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The resulting structure bears some resemblance to a [[tree]] (although it has multiple 'roots'); but it is in fact a [[graph]], because there is more than one path from a root to many leaf categories. In other words, a particular category (or sub-category) may be included in several different 'super-categories'. (This is also true of articles: a particular article may be included in several different categories.) This is all a direct result of the main goal: making it easy to find things. | The resulting structure bears some resemblance to a [[tree]] (although it has multiple 'roots'); but it is in fact a [[graph]], because there is more than one path from a root to many leaf categories. In other words, a particular category (or sub-category) may be included in several different 'super-categories'. (This is also true of articles: a particular article may be included in several different categories.) This is all a direct result of the main goal: making it easy to find things. | ||
E.g. [[:Category:IBM PCs]] is in both [[:Category:IBM Computers]] and [[:Category:Personal Computers]]). Having alternate 'paths' to things makes them easier to find. (So for someone interested in IBM gear, they might get to [[:Category:IBM PCs]] via [[:Category:IBM Computers]]; but someone who is interested in PCs, they might get to it via [[:Category:Personal Computers]].) | E.g. [[:Category:IBM PCs]] is in both [[:Category:IBM Computers]] and [[:Category:Personal Computers]]). Having alternate 'paths' to things hopefully makes them easier to find. (So for someone interested in IBM gear, they might get to [[:Category:IBM PCs]] via [[:Category:IBM Computers]]; but someone who is interested in PCs, they might get to it via [[:Category:Personal Computers]].) | ||
==Overall structure== | ==Overall structure== | ||
The 'top' (i.e. the place where many users 'enter' it) of the CHWiki's category graph looks roughly (it is a dynamic structure, and this 'map' is not produced automagically, so it may be slightly out of date) | The 'top' (i.e. the place where many users 'enter' it) of the CHWiki's category graph looks roughly (it is a dynamic structure, and this 'map' is not produced automagically, so it may be slightly out of date) as below. (You are not expected to remember ''any'' of this detail; just glance at it, so you get a ''very'' rough idea of how it is arranged, and then keep reading). | ||
The way you ''are'' supposed to use this admittedly large structure is that there are a small number of 'top-level' categories (''Basics, Hardware, Systems, Peripherals, Software, Networking, Security, Standards, Organizations, History, Documentation, Tutorials''; they are listed [[Special:UncategorizedCategories|here]], along with a few 'maintenance' categories which are not in the main category 'tree'), which are supposed to be both disjoint and clear, so that if you are looking for something, it should ''usually'' be fairly obvious which one it will be in (but see below). So, you go to that category . . . and repeat that process at the next level down. | |||
* [[:Category:Basics|Basics]] | * [[:Category:Basics|Basics]] | ||
| Line 28: | Line 30: | ||
** [[:Category:Technology|Technology]] | ** [[:Category:Technology|Technology]] | ||
** [[:Category:Terminology|Terminology]] | ** [[:Category:Terminology|Terminology]] | ||
** [[:Category:Test Equipment|Test Equipment]] | |||
** [[:Category:Theory|Theory]] | ** [[:Category:Theory|Theory]] | ||
* [[:Category:Hardware|Hardware]] | * [[:Category:Hardware|Hardware]] | ||
| Line 42: | Line 45: | ||
** [[:Category:Interface Standards|Interface Standards]] | ** [[:Category:Interface Standards|Interface Standards]] | ||
** [[:Category:Mass Storage|Mass Storage]] | ** [[:Category:Mass Storage|Mass Storage]] | ||
** [[:Category:Mechanical|Mechanical]] | |||
** [[:Category:Memories|Memories]] | ** [[:Category:Memories|Memories]] | ||
** [[:Category:Memory Basics|Memory Basics]] | ** [[:Category:Memory Basics|Memory Basics]] | ||
** [[:Category:Peripherals|Peripherals]] | ** [[:Category:Peripherals|Peripherals]] | ||
** [[:Category:Processors|Processors]] | ** [[:Category:Processors|Processors]] | ||
** [[:Category:Simulators|Simulators]] | |||
** [[:Category:Technology|Technology]] | ** [[:Category:Technology|Technology]] | ||
** [[:Category:Test Equipment|Test Equipment]] | |||
* [[:Category:Software|Software]] | * [[:Category:Software|Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Apple Software|Apple Software]] | ** [[:Category:Apple Software|Apple Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Application Software|Application Software]] | ** [[:Category:Application Software|Application Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Boot | ** [[:Category:Applications|Applications]] | ||
** [[:Category:Boot Binaries|Boot Binaries]] | |||
** [[:Category:Coding Systems|Coding Systems]] | ** [[:Category:Coding Systems|Coding Systems]] | ||
** [[:Category:Compatible PC Software|Compatible PC Software]] | ** [[:Category:Compatible PC Software|Compatible PC Software]] | ||
| Line 62: | Line 69: | ||
** [[:Category:GNU Software|GNU Software]] | ** [[:Category:GNU Software|GNU Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Languages|Languages]] | ** [[:Category:Languages|Languages]] | ||
** [[:Category:Malware|Malware]] | |||
** [[:Category:Networking Software|Networking Software]] | ** [[:Category:Networking Software|Networking Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Non-Compatible PC Software|Non-Compatible PC Software]] | ** [[:Category:Non-Compatible PC Software|Non-Compatible PC Software]] | ||
| Line 74: | Line 82: | ||
** [[:Category:ARPANET|ARPANET]] | ** [[:Category:ARPANET|ARPANET]] | ||
** [[:Category:Chaos|Chaos]] | ** [[:Category:Chaos|Chaos]] | ||
** [[:Category: | ** [[:Category:Chaosnet Hardware|Chaosnet Hardware]] | ||
** [[:Category:DEC Networking|DEC Networking]] | ** [[:Category:DEC Networking|DEC Networking]] | ||
** [[:Category:Internet|Internet]] | ** [[:Category:Internet|Internet]] | ||
** [[:Category:Network Interfaces|Network Interfaces]] | ** [[:Category:Network Interfaces|Network Interfaces]] | ||
** [[:Category:Network Protocols|Network Protocols]] | ** [[:Category:Network Protocols|Network Protocols]] | ||
** [[:Category:Networking Applications|Networking Applications]] | |||
** [[:Category:Networking Basics|Networking Basics]] | ** [[:Category:Networking Basics|Networking Basics]] | ||
** [[:Category:Networking Software|Networking Software]] | ** [[:Category:Networking Software|Networking Software]] | ||
** [[:Category:Networks|Networks]] | |||
** [[:Category:Servers|Servers]] | |||
* [[:Category:Security|Security]] | |||
* [[:Category:Standards|Standards]] | * [[:Category:Standards|Standards]] | ||
** [[:Category:DEC Standards|DEC Standards]] | ** [[:Category:DEC Standards|DEC Standards]] | ||
| Line 86: | Line 98: | ||
* [[:Category:Organizations|Organizations]] | * [[:Category:Organizations|Organizations]] | ||
** [[:Category:Companies|Companies]] | ** [[:Category:Companies|Companies]] | ||
** [[:Category:Educational Institutions|Educational Institutions]] | |||
** [[:Category:Localities|Localities]] | |||
** [[:Category:Professional Bodies|Professional Bodies]] | ** [[:Category:Professional Bodies|Professional Bodies]] | ||
** [[:Category:Research Organizations|Research Organizations]] | ** [[:Category:Research Organizations|Research Organizations]] | ||
** [[:Category:Standards Organizations|Standards Organizations]] | |||
* [[:Category:History|History]] | * [[:Category:History|History]] | ||
** [[:Category:Early Computers|Early Computers]] | ** [[:Category:Early Computers|Early Computers]] | ||
** [[:Category:Early Computing Devices|Early Computing Devices]] | ** [[:Category:Early Computing Devices|Early Computing Devices]] | ||
** [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] | ** [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] | ||
** [[:Category:Localities|Localities]] | |||
** [[:Category:People|People]] | ** [[:Category:People|People]] | ||
** [[:Category:Research Organizations|Research Organizations]] | ** [[:Category:Research Organizations|Research Organizations]] | ||
| Line 108: | Line 124: | ||
** [[:Category:VENIX Tutorials|VENIX Tutorials]] | ** [[:Category:VENIX Tutorials|VENIX Tutorials]] | ||
Notice also that some categories appear in more than one top-level super-category (e.g. [[:Category:Components]] appears in both [[:Category:Basics]] and [[:Category:Hardware]]); that is because that category ''could'' logically be in either super-category - so we put it in ''both'', to make it easy for find. Remember: the number one goal of the CHWiki category structure is to make it easy to find things. | |||
Notice also that some categories appear in more than one super-category (e.g. [[:Category:Components]] appears in both [[:Category:Basics]] and [[:Category:Hardware]]); that is because that category ''could'' logically be in either super-category - so we put it in ''both'', to make it easy for find. Remember: the number one goal of the CHWiki category structure is to make it easy to find things. | |||
If you can't quickly and easily find something you are looking for, then we have not done a very good job in setting up the categories; please let us know! (You can use the [[Help talk:Categories|talk page here]] to leave us a message.) | If you can't quickly and easily find something you are looking for, then we have not done a very good job in setting up the categories; please let us know! (You can use the [[Help talk:Categories|talk page here]] to leave us a message.) | ||
Latest revision as of 10:38, 24 September 2026
The Computer History Wiki has a fairly elaborate set of 'categories', each of which collects together all the articles on a given topic. They are all linked together (one particular category may be a member of any other category - or categories), to further the main goal: to help people find things.
The resulting structure bears some resemblance to a tree (although it has multiple 'roots'); but it is in fact a graph, because there is more than one path from a root to many leaf categories. In other words, a particular category (or sub-category) may be included in several different 'super-categories'. (This is also true of articles: a particular article may be included in several different categories.) This is all a direct result of the main goal: making it easy to find things.
E.g. Category:IBM PCs is in both Category:IBM Computers and Category:Personal Computers). Having alternate 'paths' to things hopefully makes them easier to find. (So for someone interested in IBM gear, they might get to Category:IBM PCs via Category:IBM Computers; but someone who is interested in PCs, they might get to it via Category:Personal Computers.)
Overall structure
The 'top' (i.e. the place where many users 'enter' it) of the CHWiki's category graph looks roughly (it is a dynamic structure, and this 'map' is not produced automagically, so it may be slightly out of date) as below. (You are not expected to remember any of this detail; just glance at it, so you get a very rough idea of how it is arranged, and then keep reading).
The way you are supposed to use this admittedly large structure is that there are a small number of 'top-level' categories (Basics, Hardware, Systems, Peripherals, Software, Networking, Security, Standards, Organizations, History, Documentation, Tutorials; they are listed here, along with a few 'maintenance' categories which are not in the main category 'tree'), which are supposed to be both disjoint and clear, so that if you are looking for something, it should usually be fairly obvious which one it will be in (but see below). So, you go to that category . . . and repeat that process at the next level down.
- Basics
- Hardware
- Software
- Apple Software
- Application Software
- Applications
- Boot Binaries
- Coding Systems
- Compatible PC Software
- Compression Software
- Debuggers
- DEC Software
- Demo Software
- Emulators
- Formats
- Games
- GNU Software
- Languages
- Malware
- Networking Software
- Non-Compatible PC Software
- Operating Environments
- Operating Systems
- Software Basics
- Software Concepts
- Source Code
- Terminal Emulators
- Window Systems
- Networking
- Security
- Standards
- Organizations
- History
- Documentation
- Tutorials
Notice also that some categories appear in more than one top-level super-category (e.g. Category:Components appears in both Category:Basics and Category:Hardware); that is because that category could logically be in either super-category - so we put it in both, to make it easy for find. Remember: the number one goal of the CHWiki category structure is to make it easy to find things.
If you can't quickly and easily find something you are looking for, then we have not done a very good job in setting up the categories; please let us know! (You can use the talk page here to leave us a message.)
