Research:WikiPrime specification (RD)

Prototype entities

While developing LithoGraphica, RD created a great number of prototype pages to record surface impressions about various concepts. These were not necessarily intended to serve as "high-quality information" to go on encyclopedia entries, and were instead intended to serve as guidelines for separating the definition of one concept from the definition of another concept. Each concept could have multiple "prototype blocks", perhaps reflecting changing understandings of a particular concept, perhaps written by different people.

Prototyping is considered a legitimate part of the research process. Although the information in any given prototype block could be out of date, it can be vital for tracking down reliable sources which offer insight into whatever statements the prototype block claims or references.

Prototype blocks should contain:
alias - one or more names believed to apply to concept at the time the prototype block was written
body - freeform description of concept. the first version must be kept immutably but afterward it is allowed to change or be kept in multiple versions.
unique identifier - unique ID string which is permanent and immutable within a given instance database but namespaced within a particular domain name or understood name of a particular instance of WikiPrime. this identifier should not be a natural language string, and it should not be a public-facing integer. it can feasibly be a random alphanumeric string of the kind used on archive.is, or on YouTube. alternatively it could be a hash of the kind created with git commits.
date - date the prototype block was first recorded or archived, in UTC. this is allowed to change if someone realizes that a prototype block was actually recorded earlier than first thought.
submitter - user that submitted the concept within the prototype block. if the concept was submitted by an external source, some kind of user ID should be made on the instance to represent this, such as "YouTubeCommenters", etc.
submitter string - manually written name of submitter. if this matches an existing username, this should be stored as blank. otherwise, allow it to contain a more specific description of an external submitter.
prototyper - user that wrote the prototype block.

After each prototype block has been assigned an identifier and the first version of its text has been archived immutably, users can
- assign it to one or more concept entities that it is meant to provide guidance on using its permanent identifier (this would be recorded in the database)
- link the prototype block to sources using wikitext or entry identifiers (this would be within the editable prototype block itself)