Chesterwiki:About

Here is our Chesterwiki FAQ:


 * Why did you start a wiki and not write a book - you could have made money?

If I had written yet another book about Chester, it would have been, "yet another book about Chester", and that has been done before. Books like that seldom make money, and anything an author did make would probably get spent on more "Books about Chester". The point of this website is to create a place where information on the history and architecture of Chester can be shared and found, and from where you can click on links to lots of other journeys. A lot of that information is in people's heads, so I wanted to make it easy for people to contribute. Moreover, a book is out of date as soon as it is published, but a wiki like this keeps going, possibly well after the original creator has moved on to other things. There are also advantages about being able to step outside of the sometime "straitjacket" of intellectual property, so that people pool their work in the "creative commons".


 * Why don't you just contribute to Wikipedia instead?

Chesterwiki is meant to be "user friendly" for people having an association with Chester. That means we don't have the same "culture" as Wikipedia, especially as regards having sources for every fact. "Local" Wiki's like Chesterwiki are a useful source of information for people who want to write articles to the somewhat more exacting standards of Wikipedia.


 * So everything on this site is true?

NO. The "Chester Mystery Novels" are a complete work of fiction.


 * So what is with the advertising on the page?


 * So what if someone just copies my contribution onto their own (or some other website)?


 * I really would like to contribute, but I don't want to mess up a page..


 * Can I add a page about my pub (restaurant, etc.)?

The T&C's of Shoutwiki require that we do not carry adverts other than the ones they provide. If you post advertising on the site then you risk getting us shut down. If your pub happens to have and interesting history then you can write about that history and put a link to your own website, but if you start putting up information that is just marketing (one pound a pint! speed dating! big screen football! meals straight from the freezer!) that is against the rules.


 * OK, so I would like to add something - what does the site need?

If it is about Chester, its OK. For example - I know nothing about football and have not the slightest interest, but if you want to add a page about the history of the football club (rowing club, chess and bridge club, Mad Bikers Club), feel free.


 * How do I get in touch?