and learn what they did and how it worked and how it didnt work.

Sounds a interesting idea, but to me it just sounds like a combination of blog, myspace, and wiki software and like Smack mention in his above post, Identity theft and cyber stalking is such a big deal these days not to many people would want to do put up there personal lives for everyone to read and know about.. Also with the fact your introducing wiki software into this, that would mean your bio would be editable and thus people will have the chance to delete everything or post up some bad stuff, especially when its people who loath you or treating you like junk. Interesting idea but again why go through the effort when you can just combine a blog and mypace profile together and display it on a web page.

It's not a blog. Blogs work, if you use it the way it was intended, to work from current to previous and major events that happend. A journal in other words. Blogs now don't even do that. Its all about opinions and what you like and dislike. I mean look up popular blogs. Engaget and Gizmodo come up. What are those blogs about? Electronics. This would work as a book. Past to present rather then backwards.

I bet a good amount wouldnt mind posting things about them self. Look at myspace. People put videos of them doing crimes on there. Just here where i live there was some kids putting nazi stuff everywhere and they couldn't figure out who. About a week after that story there was another story about the same kids and how they got caught because someone on myspace saw the video. If kids and adults are willing to put videos on the most popular site on the planet ever i doubt they would care to write a little autobiography about their life up to that point.

Lastly as I said in the first post you would have to add them as a friend. In other words approve the people who can add. If they screw up your profile or write something bad you delete them and then they cant do it anymore. I would also want strict rules about this stuff and delete their bio as well as ban their IP for this sort of stuff.



Lastly a few issues:

How can we all communicate?

I am using my Trap account for my portfolio site which I have to have up for school. How/Who/Where can we get hosting?

Anyone else want to help?

Do you guys think we HAVE to have Wiki in there? I bet 3/4+ dont even know really what wiki means. They just know of wikipedia. I bet a good amount dont even know anyone can add anything.

Any other ideas for the site?

We also need a tag line. Any ideas? An idea is "Your Place, Your Story, Your (Name of site)"

sylenzednuke lots of little graphics would have to be made and I can make them so we could collaberate and both do them so one person isn't stuck doing all of it.
Would that work?Lastly a few issues:

How can we all communicate?

I am using my Trap account for my portfolio site which I have to have up for school. How/Who/Where can we get hosting?

Anyone else want to help?

Do you guys think we HAVE to have Wiki in there? I bet 3/4+ dont even know really what wiki means. They just know of wikipedia. I bet a good amount dont even know anyone can add anything.

Any other ideas for the site?

We also need a tag line. Any ideas? An idea is "Your Place, Your Story, Your (Name of site)"

Yup, that's why I was willing to help, to reduce the burden from one person, ghostrider can take care of PHP and I can do CSS while you do toe HTML if you want. And yes, collaborating on the graphics is perfectly fine for me! We can communicate through e-mails as usual of course and/or messenger services. I use Gtalk and Y!M but I also have MSN and AIM so I don't think anyone of us could possibly have a problem while speaking to me.

I am not using my hosting for now much, but I am working on the site and other things as well, I use it to host misc. stuff, like a forum for my community on orkut for now, some images and my site's "under construction" page. So I can't give out my hosting either. But I will never be using entire 500 MB so I can share out some, but then bandwidth and URl would be problems! I guess we can figure this one out later on.

Well, are there any other good features of having a wiki apart from the content being editable by everyone? If no, then I guess there's no reason for us to have a wiki up there. And I personally think we should keep ideas in general, 'cause if we keep on adding features on features, it'll just be a mess and all we want is a autobiography site.

For the tag-line, I guess "Your article, Your story, Your (Name of site)" would do better as the pages on Wikipedia are "articles"? And Wikipedia + MySpace is where this idea came from? But yeah, I'll think of some more for sure.

Yup, that's why I was willing to help, to reduce the burden from one person, ghostrider can take care of PHP and I can do CSS while you do toe HTML if you want. And yes, collaborating on the graphics is perfectly fine for me! We can communicate through e-mails as usual of course and/or messenger services. I use Gtalk and Y!M but I also have MSN and AIM so I don't think anyone of us could possibly have a problem while speaking to me.

OK perfectly fine with me. I know CSS super well also and I want it all validated, so if your having any problems ask, or you could write it and i could go over it or something. First we need a name before we can start on the graphics. Should i start a new topic with a poll or just start the poll here and we can add names to this post using the edit option? Also im on all of those usually at once. Where do you live though? Because i might be sleeping when your eating dinner.

I am not using my hosting for now much, but I am working on the site and other things as well, I use it to host misc. stuff, like a forum for my community on orkut for now, some images and my site's "under construction" page. So I can't give out my hosting either. But I will never be using entire 500 MB so I can share out some, but then bandwidth and URl would be problems! I guess we can figure this one out later on.

I think if we actually used all 500mbs and/or use the bandwidth up we might as well get some paid hosting because that would be a lot of visitors to a mostly text based site.

Well, are there any other good features of having a wiki apart from the content being editable by everyone? If no, then I guess there's no reason for us to have a wiki up there. And I personally think we should keep ideas in general, 'cause if we keep on adding features on features, it'll just be a mess and all we want is a autobiography site.

I dont believe so. I have never used it. I'm sure Ghostrider could add that option. A simple if or statement. If friend allow editing to allowed editing areas and or if they are not friends send a request and deny them editing access. Something like that. That is true also. For now im going to write the list of features on the bottom of this post that have to be done. The minimalist form of the site and then add things later.

For the tag-line, I guess "Your article, Your story, Your (Name of site)" would do better as the pages on Wikipedia are "articles"? And Wikipedia + MySpace is where this idea came from? But yeah, I'll think of some more for sure.

Yah i came up with it in about 20 seconds, but I wanted an example. We will have a vote on this also. This would be a great project if done as a collab project. Vote for the name. Have some logos made then vote. Have the taglined voted on. And anything else.




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So features that are the bare bones.

Needs to have a user system with a the sign up process that we will choose. Right now i'm liking the idea of the photo. If so then we would need a sign up page, yes one page, that would include, but subject to change:

*Name (first and last in seperate fields)
*Age (im not sure what the min age should be. Maybe 16 and if younger parents permission?)
*username (can be same as name)
*password (4-16 characters?)
*photo upload for the scamming. (Instructions would need to be provided with a little icon to the right in a pop up window.)
*Submit button

Thats the sign up page. The other systems needed would be:

*Friend System. (People get added and are given permissions to edit parts of page, but not all) Should be able to delete and add
*A way to edit the pages
*Edit personal info with religion, sex, etc. which would be on their page in a little box of quick info.
*A messaging system like in phpbb and here. With a cap limit on sent and stored.
*Upload form for photos. (Video would be nice, but takes up to much space) Maybe a built in login and upload in our site but it uploads to their youtube?
*Privacy settings. What parts are viewable and what arent as well as what can be edited as friends/family
*counter system for each person
*a personal URL like FirstnameLastname.websitename.com or websitename.com/firstnamelastname whatever is easiest or people would like.


Other things will be added, but those so far are the basics. Some features i dont know if i should add which could make it like myspace... eww... but could be useful in many ways are:

*custom HTML support. This could be useful for bolding letters or underlining and the Wiki system is not as well known as HTML.
*custom CSS for their bio.
*be able to make a book cover which when you click goes to their bio.
*convert their bio to a pdf???


Im thinking a SUPER SIMPLE editor though. All html based (maybe if we want them to be able to use html) and its a blank page. You can edit it totally blank or use templates where you just add text and colors and font weights and links. You can add titles also, but nothing is set in stone where it should go. So we wont have "Your favorite memory of grandma." It's all blank like Wikipedia, but when you tell it to add a header it makes it nice and has a little line or something decorative.


Possible Names so far are:

IF Wiki site is chosen:
*WikiBio
*WikiFriends
*WikiMe
*WikiPeople

If not:
*yourlife.com
*ourlife.com
*autobiographies.com
*yourstory.com
*thepeopleproject.com


So there are ideas. Keep thinking! Please nothing with mysomthing or isomething. Something original.

Thanks maybe get this started in a few days? I could get the main layout sketched out as well as some logos for the final 3 names we choose. As well as choose if we will use wiki or not. Tell me what names you like or really dont like for each Wiki and non wiki.

Don't know if you guys were thinking like this, but it would be best imo if only the owner of the 'profile' of himself could approve changes to his page.But good idea I like that idea of making only certain parts viewable to public, and others to friends. Sounds like a great idea so far!I couldn't help much though lol, otherwise I would consider it. I'm only good with HTML and CSS...I can edit some PHP, but can't create it.

Actually we did talk about this and it would have to be done or else it could end up a mess How well do you know CSS and HTML? The more the merrier.

I think this is a brilliant idea, but the system would need to be kept as simple as possible. A large number of templates and easy ways to add text, images, videos etc needs to be devised. Most people who visit the site will have no idea what HTML is and will simply want to fill their part of the site with as much content as possible.

Starting off with a blank page is a great idea - it means every page is completely personal, but you still need a way to let people easily make the page look presentable. An idea would be to allow people to post their snippets of text or whatever and provide a settings page somewhere to configure text colours, backgrounds and things like that. A really simple JavaScript colour picker or something similar would also work quite well.

*Age (im not sure what the min age should be. Maybe 16 and if younger parents permission?)

Requesting a parent's permission is not usually that effective, as people who want to get around it simply use a second account of their own. In the US you need to comply with COPPA if you allow access to children under the age of 13. This involves mailing out or faxing forms to parents, or verifying credit card information. Both take a bit of time both for you and the parent and can deter a lot of people. Asking for a date of birth is also ineffective as people just lie about their birth year. This is a problem that plagues all social networking sites and hasn't yet really been resolved.
Also, all of the web addresses suggested are already registered

Anyway, I'm willing to help out with any PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS or design stuff if you need it.