OpenWetWare:Software/Distribution

Description
It is clear that scientists need areas to collaborate in private at various points in research projects. In fact, many members of OWW maintain private wikis for themselves or their labs to serve this function. The advantages of an OWW-branded Mediawiki distribution would be:
 * 1) Provide the community for a more useful wiki software distribution that have tools tailored to biologists built-in.
 * 2) lower the barriers for moving information from a private wiki onto OpenWetWare.
 * 3) *format of pages will be the same, and because we could improve tools to merge private OWW-brand wikis into OWW.
 * 4) provide greater exposure for OWW.
 * 5) help decide the issue of whether to allow private pages on OWW.

Discussion
OpenWetWare talk:Software/Distribution - see the talk page.

Resources
The Cell Decision Process Center is interested in helping to develop an OWW-brand Mediawiki distribution. As I understand it, someone there would take the lead on seeing the project through, and we would provide support as needed.

Technical

 * Installation -- instructions from Ilya on Mediawiki installation
 * Instructions from Mediawiki to install on a mac
 * MediaWiki Appliance - bundles up PHP, MySQL, Apache, MediaWiki and the rPath Appliance Agent to provide a self-contained, turn-key, updateable Wiki appliance (runs directly or in a virtual machine)