From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
FileReplacement is a change control mechanism by which
scripts or
configuration files on a
wiki
system (specifically,
UseModWiki) may be edited using the same system, enforcing a
certain degree of
sanity by delaying the
commission of changes for an amount of time sufficient to
subject those changes to review by
system administrators and
others in the community.
Allowing immediate public
write access to scripts and system files is an inherently
insecure practice. However, open modification of information
is a vital underlying concept to most wiki systems.
FileReplacement is a compromise (ostensibly introduced by
MeatballWiki) which allows the editing of a file on the host
system by associating that file with a page in the wiki. When
that wiki page is edited, the changes of the edit are not
immediately committed to the associated file. Instead, a delay
time is in effect; after a certain duration, if the page remains
unedited, its contents are committed to the file on the system.
During that delay period, which is theoretically enough time for
proper review, any user (most importantly, a site administrator)
is able to revert or edit the changes.
Though in general FileReplacement is effective in providing
the sort of "soft
security" for which it was created, there has been criticism
about the effectiveness of the current implementation. For
example, a configuration file (such as
InterMapTxt which seems to be its prime application) edited
through the wiki may be subject to frequent successive changes,
each of which resets the delay time; as a result, changes may
take an excessively long time to commit. Fortunately, in fine
wiki style, such criticism is remarkably constructive (much of
the discussion takes place on the wiki page that defines the
mechanism).
See also
-
The Meatball Wiki page on FileReplacement
-
The UseModWiki patch that implements FileReplacement
Categories:
Data management |
Wiki
