What is a Wiki?
A wiki is a collaborative website whose content can be edited by anyone who has access to it. Wikipedia is a well known wiki.
Sites like MySpace and Facebook are similar in function, using what is referred to as social software that allows users to interact and share data.
The DEQ TMDL Development Projects Wiki is being used as a tool to distribute information (typically large documents) to many individuals. It also serves as a repository for TMDL Planning Area (TPA) - specific information that is distributed to stakeholders throughout the TMDL planning process.
Currently, this wiki is not designed for group interaction in the form of editing site content, leaving comments, and starting discussion threads.
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How to Navigate The Wiki
You can navigate the wiki much like any internet website.
The small house icon at the top left of every page will take you back to the wiki Front Page (or homepage).
Sidebar
The Sidebar provides quick links to all TPA pages, and also subpages, if applicable.
You should be able to use the sidebar from any page to access your next page of interest. Note, however, that PDF documents you open or download from this site will open in the same browser window, eliminating the sidebar. You will either have to use the Back button on your browser to return to the wiki site or open the wiki in a new browser window.
Links in the Top Right Corner of the Page
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Front Page
Takes you to the Front Page (or home page) of the wiki. On this wiki, it will take you back to the TMDL Development Projects Front Page.
- Pages and Files
Do not use this link!
This link takes you to a repository of all pages and documents on the wiki. It is somewhat confusing and is not intended for navigational purposes. You may essentially get lost within the Pages and Files. Use the side bar to navigate through the wiki pages, instead.
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Help
Clicking on this link will take you to the Help pages of PBworks, the company that hosts the wiki site. These pages will contain some information that may be of help to you, but majority of the information will not apply to your use of this particular wiki. If you are a member of other wikis that are set up in an interactive format (users have the ability to add and delete site content, post comments, participate in online discussion, etc.) or if you are interested in starting your own wiki, then you will find useful information through the Help link.
You should find the answer to most of your questions on this page. If not, please contact Christina Staten or Pam Arroues, DEQ Wiki Administrators.
Users with Accounts that are logged into the site will also see the following 2 links:
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Requesting Access
You do not need to request access and create an account to view most pages on this wiki.
Restricted Pages / "Access Denied"
Some wiki pages are restricted to TPA technical advisory group (TAG) members and are not viewable by others. Unless you have been granted access to that page, you will receive an "Access Denied" message when you click on the page link.
TAG members must have accounts and must be logged in to view their relevant page(s). If you have been granted permission to view the page, but are receiving the Access Denied message, you most likley are not logged into your account.
Requesting Access / Joining the Wiki
You may request access to the wiki by using the link here or the link on the Front Page (or homepage) called "To Join this Workspace - Rrequest Access."
If you request access, please provide your affiliation with a specific TMDL project.
Examples: Tobacco TPA, Lincoln Conservation District Board Member
Tobacco TPA, Lincoln County Planner
x TPA, x Watershed Group, Role
You may not receive instant access to the wiki, as the approval process is not automated. The Wiki Administrator must approve your request. If the Administrator is out of the office or away from their desk, your approval may take some time. We will try to grant all approvals as fast as possible, however.
Once the Wiki Administrator approves your request, you will recieve an email from PBworks notifying you of your approval and directions on setting up an account. See "Setting Up and Managing Your Account" below.
Users requesting access will be provided with a Reader permission level, which is the same user level as those without an account. All requests will be made known to the DEQ TMDL Project Coordinator for the specific TPA. Access to additional, or restricted, pages will only be granted to those approved by the DEQ Project Cooridnator. If you do not provide any affiliation information in your request for access, your request cannot be passed on to a project coordinator.
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Setting Up and Managing Your Account
You will receive a verification email from PBworks when you have been provided access to the wiki (whether DEQ sends you an invitation to join the wiki or you request access using one of the "request access" links on this wiki). Click on the provided link in the email to verify the account, set up a password, and join the wiki.
I Never Recieved or I Lost the Verification Email With Directions To Set Up My Account
If you do not receive your confirmation email, check your spam/junk mail folders to see if the email was filtered by your spam blocker. To ensure that you can receive the email, add @pbworks.com to your email program's Safe List.
If you still cannot find the email, go to http://my.pbworks.com and try to create your account again using the same email address. You will be given the option to resend your confirmation/verification email.
If you are on a network with a particularly strong spam filter, you may need to talk to your IT administrator and ask them to whitelist emails from the PBworks domain (@pbworks.com).
Managing Your Account
Once you set up your account, you will have a "My PBworks" page.
PBworks is the name of the company that hosts the wiki. DEQ only administers the wiki.
Under the Home tab of My PBworks you will have "My Workspaces", which will contain the URL for this wiki (montanatmdlflathead.pbworks.com). Click on the link to enter this wiki. If you are a member of any other state of montana wikis or other PBworks wikis, URLs, or web addresses, for those workspaces will also appear in the list. In the picture below, the wiki user is a member of this wiki and also the DEQ Nonpoint Source and 319 Grants Wiki.
The "Enable Notifications" check box lets you decide if you want to receive emails when changes are made to the wiki, such as having new content added. You can set how often you would like to receive notifications under Preferences (see image above).
Currently, DEQ has the notifications feature of this wiki turned off, and you will not receive emails notifying you of changes to the wiki even if you have checked the Enable Notifications check box. This feature may be turned on in the future, if warranted.
How to Change Your Password or Email Address
Sign into your account either by using the "Log In" link in the top right corner of this wiki or by going to my.pbworks.com.
Under the Email tab of My PBworks, you have the ability to change your email address or password. You may also add additional email addresses for your account.
Forgot Your Password?
Click here to have a password reset email sent to you.
How to Delete Your Account
See: How To Delete Your Wiki Account
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Trouble Accessing the Wiki or Viewing Pages?
DEQ administers this wiki but does not host the site, meaning that we do not have control over some problems that you may encounter. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.
All Of A Sudden It Stops Working
The wiki experiences technical difficulties from time to time. Logging out and signing in again may eliminate the problem. If you do not have an account, simply close your browser or navigate away from the page, and then try returning to the site. If the site is still not working properly, you may have to come back later.
Cannot Open (Browse to) the Wiki or Log In (Hopefully you will have read this before encountering the problem)
Sometimes the wiki just seems to lock out a user and I don't know why. You can try clearing your browser history, deleting all temporary internet files and cookies, and also clearing your computer's cache. This erases your computer's memory of entering the site or viewing the web page. You may then be able to access the wiki again. If this does not work, you may have to simply try again later.
Access Denied
If you are receiving the Access Denied message, you either do not have permission to view the page or you are not logged into the wiki. Remember that you can view the wiki without being logged in. However, to view pages with restricted access, you must log into your account. See Setting Up and Managing Your Account above for more information on logging in, if necessary.
I Forgot the Wiki Web Address or URL (Hopeully you will also remember this before it happens)
If you do not remember the wiki web site address, you will find a link to the wiki on the DEQ TMDL Home Page in the sidebar (This is not yet available) and also through some of the other TMDL web pages. You should also be able to come up with the wiki site or the DEQ TMDL Home Page if you Google it.
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See the PBworks Help page on RSS feeds.
Link to this wiki's RSS feed
Didn't Find An Answer To Your Question?
Please contact Christina Staten or Pamela Arroues, DEQ Wiki Administrators.
Provide Us With Your Feedback
Page Created: July 21, 2009
Last Updated: November 20, 2009
This wiki is not part of the Montana DEQ web site. Click here to access the DEQ TMDL home page.
