CommentPage

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A comment page or talk page is a page that contains comments on another page. Some wiki software enables EasySubmission for comment pages only.

An OddMuse option activates this to move from Wiki to WikiLog. You can even disallow editing of "normal" pages and only allow editing of comment pages.

At the bottom of normal pages, you will find both an "Edit this page" and a "Comments on this page" link. Comment pages are often distinguished by their name prefix. Using the name is the simplest scheme that works. For example, WikiPedia uses a "talk:" prefix to distinguish comment pages.

Comment pages on OddMuse can be edited like normal pages, but the most prominent feature is an edit box at the bottom. When it is used, the text is just appended to the comment page.

Other systems have a different editing metaphor for comment pages, more explicitly supportive of ThreadMode. For example, [WakkaWiki] uses a mini-BBS.

Of course these pages can be created manually (see pagenames with the suffix "Discussion" on Meatball) but to automate this process has several advantages:

Easier to participate:

the comments page are directly accessible from the page.
With EasySubmission it makes it easier to particpate for people not familiar with wikis but familiar with forums and the like.
It is less intimidating to leave a comment on a page that accumulates 2 cents opinions. One can be afraid or ashamed to edit a well written text.

Easier to read:

It keeps the original page with a more concise and better written text, the reader doesn't have to make her way through anarchic comments to get the idea. If she wants more opinions on the subject, she has the choice to read the comments.

A possible drawback is that it causes severe ReworkingProblems.