See rule #4

[oboe]

Q. How did the links get broken, and what could stop it from happening again, assuming a group of volunteers have the time and knowledge to fix the current errors?

[ImADot]

If you go to the "Special Pages", it offers lots of links to things like broken redirects, dead-end pages, double-redirects, orphaned pages, etc.

For example, I see from that page that there are three broken redirects related to Events, because the pages were deleted - aparently due to re-org: (replaced with subpage in Main namespace).

My guess is that it's stuff like this that is causing all the issues, but I have no clue or time to figure out how it can be fixed.

[hitech]

I did a little investigation this morning. I am currently running a scan of all broken links and I will post the results when it completes.

There are 2 types of broken links.

1. Links to missing external content.
2. Links to incomplete content on the wiki such as

 wikia/index.php/Talk%3AWWII_Naval_War

I left off the HTC url so no it will not produce a  link.

After doing some looking I found a way to turn off the 404 error the missing content for the wiki itself. (Type 2.) So
the number of links that will need to be  fixed prior to turning it back on will drop.

HiTech

[Gman]

Thanks Imadot, and thank you HT.  A clearer intel picture is now in my noggin.

The number of people getting interested in a "mob fix" project is increasing, I have guys from 2 different squads now offering to help, I think getting enough numbers to make it happen won't be an issue.  I'll wait to hear/see more, if some sort of list could be complied with the actual errors/links that need fixing, or even just a bit of help in direction regarding that, I'm pretty confident that with those who have shown interest already along with others that would after a more public request for help. 

There is one person I'm waiting to hear from who is away atm, but I know said member is a whiz at net coding including wiki, and has been on various HTC teams like CM/Skin etc.  That member would be able to get the rest of us on the path of learning how to help out.

[hitech]

Here is the table  of errors wikia/wikiaerror.html on the HTC Sight

Click on the first column will take you to the page with the bad link.

2nd column is the invalid link.

3rd is the text on the page tied to the link (there was some parsing issues so some may be invalid)

HiTech

[bozon]

If the wiki is messed up that much, perhaps it would be wiser to make a new wiki and copy some content from the old one. This way every page we make, we know is error free. More importantly - we can get the wiki going with partial content and then keep updating it over time, like a wiki is supposed to work.

[guncrasher]

would like to know what traveler is going to to to help fix the wiki.  me i would love to be guided in the right direction.



sep

[oboe]

Is anything in place to prevent the new wiki from getting just as full of errors as the old one?

[Traveler]

Here is the table  of errors wikia/wikiaerror.html on the HTC Sight

Click on the first column will take you to the page with the bad link.

2nd column is the invalid link.

3rd is the text on the page tied to the link (there was some parsing issues so some may be invalid)

HiTech

Haven't been able to get to that document, What I did do is in the category Squads, I went through each and every Squad Wiki and followed each link within each page and if the link did not lead to a valid page or Web site I commented out that link, All Squad wiki pages now all have valid links.   Many of the squads at one time had there own websites and I guess did not keep them up once the free period ran out.  In attempting to look at other pages within the wiki I was unable to effect an edit for lack of authorization level.

I spent about three hours total time over two days. Hope this helps.

[hitech]

Haven't been able to get to that document,

simply put

http://www.hitechcreations.com/

in front of

wikia/wikiaerror.html

HiTech

[Gman]

That's quite a list, but not as bad a nightmare as I thought it would be.

I guess the next question is, so far as fixing the broken links, does HTC just want them essentially removed if they lead to a broken or nonexistant page, etc?

One example I found, is the Stuga G model with the heavy guns, it showed the link to a youtube video showing the guns in action as a broken link, but when I checked it, the video was working, and I couldn't find any sign of the text from the 3rd column.  Again, treat me as a complete moron when dealing with this, as I am just trying to learn it as I'm moving forward, still have volunteers, a couple more now, but still don't have "the" guy I want to who I'm certain knows how to do this and can save HTC the time of explaining it to the rest of us who don't. 

This is the Stuka/JU87 example I meant, the video and the link both seemed to work, but I'm either not finding or understanding the significance of the "153" text.

{Edited by HTC}

  wikia/index.php/Ju_87D-3>   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU6OK1zSxKg   153

I did notice that if I click that JU87 link from the error list page HT provide, it works, but if I copy/paste it, I get a Bad Title page instead.  I'll assume this has something to do with the problem and I'm missing the forest due to the trees.

I am hopeful and have a positive vibe that the community CAN fix this and save HTC the time and bother.  Bozon and Oboe have good points, I hope HT/Skuzzy could take a sec when they have time and perhaps make a ruling on those issues.

[macleod01]

Gman, just quickly. Didn't HT say he didn't want any links? It seems to me that he has been avoiding putting any links there. Perhaps it would be an idea to edit your post and remove the link? Just a suggestion from an observer.

[hitech]

I do not see any other choice but to remove the link if another can not be found on external links.

Btw as I said the internal links that show as a wiki page with out content do not need to be fixed.

HiTech

[bozon]

Hitech,
Can HTC set up a new, clean, empty wiki? Instead of chasing the errors of the old one and try to make sense of the mess, we can simply make a brand new and shiny wiki. Set it up, place the main menu and sections, then let the community fill in the values. Leave the old one somewhere unrelated to aces high, just so we can copy the useful bits of data from it to the new.

It will be a new clean lean wiki that will grow over time (and hopefully does not get messed up again). I am sure that over time, if you call out some section/value to be added, a few players will be happy to do so and check each other. so it gets built up gradually. The good thing about this approach vs. fixing the old one is that we will have a wiki running quicker. It will have just the basic stuff initially, but will grow. Also, this time let the community know of broken links etc. earlier so they can be fixed before it gets out of hand.

[bustr]

The reason it was closed is because it was doing major damage to our google ranking because of broken links.

HiTech

Guys remember the post sometime back that lambasted Hitech over exactly this issue. If you check now with a google search for WW2 Aircombat Simm or game, AH is back on the first search page.

Hosting the player generated, not HTC generated wiki, became a double edged sword since it was the players who were supposed to care for it. HTC granted a favor hosting it. The players dropped the ball and sank HTC's google ranking.

Everything WEB related that is HTC's responsibility, works because HTC maintains their property as a responsible company. Players don't have a payroll or business image to meet. Players come and go and engage in petty disputes for personal entertainment.

Before you make any effort to resurrect the wiki, honestly determine who owns it. And who is responsible for it not impacting Hitech Creations business. Otherwise with no ownership and subsequent responsibility, shutting it down is a sound business decision.