Today, I came across something surprising in my friendly city newspaper — a story about Wikis. It was an AP story out of New York.

The article specifically mentions Wikipedia, perhaps the largest and most well-known Wiki project as well as the use of wikis for idea organization in companies.

At its core, a Wiki is an empty room, devoid of furniture and decoration, said Sunir Shah, founder of an online community called Meatball. Visitors bring the personality and mission, turning the Wiki into a library, a party or a conference room.

Wikis are also described as online whiteboards, shared notebooks or group memory. They are forums for sharing knowledge and control — and fostering trust in the process.

A Google News search found that the National Post, Miami Herald, and Australian IT (among others) had also picked up the story.