F.Y.I. - Orchid Board

BikerDoc5968 · #1 02-15-2009, 10:44 AM

While searching for some ID information for one of my threads, I found this website. Possibly many of you already knew about it but it was new for me, so I apologize up front for any redundancy. I haven't really gotten into all the info on this site but it may have some good stuff???????

Orchids Wiki

DebsC · #2 02-18-2009, 10:53 PM

Thanks Howard. I didn't know about this site. Looks interesting. I bookmarked it and will have a look around.

nhman · #3 02-19-2009, 12:09 AM

Again, it looks good.
Just remember, however, that all of the "Wiki" sites are "populated" with information written by individuals. Thus, their knowledge base may be unreviewed by others (e.g. "experts") and would therefore only represent their personal thoughts and opinions.
While some of these site are really quite good, there have been others that have had recognizable gaps in information.
I haven't reviewed this site enough to comment on it though, so just my 0.02 cents.

Ray · #4 02-19-2009, 07:15 AM

Now THAT is a funny coincidence.

Quite a while ago, the creator of that site posted about it on a forum (don't recall if it was here or elsewhere) to "drum up" participation.

Like "Mr. N. Hampshire", I tend to distrust such sites, as they can become nothing more than purveyors of mythology. Many of the other responders to that forum post felt similarly, and the subject faded away.

cb977 · #5 02-19-2009, 08:18 AM

I tend to take anything I read on a Wiki site with a grain of salt. All the info is contributed by people who may not necessarily have a clue about what they're doing. I prefer to take the advice of the folks here on OB

BikerDoc5968 · #6 02-19-2009, 08:38 AM

Sorry, everybody, didn't mean to put up a bogus website.....I'll try to do a better job next time.

camille1585 · #7 02-19-2009, 08:45 AM

I don't think it bogus, Howard. It does have some value and some good info, but all info found there should be double checked with other sources. Even the well known Jay's encyclopedia (IOSPE) isn't completely trustworthy IMO. There are some mistakes concerning culture requirement. My first reflex when I first find info on internet is to either check here or check Orchidwiz.

epiphyte78 · #8 02-19-2009, 09:23 AM

LOL...maybe third times a charm...

Orchid Wiki is a collaborative project to create an online Orchid Encyclopedia. It differs from OrchidSpecies.com because OrchidSpecies is not as collaborative. OrchidSpecies is more like a dictatorship while Orchid Wiki is more like a democracy.

For example...OrchidSpecies lists Laelia anceps as being a hot to warm grower. I can e-mail Jay to inform him that Laelia anceps is well known for being tolerant of very cold temperatures. But because it is his website he can choose to completely ignore my correction. Given that there is no guarantee that the correction will be made...I'm not going to risk wasting my time e-mailing him.

Now let's say that Orchid Wiki lists Laelia anceps as a hot to warm grower (it doesn't) then it would just take a quick second to make the correction myself. All edits are seen by the site admins and if they disagreed with my correction they could easily revert it back to the original information. If they did so then in the discussion section for that entry I would provide factual information to support my correction.

It's only relevant to compare the OrchidBoard to Orchid Wiki in that anybody, novice or expert, can contribute information.

Here are the earlier topics on the subject...

Orchid Encyclopedia
Orchids Wikia Anybody?