CIVIC MENTOR Bulletin Board -- Experimental: Basic Research Tools

Saturday, November 22, 2014

CIVIC MENTOR RESEARCH TOOL: Knowledge & Wikipedia Organizing Framework (#2)

Posted: 22 Nov 14

Record of Changes

Change #1: 23 Nov -- Began expanding the investigation into the subject of "knowledge itself" inside paragraph 3, "The Interface" -- fully engaging in a process unlikely to EVER stop! In other words, it is conceivable that this whole document will change before your very eyes -- even frequently (sometimes by the minute -- sometimes not). Major changes will be signified by change number -- up in the title -- until a new notification scheme becomes necessary. Emergence and perfection of "The Civic Mentor" is a dynamic, perpetual, self-refining process -- until nothing is left to be done.
Change #2: 23 Nov -- Added para. 5, to explain the source of the interface-technology used here

"A logical skeleton for the great body of human knowledge"

THE UNDERLYING HYPER-LINKED STRUCTURE OF WIKIPEDIA
The powerful, free-of-charge, reliable, reputable, thorough, constantly-updated, on-line Encyclopedia

Providing FAST hyperlinks to every part of the Wikipedia -- like a "control panel"

1. PURPOSES

We humans tend to crave order over chaos.

This bulletin presents a speedy navigational overlay on top of the complete WIKIPEDIA --> which is a generally comprehensive "organizing-filter" --> on a HUGE portion of --> the ENTIRE Human Knowledge and Experiential Base (HKEB) --> which is, in turn, an organizing-overlay on the realities of existence --> as perceived and documented by all humankind --> and brought in reach --> within the ever-expanding boundaries of this "living" encyclopedic resource. (They welcome donations -- a very fair, helpful thing for us to do in return, when we can -- but they do not charge a single penny for this invaluable public service -- service from the very wise, gifted, and good-hearted)

a. AN EXTRA "SET OF KEYS" FOR UNLOCKING THE COLLECTIVE HUMAN MIND: This bulletin is intended to provide to readers AN ADDITIONAL, thorough, easy-to-navigate, full-access, and easy-to-grasp RESEARCH TOOL into the marvelous encyclopedic resource -- complete with links -- to help readers take FULLEST ADVANTAGE OF THE AWESOME POWER CONTAINED THEREIN -- with maximum efficiency.

b. This bulletin provides an external and internal view of the total Wikipedia landscape. Of course, you can always go directly to articles you require, simply by Googling your topics -- but sometimes, it can be extremely helpful to have another way to explore the entire landscape -- perhaps to shine light into corners you might not have even realized existed -- or had forgotten. This tries to fill that "gap" for you.

c. It is also intended as a Civic Mentor system-building tool, within the CM-project's reference system.

d. It is further intended to test this form of interface for suitability in uniting the vast Civic Mentor landscape, itself, into a concentrated, convenient, self-explanatory, "point-of-contact-and-system-control" between system-users and every feature of the system, as these become operational.

2. WE ARE ON A JOURNEY, YOU AND I.

This bulletin started out as a THOROUGH exploration of one awesome resource, Wikipedia -- but it is opening doors -- already -- into the very concept of "KNOWLEDGE, ITSELF." WE SHALL FOLLOW WHEREVER THE THREAD LEADS -- over the time remaining to us.

3. THE INTERFACE

<< Instructions are at the bottom of this bulletin >>
IF ANYTHING BEHAVES UNEXPECTEDLY
-- try refreshing the browser page.
If you have problems, leave a comment and I will see it and respond, promptly.

4. INSTRUCTIONS

4.1. DRILLING-DOWN: Click the "words of topic" in the BLUE portion of the above interface to open any child-links attached to it -- continuing to "drill-down" until the desired link is found.

4.2. INSTANT ACCESS TO ARTICLES: You will note that the interface has TWO PARTS -- the upper (blue) is the navigational portion, the lower (white) shows any actual Wikipedia article "attached" to the topic. [IF AN ICON APPEARS IN THE WHITE SPACE, instead of an article, click that icon to go where it leads]

4.3. TO ENLARGE OR SHRINK THE ARTICLE-WINDOW -- "grab" the border between the upper and lower windows -- by pointing to it -- holding-down the left-mouse button -- and dragging the window up or down.

If you click the little "up and down-arrows" at the middle of the border, you can open or close the lower window with a single left-click -- on the arrow pointing in your desired direction.

4.4. TO FULLY OPEN THE ARTICLE IN A SEPARATE BROWSER-TAB -- click its hyper-link in the UPPER-RIGHT CORNER of the WHITE section (lower-half of the window).

4.5. FEEDBACK REQUESTED: Please post any questions, suggestions, or other comments at the very bottom of this bulletin. (Kind feedback is most welcomed).

5. ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE INTERFACE.

5.1 There are no "trade secrets," per se, in this Civic Mentor project -- which is about OPENLY and FREELY recognizing and celebrating the positive attributes and achievements of our magnificent species of life -- and working, hard, to overcome the negative aspects -- and making them fully accessible as building-blocks -- supporting and empowering our universal, driving, CRUCIAL need for our individual and collective well-being and betterment -- THE MOST MORAL THING WE CAN EVER ATTEND TO IN THIS LIFE.

5.2 I know some of you might be wondering about the wonderful tool used to produce the above interface. This masterpiece of human creativity ("er... the interface") -- could well be of enormous importance to you in all or most of your efforts to better yourselves and our world. You will be pleased to know that you can get much of its power, FREE of charge, without time-limit -- and the rest at incredibly fair pricing. AND, YOU CAN BEGIN USING IT, AT ONCE! I have used it for years and would never wish to be without it. CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE -- ALWAYS!

5.3 It's called "TheBrain," (perfect name for it) and they can tell you the rest -- a lot better than I can. Click here -- and take your journey to the next levels. I'm on your side, especially if you are on everybody else's side.

The greatest rewards in this life flow from giving our best service to others.

The greatest happiness, from seeing to the happiness in others.

David Nelson

Have self-enriching fun exploring and "mining"

the basic accumulation of human knowledge and experience

as contained in this on-line portion of the HKEB.

All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved. BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along -- and are urged to do so -- as long as it's all done free of charge, unchanged, you include this statement, AND you inform me as to how it is being used -- at YOUR convenience but, hopefully soonest.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

A GOOD WAY TO CONTROL WIKIPEDIA RESEARCH-WORK

Posted: 19 Apr 14

1. PURPOSE:

I wanted to tell you about something very efficient -- which I realized, just this morning, about making the most of Wikipedia. I think it's a pretty useful trick.

This is being posted for whatever use it may be to another fellow human -- though, from Facebook and City-Journal experience, it's clear that some things I hold to be important to most anyone is, evidently, not so, in the slightest (except, perhaps, to my partners).

Nonetheless, we all do the best we can, and if my values are esoteric -- so be it. The chance that my copious postings may serve others, albeit unknown to me, is sufficient (though I deeply appreciate, when I am told). And, my "thinking aloud" is of immeasurable value, in many ways, in the work which life has "assigned" me to do.

2. OBSERVATION:

The essential starting-point for this discussion.

Wikipedia is an incredible encyclopedic secondary reference resource. It functions extremely well for instantaneous answers to in-depth questions that explain concepts and dictionary definitions in greater detail.

In cases where even greater depth or authority is required, it functions as an excellent "gateway" for identifying more powerful resources -- interlocking well with Google and the other modern blessings.

3. CONFIDENT RELIABILITY:

Wikipedia's apparent primary assumptions. Some people rightfully question how a reference, open to the inputs of all -- subject-matter experts and non-experts alike -- can be relied upon for accuracy.

As I understand and paraphrase its self-explanations, it is based on the assumption that no one has a corner on human knowledge. It assumes (as do I) that everyone knows something of value.

There exists -- because we are the way we are -- a common base of collective, constantly cumulative human knowledge, wisdom, and genius to which all have, and should have, appropriate access and input opportunities.

4. BASIC CONCEPTS:

(As I understand them, from their self-explanations): This highly-respected resource is democratically open to every serious input -- and proves its existential claims -- constantly. It is closely monitored by subject-matter experts, most anywhere in reach, who note and review new inputs, at all times.

And those experts respond to new inputs, almost instantaneously. They discuss those inputs and form a consensus as to accuracy before the inputs are accepted and published. Those inputs that "pass muster," go into the Wikipedia articles --- those that don't, don't (or reservations about the data are plainly noted within the articles). And, refinement continues, even after publication.

Hence, it has been proven as reliable as the Encyclopedia Britannica (perhaps, more so) -- yet, new information comes into prompt circulation, from the incredibly broad reach into the TOTAL WILLING-collective-human-mind and spirit -- totally free of charge -- as the human knowledge base rapidly and constantly expands.

Millions, upon millions, are confident participants and beneficiaries. And, so am I.

<< An innovation, such as Wikipedia, would be difficult or impossible without The Internet blessing. It offers humankind yet another brilliant way to exploit this most fortunate and recent Revolution.>>

5. PROBLEM SOLVED, THIS VERY MORNING:

The conduct of my life's mission, requires me to be a subject-matter generalist, rather than an in-depth specialist in any of the many given fields within my potential grasp, (because of the vast scope of that life-mission and my own sense of impending mortality).

Accordingly, I MUST regularly explore and evaluate a vast range of knowledge -- of all kinds -- keeping copious notes -- and I need to be able to refer back to the gateway and notes (and learn and recall), efficiently. That has often been a time-consuming nightmare -- and time is what I have least of, to complete this job.

6. THIS ALSO EXPLAINS TO YOU:

why my Facebook and City-Journal and neighborhood systems postings may seem to be "all over the place" to others -- while, for me, they are logical and natural consequences of where I happen to be in my work, at that precise moment.

I see the whole and that's what I work upon.

7. A POWERFUL FEATURE JUST RE-APPRECIATED:

Wikipedia, following an article's introductory paragraphs, tends to offer outlines to the entire discussion. The outlines are internally hyperlinked, so you can get to the various desired sections of the article, promptly (with a mere mouse-click).

8. A MOST FORTUNATE IMPLICATION (THE TRICK):

I just realized that I can copy that outline into any of my hundreds of digital notebooks -- WITH HYPERLINKS INTACT -- rather than always laboriously "clipping" portions of the articles, verbatim.

Thus positioned within my notebooks, I can immediately refer back to and access the desired sections, by clicking the corresponding part of the copied outline -- WITH MAX EFFICIENCY.

9. BENEFICIAL IMPACT:

For me, this is a HUGE blessing. I am stoked. My work is clearly aided, dramatically. I hope this discovery will prove useful and exciting to you, as well.

10. FINANCIAL SUPPORT:

Voluntary donations advance this blessing. I am an appreciative, enthusiastic, and generous donor.

I urge others who benefit from this blessing, to signal their support and appreciation, similarly -- as this becomes affordable -- perhaps, as a result of (and in approximate proportion to) Wikipedia's contributions to your growing successes in this life.

Cheerfully yours,
David Nelson

TRY LOOKING UP MOST ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF... CHANCES ARE IT'S THERE

(or if you think it should be there, please, please let them know)

Humanity is one great big, fabulous team -- OR OUGHT TO BE -- it's a matter of life, quality of life, and death -- for, this universe happens to be a place of greatest hazards and opportunities for our entire species of life -- and readiness is always the order of the times, for the duty-minded and those who strive to be mature in their approaches on this life.

All Original Content © 2014 , The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement.