Article: The JFK Assassination wiki project

[Peter Presland]

Since announcing the DPF JFK wiki and assassination timeline initiative a few weeks ago I have posted nothing further because there have been teething problems to iron out. The software is now working satisfactorily and I judge it robust enough to facilitate serious work on subjects that would benefit from detailed timeline analysis. The JFK assassination is a classic such subject.

Anyone interested can get an insight into the development and current status of the generic timeline project at the Sandbox wiki.

The current timeline content consists mainly of example data from the original author of the software and would undoubtedly benefit from editing by knowledgeable people . However, I have also started adding events from the published Rich Dellarosa timeline and there are clearly MANY more sources that others may wish to include. The process of adding events is pretty straightforward.

Few people from DPF have registered at Wikispooks so far. However, can I ask those interested in JFK assassination research to please revisit the relevant pages linked above and spend a few minutes rooting around. You will find the facilities to be comprehensive and very easy to both view and contribute to.

Also, suggestions and/or questions are welcome, either here on the relevant timeline discussion pages.

[Peter Presland]

More work done on timeline functionality.

The timeline now centers on a specified date. And I've added a collage of photos - makes it a little more visually attractive. More usability mods in the pipepeline.

I have to say there has been little to no further interest shown by DPF members. However, I'm pressing on with it because, as a wiki-based, crowd-sourced timeline facility, I'm not aware of anything else that competes with it in terms of ease of editing and event addition

Any feedback welcome

Current iteration here

[Tracy Riddle]

Thanks for your efforts, Peter. i wish I had more time and energy to contribute to it right now.

[Peter Presland]

Thanks for your efforts, Peter. i wish I had more time and energy to contribute to it right now.

No problem Tracy.

When I originally started looking for timeline software for DPF a year or so ago, what stood out was the plethora of available options to display timelines - and very fancy and impressive-looking many are too - cosmetically at least. But the one big problem with all that I looked at was that the xml, JSON or whatever files that held their displayed timeline events had to be prepared externally. It was thus next to impossible to make them genuinely crowd-sourced.

The big advantage with the wiki approach is that each event is a stand-alone page that can be created and edited by any registered user. The pages can be edited and added to just like any other wiki page and each has its own dedicated talk page where differences over minutiae can be ironed out. It thus has potential to facilitate complex research collaborations. And, since u-t-d backups of the site are publicly available, people can have confidence that, should it disappear for whatever reason, someone somewhere can and probably will resurrect it.

Anyway, I intend to plod on with it and set up a few other timelines too - especially for UK controversial stuff like the deaths of David Kelly, Diana Princes of Wales and the Spy-in-a-bag Gareth Williams. There are clearly many more candidates and any registered user can start one.