Wikibooks:Project Ideas

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This is an obsolete archived project page that is preserved for historical value. It may contain out-of-date information. Discuss at Wikibooks:Reading room/General

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[edit] Dentistry

While wikipedia has many health related articles and tid bits, there is currenlty no site on the internet were dental students can deposit great information that they've learned. Could and would wikipedia open up a new section - a professional education section. It could contain pages from students in those professions, where any and all could go and get information. Students can easily dump all of the information that they are learning into a wiki - this could become a powerful tool for professionals to brush up their skills and information.


[edit] Restaurant Guides

Here's an idea lingering nicely in the no-man's-land between opinion and the NPOV doctrine. Can we do restaurant guides? And the word 'can' is quite intentionally used.

There should be a good deal of information about restaurants that is strictly factual: cusine, pricing, location...uh...name... Ok, there's only so much. The real question is whether it's posible to have defined pockets of POV in such a guide (to make it useful). Now, I'm a former h2g2 researcher, so I'm used to such things being easier to do. On h2g2, individual entries can only be edited by one person, so the POV issue doesn't come up in the famous wiki way. Could we set up some sort of review system in such a book, or would it just fall to pieces? --Spikey 22:58, 10 Dec 2003 (UTC)

I guess the standard answer to that question would be that NPOV is possible, to the extent we can cite/quote published restaurant reviews without asserting which review is correct. Some travel guides indeed take that kind of approach - without asserting that this or that restaurant is good, they simply report that this restaurant is "said to be" good, or "famous for" something. How does that sound? Tomos 00:57, 13 Dec 2003 (UTC)
We could partner up with chefmoz.org, a Open Directory Project for this, or with Wikitravel. Otherwise, this does take a lot of man-power to do from scratch. I agree with Tomos that we can cite published reviews, but how do we know that there isn't sour grapes involved. - user:zanimum
Due to licensing reason, a partnership with Wikitravel would mean that every contributor agree to released his contribution under a dual licence, the GFDL and CC-by-sa. Thought not impossible, we would have to take an extrem care of this kind of project. Anyway, it's a very good idea, since Wikitravel already do restaurant guides.
Xillimiandus 16:09, 18 Dec 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Language learning

Hi, I am pleased to see all the effort put into the language pages, but for most people this way of learning doesn't work. Check out this method: (SPAM) http://www.rosettastone.com/ind/free_demo (/SPAM)

I don't know about copyright infringement but as long as wiki just uses the educational method based on choosing the picture that corresponds to the phrase heard and seen... where is the problem? It's the same system used by the classic memory game! Content can then be added a-gogo...with some organization in classifying subjects (general terms, around the house, going shopping, etc). wiki is the way to go! --amsterdamt@hotmail.com

Hi, I noticed that audio files are not included for learning language books and an audio upload page does not exist. Shouldn't there be these things? 64.109.11.171

See the "upload file" link on the sidebar; you can upload audio files that way. Sj


[edit] Picture dictionary for the deaf

I would like to see a picture dictionary for Spanish deaf. In developing latino countries there are lots of internet cafes now. Deaf people are using the internet to communicate by sign. Deaf people could use a book like this as a portal to learning language, since most of them do not have access to schooling, and those that do, mostly have teachers who are clueless as to how to teach a deaf person a written language. The pictures should not be exclusively nouns. Perhaps a whole Spanish course for the deaf could be developed, but a pictoral dictionary would be an excellent beginning.

Sounds like a great idea, but this is en.wikibooks.org. Try es.wikibooks.org for Spanish content. - Aya T C 15:48, 13 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Dichotomous key

I'm thinking about making a en:dichotomous key for wikibooks. Since wikibooks is not paper, it could be a dichotomous key for the whole of described organisms! Would anybody else be interested?

Discussion moved to Talk:Dichotomous Key:Start. Sj 02:28, 23 Jul 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Manuals for free software

Currently there is a discussion on Slashdot on how to tackle some problems that block the general acceptance of free software. One of these problems is the lack of good documentation. Maybe Wikibooks could profile itself as a place that is particularly adequate to write documentation for software? Akagu 16:57, 17 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Sure, why not? If you want to start up a new software documentation project (for free software, in particular), go right ahead :) Dysprosia 00:51, 18 Apr 2004 (UTC)
Well, I might be punished for this, but IMHO free software documentation mainly suffers from fragmentation. It is maybe not a good idea to open yet another construction site. Instead, consider contributing documentation directly to a free software project (so it gets bundled with the software), or join an organisation like [1]]
It would seem both can be accomodated if wikis specifically for free software can be updated from an online and on going wiki. That means providing a common interface in CHM - HTML, RTF or some combination for users of free software to link their programs to.

[edit] Sports Coaching Guides

I would love to have a guide written on coaching techniques/drills for soccer. It would be a valuable resource for any sport. Just an idea.
steers82 14:51, 17 Jun 2005 (AEST)

[edit] Songbook

Hi all, do you think it would be possible to create a songbook, i.e. a book with sheet music? There are a number of MIDI authoring programs that can export sheet music to an image file (NoteWorthy Composer for Windows, GarageBand for Mac, and Rosegarden for Linux I believe are three that can do this), but my main concern is that all the songs we do have to be fair use or public domain. What do you guys think? Addaone 19:10, 22 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I think that's an awesome idea! 203.214.115.130 13:28, 24 April 2006 (UTC)
Wikibooks is for textbooks, manuals and how-to guides. Copies and transcripts of original source documents belong at our sister project Wikisource. Seahen 17:55, 25 July 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Open Game Console

A game console where all of the information about how to make one and information about programming it are freely available. It would be preferrable to start this once someone who knows how to build one agrees to help. --V2os 14:31, 1 August 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Video books

I propose that we start producing complete video versions of some of our well-developed textbooks and how-to guides. There would be lots of benefits to having video versions:

  • In a video, you can show more illustrations than are practical on a conventional Web page. This means the position after every move in a chess game, and every step in solving a math problem. Even if a video article is just a slideshow of photos and drawings with the spoken text superimposed, more photos can be included.
  • Some diagrams are best animated, and a thumbnail-size animated GIF may not be enough. You may need full colour, higher resolution, and/or more frames.
  • Clips of a TV program, film, video game, concert, stage performance or real-life event become more practical, rather than just still screenshots or audio clips. (This is mainly a concern for history or media-studies textbooks.)
  • In the classroom, videos make a course more engaging than if it uses only print materials. Students with DVD players at home might be issued video textbooks instead of (presumably more expensive) printed ones.
  • There are places in rural North America, and possibly in the developing world as well, where there is wide access to television but limited access to computers. Thus, a video lesson could be distributed further via public broadcasting than one on the Web could.

It would probably be best to produce two versions of each video: one created without concern for file size, and one designed for low-bandwidth connections. I am making a similar proposal on Wikipedia. Seahen 18:12, 25 July 2006 (UTC)

I think that is entirely appropriate, and I can think of a couple Wikibooks where it would be absolutely amazing, namely the Cookbook, Unicyclopedia, and Harmonica (or other instrument wikibooks). New textbooks used at secondary and post-secondary, and I imagine at elementary too, education often have CDs with valuable multimedia material on them. It'd be really cool to design a game aimed for children for the Arithmetic wikibook. So many possibilities. :) Cheers, Iamunknown 17:24, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Creative activism

Hiya, I'm seriously thinking of starting a book on creative activism and moments when arts and politics come together. The book could give an overview of groups that have worked on issues on the past/present and the thinking behind this form of active citizenship also known as 'art and activism'. It manifests itself in many forms and therfore is an ideal project for wikibook as it can continuesly be added to and improved. Any suggestions? WietsE 17:54, 27 October 2006 (UTC)

I think that would be really great. It could be very useful to a college class. But there are limitations to consider. First off, in order to include images of contemporary creative activism, we would be using fair use images. Granted, that is not a problem. Probably less so than on Wikipedia, since we truly would be using it solely to provide "critical commentary" on the piece in question. Also, I'm not sure how useful this would be to our target audience. Or at least what I assumed the target audience would be, i.e. colleges. I imagine that most college professor organise and present their own material for a class like this...because they have their own personal political views and such.
Then again, in a fair but cruel view of wikibooks, I doubt any of these books are being used by the target audience. Do many of them even have a target audience?
So...I've really diverged. Point in case: I love the idea, but there should be lots of discussion first. I'd be willing to help out. =) Cheers, Iamunknown 06:49, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
Yeah I agree we need to clearly work out what we are writing and who for. We could write for a 'college' audience. This could mean outlining what other groups and campaigns have used in terms of creativity to get their messages across, and it could consist of some more practical idea's of how 'active' yourself. We could write for a 'junior' audience and write about younger children that have taken action to create a better community around them. This could be an inspiration to people who might want to get involved with something. Also we can include some practical tips on how to make a banner or how to get in touch with your local politician. Anyway, these are just some thoughts. What do you reckon? WietsE 11:23, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
I think a book like this could be educational and a benefit to the human condition.
There was a discussion a while back about changing the fundemental premise of what a wikibook was supposed to be and that was the jist of what came out of it. I think we shouldn't be limiting ourselves to a target audience — I believe this project should be for anyone willing to learn, be they enrolled in an official educational institution or not. --Swift 11:27, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
Hmm thats interesting Swift. In some ways 'activism' is a universial thing and hardly a science limited to a certain level of age/education. I always understood that Wikibooks needed to be for a specific usergroup and I was interested in starting something for wkijunior, but maybe now we could look at something more broad? O yeah, and the access to fair use images won't be a problem, I have access to absolutely tonnes of it :-) WietsE 11:36, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
Regarding the fair use images, 'tis excellent. I would advocate designing a new fair use template specifically for these images. We could have a very good rationale for using them. Namely, education, analysis, and critical commentary. =) --Iamunknown 17:19, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
WietsE: see comment below with same timestamp --Swift 18:12, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
I disagree that a target audience is a limiting factor. Consider reading this pdf composed by students at Berkeley. I agree with many points raised in that review. And I realise that Wikibooks is a revolution in the process by which books are composed, peer-reviewed, and (hopefully) published. But I don't think it wise to fully abandon the tradition. I think that an audience is appropriate and absolutely necessary for a Wikibook to succeed at being a free-content textbook. Textbooks specifically have audiences. That statement is generally true. I have three calculus textbooks in my room, and I know, and it is apparent from reading them, that one is meant for a less-rigorous secondary education, while the other two are meant for a more-rigorous post-secondary education. And I think that is appropriate. So in order to succeed in producing a free-content textbook covering topics of creative activism, I think it appropriate to have a target audience. --Iamunknown 17:16, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
I didn't mean to say that an intended audience was a hindrance. It is absolutely correct that a wikibook needs an intended audience to match the text to the audience's level. The Wikibooks project, however, puts no restrictions on what the intended audiences of specific wikibooks are. Wikibooks can be for everyone. :-)
That was the gist of what I wanted to say. Sorry if I fumbled on the delivery. --Swift 18:12, 10 December 2006 (UTC)
No problemo. And I completely agree. :) --Iamunknown 18:21, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Anyway, how about this book? Is anyone willing to work on it? Where shall we go from here? WietsE 22:37, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

I won't be able to start it until the end of this week, and even then I'm unsure how much knowledge I can contribute to it. I'll always be available for comments and suggestions, though. Cheers, Iamunknown 18:39, 12 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Dictionary of Politically Correct Terms

There needs to be a dictionary of politically correct terms.

DeSalvionjr 02:17, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Security alarm system section

I tried posting something on Wikipedia as an addition to the security alarm section. After some thought as well as a comment from one of the admins it seems it might actually be a good thing for wikibooks. I don't see it as a total how-to as far as drilling holes etc maybe more of a technical overview from the point of an installer. So whadya think? and how does a new title get posted? I'm quite new to this so if I do something wrong could you please warn me not just ban me like some of the guys over at wikipedia. I really think this information is needed as may people are making bad decisions on home security. A little unbiased research might help. There is some info at http://www.keepsafesystems.ca (in the archive) Obviously I would remove marketing language and business references from the text. I hope listing my URL for your reference purposes is not a violation. I reposted this here because I thought maybe I posted in the discussion section in error.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks_talk:Project_Ideas"

The good the bad and the Ugly

The starting point of any security system good or bad is the main control panel, sometimes referred to as “the brains”. When it comes down to it, the majority of security systems on the market today are similar. Differences lie in whether the system is hardwired, wireless or hybrid (wireless / hardwire combo) as well as the various advanced features.

Without getting into too much detail, having worked with both wireless and hardwire systems, I will always choose hardwired over wireless hands-down. For more information on the differences between hardwire and wireless security alarm systems, see the truth about wireless security systems.

While many people will decide on a security system based on advanced features, it is important to consider all those using the system both now and in the future. In saying that, I am by no means suggesting you stay away from the advanced features. In fact I believe in choosing a system which will cover all possible preferences and requirements. Typically I recommend systems which are modular in design with room for future expansion.

Systems designed around a communication bus with a large selection of modules are the best way to go. If the manufacturer is up on the latest features within the security alarm industry you will be sure to have a system which will outlast the typical toilet alarm by decades. For my installations, I prefer a Canadian manufacturer by the name of Paradox. They have a large selection of modules ranging from zone expanders, relay modules, wireless arm/disarm, Remote telephone access, TCIP & direct connect PC modules. With a highly competitive price point, Paradox systems are suitable for all sizes of installations from small one bedroom condo’s and retail outlets to large mansions and industrial complexes.

Having covered the control panel, the effectiveness of any security system, regardless of complexity is largely controlled by the quality of the installation. In fact, choosing the right installation company is often more important than the choice of a control panel. Many factors go into the proper installation of a security system; these can range from the ability to conceal wires, choice of detectors, installation standards as well as quality of after installation service.

It has become increasingly difficult to find quality installers who take pride in the quality of their installations. For that reason, many alarm companies are opting for the easier to install wireless security systems. Unfortunately this leaves the customer with a security system which could result in a lifetime of problems. Whereas a properly installed hardwired security system will out last and outperform pretty much any wireless security system on the market.


When looking at installation standards, it is often difficult to tell whether a company is really as good as they say they are. Of course no company will tell you their installers are lazy and have sub-standard installation practices. One way to determine the accuracy of their sales pitch is to ask to see samples of their work. Although not much can be seen from a picture of the wiring in a control panel, a general idea of pride can be determined. A messy wiring job in the control panel is often the sign of poor standards in the field. Important factors in the proper installation of a security alarm system are the splices at the contacts, proximity of electric interference to alarm wires, and quality of detectors used.

The most common issue when it comes to poorly installed hardwire security systems is the splice. If done properly, there should be no issue for as long as the system lasts. If your security system door contact is false alarming, typically this would be as a result of a bad splice. Other causes of door false alarms include mis-aligned magnets (Also a result of poor installation standards) as well as contact failure. Contacts also tend to fail if the wood frame around them expands and crushes the glass tube containing the magnetic switch.

With alarm panels becoming more and more sophisticated, electrical interference can be a source of headaches for both hardwire and wireless security systems. More prevalent in wireless security systems, Electrical interference can happen in hardwire security systems as a result or improperly run wiring. For example, a keypad wire run along a large length of high voltage wire can result in false signals being generated or the keypad not functioning properly. Although many modern control panels allow for electrical filtering, it is always a good idea to follow the electrical code when in comes to low voltage wiring and their proximity to AC lines.

Although more on a managerial level, the choice or detectors is a very important aspect of the reliability of a security system. After all, the ability of a security system to properly detect an intruder is largely controlled by the detector itself. For more information on the types of detectors, see False Alarm info.

As you can see, the choice in the alarm company you decide to trust with your security should be based on more than just who has the best ad campaign. Although determining the installation standards of a company can often be difficult, it does help to talk to friends and neighbours. Also, ask to see photographs of their work, most companies who do not take pride in their work will not keep photographs. Look for proof behind the marketing words.

This is an ever-growing debate within the security alarm industry; both sides have their opinions.

Pro Hardwire:

Appearance is a large concern of many homeowners. Although transmitters have gotten smaller over the years, wireless security systems involve the installation of boxy transmitters around your doors and windows. Wireless security system supporters will often tell horror stories of holes drilled throughout your home or wires stapled all over your walls. Yes, I have seen these types of installations, for the most part, they are done by inexperienced or lazy technicians who prefer wireless security systems. Although some wire runs can be difficult and very occasionally require surface runs, there is no excuse for sloppy workmanship. Pick your security alarm installer very carefully; often the small business owner will take more care in ensuring the quality of the installation.

When it comes to the reliability of security systems, hardwire will always be the more reliable of the two. Wireless security alarm supporters of course will say “modern wireless security systems are supervised”, basically this is passing over the pitfalls of the technology and adding a feature to tell you when the technology fails. This inevitably runs into expensive and time wasting service calls, equipment replacement and potential false alarms. One need only look at the cordless phone to see the pitfalls of the wireless technology. Sure they are great when you first purchase them, however, age and interference take their toll and sooner or later you have a paperweight with buttons and an LCD screen.

Sustainability is potentially the most expensive reason for choosing hardwire security systems over wireless. I can’t even begin to count the changes in wireless security technology and frequencies used since getting into the business back in the late 80’s early 90’s. Even the wireless security system supporters will tell you that technology is always changing (Except they use the word “advancing”… it sounds better in advertising). So how do wireless security system “advancements” affect the owner of a wireless security system? Easy, say for example you were the unfortunate victim of a wireless security system sales person in 1995. Chances are if one of your motion detectors fails you will be hard-pressed to find a replacement. Simply put, you will now have to purchase an entirely new security system (Control panel, detectors, keypad etc) which depending on the size of your security alarm system will cost you as much and possibly more than if you would have installed a hardwired system to begin with. So in all fairness, I feel I should tell you what is in store for you if a hardwired detector fails. Simple, you replace the detector. Hardwire detectors are simple switches and most hardwire security system detectors are interchangeable regardless of the manufacturer.

Another factor within the realm of sustainability is the cost of upgrading. Back to the security system installed in 1995. Yes there have been significant changes in security alarm technology since then. In the hardwire security system world, these changes are mostly in the area of convenience, esthetics and features. If all your detectors are in working order, upgrading a hardwire security system simply involves changing the control panel and keypad(s). This is generally a fairly easy process and is substantially less expensive than upgrading a complete wireless system.

One last consideration in choosing hardwire security systems over their wireless counterpart is the selection of detectors. Although you can retrofit almost any hardwire security system detector to a wireless system, there are far more choices of detector types in hardwire. Take for example Carbon monoxide, water, natural gas, propane, vibration… and the list goes on. Wireless security systems are generally designed around the average security need of the consumer. Since detectors are not interchangeable across manufacturer lines, it would be financially unfeasible for a wireless security system manufacturer to create wireless detectors for every conceivable need. Even in the spectrum of standard detectors, there are some manufacturers who have extremely reliable detectors that only work on hardwire systems. Choosing a wireless security system can often result in you having a detector less suited for your particular application. Once again the average security need factor comes into play.

Inevitably, the choice of whether to have a wireless or hardwire security system installed is determined by individual situations. In fact, your only choice may be wireless, a qualified installer combined with common logic should be able to help you determine this.

[edit] Operating System Guides & Other Software Guides

I'd like to suggest this as a good area to focus on to produce books that are useful for people.

There is usually a lot of material floating around out there about any given piece of software, if it's popular; it would be reasonably easy to consolidate that into a handy, well-organized guide.

They should be user-friendly; something like the "for dummies" series say, only GFDL, with some room for humour & other elements of style to make them more accessible to the average reader/user

They would need to be kept up to date, of course.

Operating systems are one of the obvious areas of interest to focus on.

I know there are already a fair number of books fitting that description to some degree at least floating around on wikib, but as always on a wiki-type project, they could be organized better & added to.

I've started one guide, to Ubuntu Linux: Ubuntu (Linux) Guide

I desperately need writers for it tho; I have limited tine for this endeavour & am somewhat better at editing & organizing than writing from the blank page; i can do that too, but i'm hopelessly slow... ><

[edit] Updating & Categories

i'm fairly new here & haven't explored the intricacies of wikibooks policy much yet, but maybe we should have a mechanism to easily flag material that needs 2 b updated? & a process 4 doing so...

some books won't need much if any, some would need attention only at great intervals, but some material needs revisions regularly 2 keep up 2 date; software-related books would b a good example: the book on knoppix is behind by a number of version releases now. i've just started a guide to ubuntu & atm it's just being written (HELP, writers wanted!), but once it's in decent shape, it will need revisions in accord with the 6-month release cycle of the software.

An example of something needing attention only rarely would b materials on learning german say, which might need checking 2 make sure they accord with the revised orthography.

on the subject of categories: is there any way we can set up some kind of a system of redirects or something (for synonymous category headings; also for differences in capitalization & punctuation, for example), so that we don't end up with so many redundant categories? it's nice 2 b thorough & have lots of ways of finding things, but it is also something of a tangled mess, when u have 2 or more different categories that are effectively about the same thing, & they have different lists of articles in them, with each missing some that the other has; it makes searching much more difficult than it should b.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Project_Ideas"