Wikis -- Thing 21

Wikis have great potential as a means of sharing expertise. The collaborative efforts of a group of experts can result in a powerful resource. Unfortunately, wikis such as wikipedia have diluted respect for this "thing". While nearly everyone I know has visited wikipedia, most have learned to look for the tags telling you that verification is needed, and to apply a healthy dose of skepticism to the postings. I prefer to use professional wikis (i.e., created by professionals in a specific field). An example is structuralwiki.org by structural engineers. It is well-organized, and includes a good glossary of terms as well as discussions on engineering topics, software reviews, and a directory of engineers. So if you want to know what a purlin is, or about finite-element analysis software, here is your opportunity.