#+TITLE: Web pages generated from text files
#+SHORT-TITLE: wiki intro
#+KEYWORDS: wiki

* Wiki philosophy
Most web pages or entire websites are solely informational: they might have fancy design but do not have any server-powered features.

An efficient way to create or update such web pages is to generate their HTML files from text files
that can be edited in a simple text editor available even on a mobile phone.

This is how [[https://wikipedia.org][wikipedia]] works; the same idea is used at [[https://leanws.com][Lean Web Solutions]].

Wiki format is indeed for everyone; even if you are an experienced programmer, it is faster to update a text file for a wiki page than its HTML-code.

* Social networks vs Wiki
Creating a wiki page is as simple as posting on Facebook: one just needs to edit a text file
similar to [[file:files/wiki.txt][this one]], and it will be automatically converted into a web page.

While social networks are more suitable for local news, wiki articles are supposed to remain relevant for longer time.

For some people it might be hard to keep their social media accounts active because
- they can not regularly create content which is either useful or interesting,
- they do not like the idea that everything their post will be forgotten after several months, and
- they do not like censorship.

Instead of creating numerous low-value posts on social media
you might prefer keep updating your
wiki pages for months until they finally seem perfect to you.

* For business and personal websites
Almost every small business owner can tell many interesting facts
about his/her job, thus demonstrating professionalism and attracting new customers.

With an info (wiki) part on your website, you can create and gradually improve articles about your
services, answer FAQ (avoiding unnecessary phone calls), and share your professional experience,
demonstrate your individuality and expertise.

Business website [[https://leanws.com][leanws.com]] has wiki part [[https://wiki.leanws.com][wiki.leanws.com]], which contains more information and is
updated more often.  Since [[https://wiki.leanws.com][wiki's]] design is just a "wrapper" over its [[file:files/wiki.txt][text source files]], one can easily
change the way it looks by switching between different "wrappers".

Due to low maintenance cost wiki is also perfect for simple personal websites.

* Prices
There is a *free trial* period (30 days).
The prices indicated below are valid for (most) wiki websites smaller than <<hostQuant>> megabytes.

** Several wiki accounts
Some customers may want to have more than one wiki, for example, one for business and a personal one.
Additional wiki accounts cost $<<<<moreWikiMonthly>>/100>>/month.

** Default design
If you choose one of our free design themes: there is no setup fee,
$<<<<firstWikiMonthly>>/100>>/month for the service, hosting included.

** Custom design
If you prefer custom design, we charge you (once) for the wiki template creation:
in case you already have a website created by [[https://leanws.com][Lean Web Solutions]] and want your new wiki website to have the same design,
we will charge you $<<<<createDesign>>/300>>; otherwise we implement new design for $<<<<createDesign>>/100>> if you provide JPEG pictures
or for $<<<<<<createDesign>>*3>>/200>> in case there is only verbal description.

Once the wiki website is activated, all you pay is $<<<<firstWikiMonthly>>/100>>/month for the service, hosting included.

* Wiki grammar
[[file:files/wiki.txt][This webpage's text source]] demonstrates how to make
- headers and sections,
- hyperlinks, itemized lists, *bold text*, /slanted text/,
- using variables from [[file:files/wiki.conf][configuration file]], and
- arithmetic operations on their values.

Other features supported: [[file:about.txt][images]], [[file:about.txt][icons]] – see
[[file:files/about.txt][text source example]], and [[file:email.txt][tables]] (see [[file:files/email.txt][text source]]).

We (almost) follow Wikipedia text format – that is, our wiki files can be converted into Wikipedia format and vice
versa. (These formatting rules essentially come from emacs org mode and LaTeX conventions.)

* How it works
You can easily create\/rename\/replace\/delete\/publish\/withdraw wiki pages on (password-protected) [[profile.leanws.com/wiki]].

Every time you update source files, (password protected) draft version of your website is changed.
If you dare satisfied with the newly generated web page, you can publish 
its new version so that everyone can see it.

Check this [[file:tutorial.txt][tutorial]] for  more information.

* Ready to try?
We offer 30 days free trial period.

#+CENTER: begin
[[https://subscribe.leanws.com/wiki/try][try wiki]]
#+CENTER: end