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| ==Article==
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| OpenWetWare (http://openwetware.org) is a wiki (see box 1) promoting the sharing of information, know-how, and experience in biological science and engineering <cite>OpenWetWare</cite>. Individuals and groups use OpenWetWare to easily organize information and collaborate with one another. In the process, information about research topics, laboratories, ordering, equipment maintenance and operation, strains, safety, chemicals, protocols, etc., become available to the larger scientific community.
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| OpenWetWare contains two types of information sources for experimental protocols. First, users often store their own protocols, which are not necessarily written to be easily followed by others. In practice however, most protocols are written to be shared within at least a laboratory, and so are often clear enough to provide a useful starting point. On the other hand, the protocols section of OpenWetWare (http://openwetware.org/wiki/Protocols) is an attempt generalize the existing protocols on the site, and provide general background, tips, and references for the procedure. The DNA Ligation protocol on OpenWetWare is one example of such an aggregate protocol.
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| OpenWetWare differs from other sources of protocols. First, there are growing numbers of individual's protocols, allowing people to compare and contrast variations. Second, the wiki allows quick and easy editing, allowing individuals to keep their information current, as well as access other's current information. Third, the efforts to aggregrate protocols gives background, general and specific protocols, tips, and references not commonly found elsewhere. Fourth, ability to add new features such as video, data sets, data processing algorithms, etc., is already built in. Finally, OpenWetWare also has information on equipment, chemicals, lab notebooks etc., that are often part and parcel of any particular laboratory protocols.
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| OpenWetWare is a growing community and we encourage researchers to join and contribute to the dissemination of biological knowledge.
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| ===Box1===
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| '''''What is a wiki?''''' A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add or edit content <cite>Cunningham-2001</cite>. This makes wikis an effective tool for collaborative authoring. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, is the most famous example. OpenWetWare, like Wikipedia, is open for anyone to view, however requires registration to edit. Registration ensures that all edits on OpenWetWare are attributable to a known individual. The open style of wikis which allows any user to edit most pages is a cause for concern for some. However, for the scientific community, we see this as enabling the free flow of ideas and information. Furthermore, all wikis maintain a revision history for every page to allow reversion of edits, track page development and deal with any mistaken or malicious edits. This historical log is especially important for the sciences where new, possibly incorrect, information is continuously discovered.
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