Technical documentation

Introduction

In the forefront of the fight against hate, there are users committed to creating better social media experiences for them and for others. These users offer support with their work on moderation, technical knowledge, emotional labour, and many others.

Technical knowledge is relevant to:

• use moderation tools
• adapt, fork, customise moderation tools
• create new tools
• adapt, fork, customise social platforms
• create new platforms
• use software and hardware
• question autonomy
• experiment with protocols
• self-host
• understand tutorials
• write and send reports

These actions can be challenging, and they demand time, money and effort from a community. Networks of Care goes through some of these technical hurdles, it exposes processes and documents the experience of creating and maintaining this project.

Networks of Care is hosted on a Raspberry Pi and uses MediaWiki software to organise the content. It uses extensions such as Semantic MediaWiki and Page Forms. The main page shows a diagram that uses the API to get access to wiki features. It also uses Leaflet, a JavaScript library.

Setting up the Raspberry Pi

In my computer:

SD card

1. Format for FAT32 (I used disk utility on mac. Format to MS_DOS). Use more than 8gb, mediawiki can become heavy.

2. Flash ISO to SD card (Raspbian Buster Light, https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/ ) with a mounter (I've used etcher https://www.balena.io/etcher/ )

With raspi connected to power, internet, screen and keyboard:

01 Default login

Login: pi

Password: raspberry

02 SSH config

   $ cd /boot

   $ sudo touch ssh

   $ sudo reboot

03 Check IP address

   $ hostname -i

Response: 192.0.0.0

04 My keyboard wasn't working properly.

I had to change language of keyboard to US instead of UK.

   $ sudo raspi-config

   Localisation Options

   Change Keyboard Layout

   Choose US

After using the keyboard I changed back to UK to avoid errors.

05 Change hostname

   $ ssh pi@192.0.0.0

   $ sudo raspi-config

   Choose item no. 2 on the menu: Network Options

   Rename hostname to: newhostname

   $ reboot

06 Add user

   $ sudo adduser name

07 Add new user to sudo

   $ sudo adduser name sudo

08 You should be able to login with:

   $ ssh name@newhostname

09 I had an error with known hosts. I removed cached key on my computer:

   $ ssh-keygen -R 192.000.0.000

10 Remove default pi user

   $ sudo deluser pi

10 Use key-based authentication:

10.1 Add .ssh keys to RPI

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/remote-access/ssh/passwordless.md#copy-your-public-key-to-your-raspberry-pi

10.2 Edit file

   $ sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

   Uncomment PassowrdAuthentication and set it to no;

   Uncomment PermitRootLogin prohibit-passowrd;

10.3 Reload SSH

   $ sudo /etc/init.d/ssh restart

10.4 Reboot RPi

   $ sudo reboot

10.5 In my computer:

   $ cd ~/.ssh

   $ sudo nano config

Add to the document:

   Host newhostname
       User name
       Hostname 192.000.0.0
       Port 22
       Identityfile /Users/ritagraca/.ssh/id_rsa
       Serveraliveinterval 30

10.6 To ssh to my pi now:

   $ ssh newhostname

11. Set static ip address for LAN

   $ sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf

Edit this part:

   #Static IP text block
       interface eth0
       static ip_address=192.000.0.00
       static routers=192.000.0.0
       static domain_name_servers=8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

Note:

I shut down my pi, IP changed and couldn't ssh to it. If this happened already, connect pi again to screen, find new IP with $ config command, and put new IP in ~/.ssh, step 10.5.

Installing Mediawiki on the pi

1. Install Apache

   $ sudo apt update

   $ sudo apt install apache2 -y

I will remove Apache and install Ngnix in the next steps, see Fixing my very slow MediaWiki.

2. Download Mediawiki

   $ mkdir Downloads

   $ cd Downloads

   $ wget https://releases.wikimedia.org/mediawiki/1.34/mediawiki-1.34.0.tar.gz (check the version)

   $ tar -xvzf mediawiki-1.34.0.tar.gz

3. Move

   $ sudo mkdir /var/lib/mediawiki

   $ sudo mv mediawiki-*/* /var/lib/mediawiki

4. Linking

   $ cd /var/www/html

   $ sudo ln -s /var/lib/mediawiki mediawiki

5. Updating

   $ sudo apt-get update

   $ sudo apt-get install apache2 mysql-server php php-mysql libapache2-mod-php php-xml php-mbstring

5.1 Error: Package 'mysql-server' has no installation candidate

Fix with:

   $ sudo apt install mariadb-server-10.3 php-mysql

5.2 Error: MySQL didn't ask for password so:

   $ sudo mysql_secure_installation

It will ask for password now.

6. Database

   $ sudo mysql -u root -p

Enter password. Type:

   mysql> CREATE DATABASE wiki;
   mysql> USE wiki;

   mysql> CREATE USER 'name'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
   mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON wiki.* TO 'name'@'localhost'; 
   mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   mysql> quit

7. Open browser

   http://ip_address_of_pi/mediawiki

On the website, it will ask for database connection settings:

   localhost
   database: wiki
   user: name
   password: yourpassword

Continue installation.

8. After setting up, it will ask to save LocalSettings.php. Download to your computer.

9. Move file from your computer to pi.

In your computer:

   $ scp LocalSettings.php name@hostname:/home/name/Downloads

10. Move from pi to the right place.

In your pi:

   $ sudo mv ~/Downloads/LocalSettings.php /var/lib/mediawiki/

some more help to setup mediawiki http://willbeone-techtips.co.za/2018/02/12/installing-mediawiki-raspberry-pi3/

Fixing my very slow MediaWiki

My wiki is painfully slow. Things I'll try:

1. Switch from Apache to Ngnix.

2. Swap to SanDisk Ultra 64gb a2. Update — The sd card made the most difference. Amazing.

0. Backing up my raspbery pi image

First, I backed up my raspbery pi image. Tutorial for mac: https://medium.com/@ccarnino/backup-raspberry-pi-sd-card-on-macos-the-2019-simple-way-to-clone-1517af972ca5

1. Switching from Apache to Ngnix

1.1 Uninstalling Apache:

   $ sudo apt-get --purge remove apache2

   $ sudo apt-get autoremove

1.2 Installing Ngnix:

   $ sudo apt update

   $ sudo apt install nginx

   $ sudo /etc/init.d/nginx start

Go to ip address and see the Ngnix starting message.

1.3 Additional — Install PHP:

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/remote-access/web-server/nginx.md

1.4 I uninstalled mediawiki:

   $ rm -rf /var/www/mediawiki

1.5 Started from step Installing Mediawiki

Extensions

Semantic MediaWiki

1. Download composer

More here https://getcomposer.org/doc/00-intro.md#installation-nix

1.1 Download the installer to the current directory

   $ php -r "copy('https://getcomposer.org/installer', 'composer-setup.php');"

1.2 Verify the installer SHA-384

   $ php -r "if (hash_file('sha384', 'composer-setup.php') === 'e0012edf3e80b6978849f5eff0d4b4e4c79ff1609dd1e613307e16318854d24ae64f26d17af3ef0bf7cfb710ca74755a') { echo 'Installer verified'; } else { echo 'Installer corrupt'; unlink('composer-setup.php'); } echo PHP_EOL;"

1.3 Run the installer

   $ php composer-setup.php

1.4 Remove the installer

   $ php -r "unlink('composer-setup.php');"

1.5 Global Access

Now that I have composer.phar, I will put it in /usr/local/bin to have global access.

   $ sudo mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer

This means that instead of starting with $ php composer.phar, I just write $ composer.

Some more help to install composer https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Installation/Using_Composer_with_MediaWiki_1.25%2B

2. Create and edit the file composer.local.json in /var/www/html/mediawiki.

   $ cd /var/www/html/mediawiki

   $ sudo nano composer.local.json

paste this code:

   {
           "require": {
                     "mediawiki/semantic-media-wiki": "~3.1"
           }
   }

3. Run the update script

   $ composer update --no-dev

3.1 Change permissions:

Gives error:

   file_put_contents(./composer.lock): failed to open stream: Permission denied

Give permissions:

   $ chmod -R 777 ./

4. Maintenance script

   $ php maintenance/update.php

5. Enable Semantic MediaWiki on LocalSetting.php

Write in the end of the file:

   enableSemantics( ' http://192.000.0.0/mediawiki/ ' );

6. Repeat step 4.

I had a error with database. I had to run the update script again. If when running this script there's error with permissions, just change permissions, step 3.1

7. Uploading files to the server

Check first folder permissions, and change if necessary:

   $ chmod -R 777 ./

To allow bigger files:

7.1. Edit this file

       $ sudo nano /etc/nginx/nginx.conf

7.2 Add this in the bottom of the http part:

       # set client body size to 2M
       client_max_body_size 2M;

7.3 Reload the server

       $ service nginx reload

Understanding Properties

Basic way of entering semantic data:

  [[Property + name of property::datatype]

  [[Has + name of property::datatype]]

  The creator of this text is [[Has Author:Rita]]

There are special kinds of properties: Has, Media type, Creation date, Language code, etc.

See all here: https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Special_properties

Possible datatypes: Number, page, temperature, date, text, page, URL, telephone number, etc.

See all of 15 here: https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Property_declaration

Choose a fitting datatype for your property.

• For example, the datatype Telephone number only holds numbers, if you try to write something like Hello, it will give an error.
• For me, it will be useful the datatype Text. (Used to store strings of arbitrary length, i.e. text.)
• Default datatype is Page. (Holds names of wiki pages, and displays them as a link).

Creating semantic information

Some information I want to store for every page in Archiving:

Field — xxxx, xxxx, xxxx

Scope — online, offline

Steps:

Create property Field and Scope.

 Special:SpecialPages > Page Forms > Create a property)

Create template Archiving. A template sets the display of the data on a page.

 Special:SpecialPages > Page Forms > Create a template). 

Create form Archiving. A form allow users to easily add and edit pages.

 Special:SpecialPages > Page Forms > Create a form

Now go to forms. You can create a page. Every time you go to forms and select "Archiving" form you can create a new page using the form. The forms asks you to fill the properties.

(more here: https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Page_Forms/Quick_start_guide )

Edit with form

To have the "edit with form" appear when you create a page without going to the forms page in Special Pages:

Create a category (I created one called "Archiving") and select a default form.

 {{#default_form:Archiving}}.

Every time you create a page within the category, you'll have the option of "edit with form".

Queries

https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/SMWCon_Fall_2017/Introduction_to_Semantic_MediaWiki

Templates

In the category Archiving, I wanted to annotate the Codes of Conduct I was collecting. I saw some common patterns in the texts, and I wanted to make them visible. The main themes were:

Intentions

This section sets the goals for the Code of Conducts, manages expectations for the document, explains who is the community.

Expected behaviour

This section describes the actions welcomed in the community.

Unacceptable behaviour

This section expresses the behaviours not tolerated in the community. Ignoring these guidelines may result in action from the community.

Behaviour to avoid

This section lists the actions users should refrain to do, attitudes that weaken the community. It focuses on behaviours some people may think are acceptable.

Enforcement

This section explains the consequences for the users who break the Code of Conducts. It also clarifies how reports should be done and how the community will act upon the information given. It sets responsibilities when incidents happen.

Support

This section holds contacts of the people who are responsible for the Code of Conducts. They may respond to reports, inform the community of changes in the documents, be moderators.

Links

This sections has other links for support, further explanation of some topics, it points to related content elsewhere.

First, I created properties. This allowed me to annotate the text in-line.

  [[Intentions:: We want to provide a safe place.]]

But I wanted to make the annotations visible. So, I created templates which allowed me to add style.

Template example:

  [[Intentions::{{{1}}}|<span style="border-bottom: 2px solid DarkGrey;">{{{1}}}</span>]]

Template usage in text:

  {{Intentions | We want to provide a safe place.}}

Result:

The sentence will appear with a grey border, the style I wanted.

It will also be added the property Intentions.

Extension Page Forms

This enables forms, useful to add semantic annotations to pages.

1. Download

https://github.com/wikimedia/mediawiki-extensions-PageForms/archive/4.8.zip

Put it in /var/www/html/mediawiki/extensions.

You shoud now have a directory called PageForms in your extensions folder.

2. Add the following line to your LocalSettings.php file:

   wfLoadExtension( 'PageForms' );

Extension WikiEditor

This enables the edit toolbar like Piet Zwart wiki has.

1. Download

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:WikiEditor

Put it in /var/www/html/mediawiki/extensions.

You should now have a directory called PageForms in your extensions folder.

2. Add the following line to your LocalSettings.php file:

   wfLoadExtension( 'WikiEditor' );

EmbedVideo

To allow video files, such as .mp4, on the wiki.

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:VideoPlayer

Creating a diagram for navigation/main page

As the project was developing it was important to show the connections between content, people and projects. For example, if I was archiving a Code of Conducts of a community and could then make questions to a moderator of that same group, I wanted to make visible that story line. In this way, I began experimenting with different ways of visualising information.

1. Playing with Mediawiki Extensions

1.1 Extension "Semantic Result Formats"

• Information here — https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Semantic_Result_Formats )
• Installation — https://github.com/SemanticMediaWiki/SemanticResultFormats/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.md
• Tried to use result format graph. ( https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Graph_format )
• It doesn't work, because it needs Extention GraphViz and GraphViz doesn't work on recent mediawiki installations.
• Uninstalling.

1.2 Extension "Maps" (using leaflet from Maps Extension)

• Some info — https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Maps
• Tried to use. It works for basic map / coordinate property. It doesn't have a lot of options like Leaflet alone has. For example, couldn't change map layout to an image.
• Uninstalling.

I couldn't find an extension that actually let me do what I wanted and have some creative freedom.

2. Alternative: doing the diagram outside the wiki but using Mediawiki API

Steps:

• Create my diagram on leaflet
• Link Mediawiki Semantic wiki API to leaflet
• Include diagram to wiki
• Populate, populate, populate

2.1 API

The web server is using HTTP requests to communicate to a publicly available URL endpoint containing JSON data. You need to use CORS or JSONP, I'll try to use JSONP for now. (note that JSONP is inherently read-only)

A request consists of an endpoint and a set of parameters. Example to list all pages in category Archiving:

http://192.000.0.0/mediawiki/api.php?action=query&format=json&&cmtitle=Category:Archiving&list=categorymembers

Important things:

• main endpoint — http://192.000.0.0/mediawiki/api.php
• action=query means fetch data from wiki.
• format=jsonfm indicates JSON output, which is the recommended output format.

Mediawiki API Sandbox:

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:ApiSandbox

Semantic Wiki API Sandbox:

https://www.semantic-mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:ApiSandbox

Overall the sandbox is very useful to create queries with properties.