Main Page
Welcome to the Burningwater.org Innovation Engine...
You have found an openly editable place to log ideas. Currently, this is a fully functioning wiki. This will remain functional and accessible directly, but we are also working on accessibility through Unreal Engine. Please understand that this is a rapidly developing work in progress... The Innovation Engine is now live. Between the engine itself and the wiki software behind it, edits and improvements are being made regularly. All it takes is a simple login to edit, contribute and help steer the ship. Please observe the Burningwater Philosophy when editing; i.e. be respectful. It's pretty simple... Outside of that, please enjoy the platform. We welcome feedback and can be contacted directly through this contact page. To read further about the intent of this wiki, you are welcome to check out our landing page at Burningwater.org
What this system is built to do
This system is built for the exchange of ideas and information, but it isn't trying to be an encyclopedia of facts, at least not explicitly. It is intended to be a place for the communication and exchange of ideas. The difference is subtle, but not to be understated. Ideas go beyond fact. They create the framework for how fact is used and understood, and that is the discussion this platform is built to promote.
Recent improvements include
- We have added Semantic MediaWiki for handling data.
- Chat has gone live
- About a dozen other extensions have been added to simplify editing, etc. See the Versions list here
- A number of pages have been added for "housekeeping" purposes and to help establish the intent of this platform
- Many pages of ideas and inspiration have been added.
Currently, the next steps include...
- Building out the Category tree into a useful navigation tool
- Bringing a number of forms to this page.
- addition of a number of add-on modules to improve functionality
- implementing a unified login system across the burningwater system and the linked subdomains.
- addition of visualizations to this wiki
How innovation happens
It can be a little intimidating for someone to hand you a blank piece of paper. Writers and artists have been crushed by the weight of nothing. There don't have to be rules, but ideas and guidelines can help. Those road signs are inherent in the language in which they are written. Whether it be a visual language like charcoal on Paper, 3d Sculpture, or a language such as English, Cantonese, or Wiki Syntax, the language itself can shape the ideas which can be expressed.[1] Wiki Syntax happens to be well suited to the categorization of ideas. Just by adding a few extra symbols and references to written language, Wiki Syntax can nest pages and ideas within each other. This particular Innovation Engine contains added tools to simplify that process with Visual Editors. Think of these languages like an artist's tool. They can be manipulated to share ideas with the world, to help evolve those ideas, and to organize those ideas in the context.
What to expect coming up
As time goes on, you can expect to see this transition from a blank wiki into a repository of information on climate change, social justice and other linked issues. As you may have seen on Burningwater.org, This site is meant to go beyond delivering information and become a means of fostering innovation. In order to do that, the informative articles will form the backbone of the system such that anyone wishing to join the conversation with ideas on how to face the climate crisis has a number of accurate and reliable sources at their fingertips. Doing this will mean that one of the evident structures of this wiki will be a technology tree built around some of the most problematic and promising technologies being used today. For instance, there will be a power generation category covering subcategories from the existing fossil fuel systems to renewables like wind, solar and hydroelectric power, right on into the as-of-yet unrealized future technologies like fusion power. As the form system goes together, there will be easy ways to add articles, discuss pros and cons, point to patented and proprietary technologies affecting the implementation of positive technologies, and discuss workarounds that might speed broader-scale adoption of clean technologies.
Further pages will help to flesh out the network of who's who in the large and expanding world of climate leaders, important companies and other individuals and organizations and resources important to work on climate change.
Getting to know the Burningwater.org wiki
Please check out the Burningwater Philosophy for information on community standards and expectations. This Free and Open source platform works like any other wiki. All it takes is a quick sign in and you can contribute, chat and take a part in building a better future, or hit the Random Page button to see some of what is going on here. New pages are being added and edited daily...
We are running Visual Editor for your ease and convenience. Even Source editing has extensions added to simplify the life of those who wish to edit, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. This platform is built on some seriously powerful wiki software. It has a lot of features that are meant to allow you to do amazing things. In order to unlock some of these features, it can be edited with Wiki Syntax as well as plain English. Because wiki syntax is expected to be a foreign language to most people, it may be useful to consult the User's Guide for information on using the wiki software in general. If you are trying to do something and need help, there is the Help about MediaWiki link in the sidebar menu to help you find information whenever you need it. Resources specific to the Innovation Engine are under development.
A Few Starter Tips
Don't be overwhelmed! Wiki Software is amazingly powerful! If you want to edit and don't know how just sign in and click the "edit" button. The "edit" button on a given page will lead you to the visual editor that lets you do all sorts of things without getting bogged down in the realm of wiki syntax. Wiki Syntax lets you do things quickly if you are willing to learn it, and it opens up whole sets of features like categorizations, but that doesn't mean it is easy. If you feel like you want to play with wiki syntax, start by checking out the "edit source" button on an existing page to see what the syntax is supposed to look like. If you really want to see how some of it works, check out the "edit source" button on a full blown wikipedia page. The software you are now using was developed for them, they are still one of the best examples of how this can be done. <no-comment-streams />
