Reflexive intranet

From DoWire Wiki

A reflexive intranet is an intranet where the commands and the content are documented and learned in exactly the same way.

The command verbs (like "edit" and "help" and "view" and "watch") of the wiki and web browser software are documented, obviously, in any intranet. Without this it's not an intranet just a bunch of undocumented software. Some tools notably twiki also make source code and configuration editable via the same wiki methods.

To make it more reflexive to all users, other verbs like discuss or talk or debate that are applied at a more abstract level of communication, (between users not between the user and the system) are explained the same way as the command verbs - using the same formats, conventions, etc.. This establishes the commit verbs by which one signals agreement or disagreement, and makes offers and requests. Now it is possible to start to use market-based methods to match up offers and requests, and potentially create a service economy.

Finally, the highest level verbs to do with acts of governance ("vote", "troll", "claim", "reprimand", "suspend", "audit") can be documented that way and wiki best practices debated, and decided, via the wiki. DoWire.Org:Itself may move in this direction eventually, if only to demonstrate the ideal.

This article is released under CC-by-nc-sa 2.0, a Creative Commons open content license, by Craig Hubley, who is its only original author.