Battlestar Wiki talk:Mirrors

Status

Just to let you folks know, I've been approached by Wikia and MediaBlvd with offers to host/mirror the website. I've heard back from the CEO of Wikia and a physical mirror isn't possible, but they'd be willing to host the content (basically, we would move over to Wikia). Personally, the Malcolm Reynolds in me would rather remain independent, but it's nice to have a fallback plan.

As for MediaBlvd, they'd be willing to help us supply original content (interviews, for instance) and it would definitely increase our viewership. They would also be willing to host a mirror, so I'm all for it. I'm awaiting feedback from MediaBlvd, since I wasn't able to reply sooner due to my illness. I just want to solicit feedback at this point. Thoughts? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 18:50, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

Can you clarify the Wikia plan? Move to Wikia? With MediaBlvd hosting content, they can do it a cool way. I know there is a way for them to have a "directory on their servers" lets call it for fun /battlestarwiki/ and I can show you how to hook up them with media.battlestarwiki.org and we would goto http://media.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/ Bascily we keep it updated looking like BSG Wiki, but it be like the Commons sharing the same username so nothing has to be doubled. Then we could move all the images large content files there and their servers can take the blunt of the images bandwdith while our wiki does the "text" transfer. We would still have FTP/Access to the server to keep it updated as we would have to keep the versions the same. Wikia could do the same, but if had to choose to from help from Wikia, I would be a little werry. Though the MemoryAlpha website is hosted great, and they have tons of users who can translate pages, I am sure the contributions and activity would increase, translation would really go up. We would also have to setup more other languages sub because we would have increased. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 19:03, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

Also, we would be open to IP anonymous editing if we were on any wikia. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 19:43, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

Apparent from links to us on other sites, what practical applications will this have? You mention "not being independent"; what do you mean, exactly?--The Merovingian ^{(C - E)} 19:08, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

In money terms, not having the money for costs of server. If joe was not able to keep up the cost of a server, which I know costs a lot, these guys would pick us up. Maybe more viewership and linage would bring some donations in, but a use of a server of media files to lower bandwith costs is just as good as real money. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 19:33, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

But what would they get in return? Would this affect day-to-day operations in anyway? (That is, Wikia and MediaBlvd people having their say-so in how we run things?); Question: how much does it cost to run the BattlestarWiki server?--The Merovingian ^{(C - E)} 19:48, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

In our current setup, I am sure they get something on the main page. This page as well. They get to use our stuff also as an offical source and vice versa. Day-to-Day? You have a lot more of shanes and more The Merovingian My guess, the say-so would still be joe and I think joe would draw up terms witht he site to understand how things work. I really not sure. Avg. Cost of a Server for roughly $80 a month. Domain... $10 a year. Only good thing... MediaWiki is free along with our volenteer work. :) --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 20:07, 8 August 2006 (CDT)

The main issue with being hosted at Wikia is that we would lose all control over advertising and would not be allowed to set up any adverts of our own or affiliate schemes with DVD stores to make Joe some money. We would be better off putting our own adverts here and being in 100% control rather than handing over something we have worked really hard for to a commercial profit driven business. Whats to stop wikia beginning to serve spyware like so many "free" hosts and ad agencies are doing these days. A BBC report revealed that on "free screensaver" sites almost 70% contained malicious spyware. Some kind of relationship with MediaBlvd would however be quite good imo but im definitly against wikia. Perhaps if Joe gave us a breakdown of costs we can find some solutions of our own rather than "selling out" --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 03:01, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

A financial breakdown, you ask? Ditto on the wiki/mediablvd thoughts. Wikia is a nice fallback, so let's not burn any bridges, but we'd be one of MANY wikis there, and we'd lose "control". Mediablvd sounds like a great potential partner, and I'm curious to hear more details on that one (as Joe fills us in more). Exciting stuff.--Steelviper 07:55, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Ty for the stas. Its worth noting that many big sites get a considerable discount on hosting fees by having a banner or a link of some sorts to the hosting provider. Perhaps this is another avenue to explore. Maybe im just a bit anti-wikia im not sure, but i really think its a last case scenario to move there. --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 08:19, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Also looking at the prices Joe has stated the Wiki can immediatly save some cash byu moving domain registrars. I only pay $8.88 a year for my domains which would bring total name expendature to $26.64 instead of $45 (Saving of $18.36). --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 08:21, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Mercifull, if you can get me the info on the registrar, then I'll look into it. Thanks. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 20:32, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

I am in agreement with Mercifull and SteelViper: MedivaBlvd sounds nice, but (while I don't want to burn bridges just yet) I think we should hold off on Wikia. --The Merovingian ^{(C - E)} 08:24, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

I agree as well. We should only resort to advertising as a last resort, and I would also hope we could retain control over that aspect of the site. The Mediablvd offer seems nice, would help defray hosting costs, and doesn't involve any sacrifice in control on our part or Joe's. Wikia should be avoided except as a last resort. Joe, would you consider organizing a fundraiser to be displayed on the sitenotice? I think we could probably raise enough money to cover hosting costs. --April Arcus 13:20, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

I was thinking of a fundraising week or two either before or after the first airing of the first episodes of Season 3, as that is when we'll get an in crease in traffic. Also, I'm in a holding pattern regarding the Wikia thing; it's something I want to keep open, just in case. As for MediaBlvd, I'm talking to their webmaster now and it looks good for both sides concerned. (For instnace, we gain the ability to fully mirror any content they have, so that'll help us with the "sources" piece.0 -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 20:32, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Ok, i've looked at the Finances you have given for the hosting of the site and only by glancing i can save almost $20 immediatly. If you could give some specifications that the server needs, filespace and bandwidth usage I will be able to do some research into cheaper alternatives. Also do you know the average number of unique hits per month to the Wiki? I was looking at the stats pages but it only shows page views and they arnt unique. --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 08:34, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Basically, all the technical stuff is available on MediaWiki's website. (It would need to be a linux server running apache, PHP, and perl.) Also, I'll pull up the server logs and forward them to your e-mail. Thanks again, Mercifull. :-) -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 20:32, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Mercifull, I've sent an e-mail to you with the statistics. Good hunting. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 21:21, 9 August 2006 (CDT)

Thanks joe, ill do some calculations in excel and speak to a few people and get back to you in a day or so. --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 03:02, 10 August 2006 (CDT)

PDF file has become corrupted somehow. grrr. if You could try and sent it again that would be great. Did the stats you sent contain bandwidth usage and space taken up or not too? --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 03:24, 10 August 2006 (CDT)

My bad... it was my work computer playing up. Got latest adobe reader now and its fine. Ill do some calculations a bit later. --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 09:03, 10 August 2006 (CDT)

Any ideas yet on where we can host the Wiki? -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 21:26, 15 August 2006 (CDT)

I have sent another email to the person who I was dealing with today. However I am going on vaction tomorrow so it will have to wait until next week before i can report back to you my findings. --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 08:14, 16 August 2006 (CDT)

That's fine. Thanks for the update, Mercifull! -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 09:13, 16 August 2006 (CDT)

Any word on the Mediablvd mirror effort? It's looking like we could use somebody to help carry the burden... --Steelviper 13:10, 23 October 2006 (CDT)

No word as of late. I'm on a hunt to find a new server, however, that can cope. Haven't heard anything back from Mercifull's contact either. -- Joe Beaudoin ^{So say we all - Donate} 15:05, 23 October 2006 (CDT)

Image Map

This is the idea I am putting forward on how we set this up. The only site we have to keep manually updated is the Media wiki. --Shane ^{(T - C - E)} 14:11, 12 August 2006 (CDT)

I would note for those that might be as paranoid as me that hb is not an ISO 639 language code and so it won't conflict.

Also, the image description facilities sound very inconvenient under this scheme. --CalculatinAvatar^(C-T) 00:20, 13 August 2006 (CDT)

I think its a very good idea having all the images one one place so there is no duplication but I'm unsure how the descriptions would work. Would it all be in English? --Mercifull ^{(Talk/Contribs)} 08:16, 16 August 2006 (CDT)

http://www.battlestarwiki.org/hangarbay/index.php/Image:Gaius_Baltar_promo.jpg is the best example.

Re-imagined Series definition: Battlestar Group ^{(TRS: "Water")}. It also doubles as an acronym for the television series itself.