Wiki on a Stick

Or, more accurately, Dokuwiki on a Stick. Dokuwiki is a simple to use wiki that does not require a database to run. For quick documentation, it is hard to beat. I have created several Dokuwiki sites for various uses. This is one. Creating the basic site took about ten minutes. Content, is a little harder.

I used the Wiki on a Stick to create a document repository when I was the help desk down town. It allowed me to keep important things readily available and secure in my pocket. The added advantage was, all of my notes were with me when I worked at different desks.

The complete instructions are on the readme file in the zip file at http://www.splitbrain.org/blog/2007-12/01-dokuwiki_on_a_stick. All you need is a USB drive (blank but formatted) and the zip file. The Zip file listed at the top of the page is the 2007 version, This is the 2009 version. Inside the zip file is a folder called DokuWikiStick. Copy the contents of this directory to the root of the USB drive.

Any blank USB drive will do, 1Gb will leave you with plenty of space for other stuff. Simply unzip the zip file and copy everything to the USB drive.

From the readme file:

“Run mapache.exe. This will open a (black) command window. Don't close this window, just minimize it. You no have an Apache webserver running on port 8800. Open a web browser and point it to http://localhost:8800/ for accessing your DokuWiki. When you're done, run the stop.exe, it will shutdown the webserver and close the black command window.”

The first thing you should do is go to the admin page and the advanced settings. Turn off the check for updates. There are a host of other settings available as well. Most Dokuwiki plugins will work fine, just check the version numbers.

I have not tried Dokuwiki in Dropbox,http://www.splitbrain.org/blog/2011-01/16-dokuwiki_on_a_stick_in_dropbox but it should work. Assuming you have access to your Dropbox account.