Ohio State students now have the ability to create and edit information pages on a new Internet resource site.
The Web site theosuwiki.com, is part of collegewikis.com and was created as a way for students to share, store and access information, said Joe DiPasquale, one of the founders.
The Web site collegewikis.com uses a code base similar to that which Wikipedia and other wiki sites use; this allows users to add or edit material found on the site, DiPasquale said.
Students have the ability to post questions on the site. Other registered students have the ability to respond to the question, and the page is saved so others can use it if they have a similar question.
"The goal is to really improve the ability as a student to a search on the site and capture the information that people are saying to one another and that hasn't been posted as a resource," DiPasquale said.
The OSU version of college wikis was launched April 4, 2007. Since then, 976 OSU students have registered on the Web site.
Most students have said they learned about the Web site through an unlabeled e-mail they received.
"I received an e-mail about it and thought it seemed interesting, so I signed up," said Laura Rizzo, a junior in communication.
Students receive e-mails one of two ways, DiPasquale said. Their e-mail address is entered into Facebook through a friend or it is entered into the college wiki Web site.
"We've been offering things to the people who invite the most friends. Actually, on Facebook we offer an iPod nano that we're going to give away at the end of summer to the person who invites the most. So actually a bunch of e-mails have been going out through that," DiPasquale said.
Students said they registered with the Web site because they were bored or it looked interesting.
"I basically got into OSU Wiki because I was bored one day and looking for a way to ask students what classes would be easy to take for extra curricular credit for my senior year," said Dave Derby, a senior in communication.
There are mixed feelings among students about the Web site's usefulness. Some feel that the Web site has little to offer students.
"I would say it isn't fulfilling any need or want among the university community," said Ben Holt, a senior in business and Spanish.
Other students agree with him.
"Most of the e-mails I get from that site are annoying and pointless," said Andrew Tucciarone, a senior in accounting.
The Web site has potential to be a useful resource for students according to other OSU students.
"I think any student coming to OSU for the first time will find it useful, whether undergrad or grad. It would have been great to have when I first moved to Columbus and was looking for a place to live," said Amy Iler, a graduate student.
While some students think the Web site could be useful, most agree that more registered members are needed.
"If more students saw the usefulness of the OSU Wiki and joined and contributed, the site will be a working success," said George Adams, an engineering major. "It's a good way to reach out to students, but it's useless if students don't join."
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