vinyl-creep has gone wiki!

"The ultimate database on all things Urban Vinyl! This is a free encyclopedia of Artists and their work. It's free to contribute, just register in the top right corner and off you go! Are you an artist and toy designer? Go ahead and add yourself! Don't know how to edit a wiki? See our How to Edit pages!"

if you folks don't know by now, Vinyl-Creep.net has gone wiki!

i had a chance to chat with Cat, the creator of Vinyl-Creep, about the ins and outs, the whys and therefores... :)

/// CLICK HERE TO READ


TOYSREVIL: what's up with Vinyl Creep now? why the change to a wiki-format?

CAT: It made more sense to me, I was dabbling in some other non-toy-related wikis and they got quite addictive to the completist in me. There's nothing like it I could find on the web, only galleries that no one could touch, just look at from a far.

TRE: very true about the untouchable-galleries tho ... each and everyone has their own stock of images that they might not want folks to pilfer :p ... was the change a reaction to readers' requests or something you've been planning and evolving from the start?

CAT: I'd seen feedback on the coppermine gallery version of VC and the one thing that stood out was the fact that the only way people could interact was to email me, and I add and update, which was all very laborious and only a minimal amount of info could be added. The site was and probably always will be, a work in progress, the more interactive the better!

TRE:. interactivity is key! frankly, the easier the process; the better (but becoz im an IT-dunce LOL) ... what was the genesis for creating Vinyl-Creep?

CAT: I'm guessing you mean what made me start it? Well i'm not very artistic (i wish i was, have an A level and everything, but the ability to paint a picture of some fruit doesn't translate that well to 3D toys..) and I wanted to contribute that bit more to the toy community, so vinyl-creep was born. I've been building websites for about 7 years or so. The wiki thing is brand new to me though, and HARD as well!

TRE: i do like the 'encyclopedia'-format of VC, rather then getting bits and pieces of info everywhere - how has the response been so far?

CAT: It's been good so far! Just need more people to join in now! Don't fear the wiki!


TRE: what do you think are the positive points for VC-participation, and what may be the possible reasons for keeping folks away?

CAT: The positive points, well artists can pimp their new projects, and blow their own trumpet hehe. And the completists can add the rare toys that we may not know about. I think the only thing that may make people go urrgh is the thought of adding to a website, not everyone is IT-friendly, some people don't like it, some people don't like wiki's at all for whatever reason. But wiki is very easy to update and I made a help page, and if someone makes a mistake I'll always be hovering to fix it.

TRE: pimpin' thyself is actually a under-estimated endeavour, i reckon - imagine a one-stop-shop to find out all info and links on and to a particular artist and his/her creations (hell, it'll be a boon for me when i research for my blog-posts! LOL) ... is VC a full-time thing for you, Cat? tell us about who you are and what you do :)

CAT: It's not a full-time thing really, just something to dabble in and keep me busy, have a couple of other big sites I babysit, and a day job to pay for it all! I like to be kept busy, always creating little projects for myself. I don't get out much, all my money goes on toys! I think i've been collecting for about 4 years or so now? I'm not sure! I collect cameras as well, old film ones, I think I have 23 or 24 now, and I have 6 (yes, six) fish tanks and breed some fish too, all compacted into my teeny tiny London flat. I really really don't get out much for someone who lives in central London. And not many of my friends really get my magpie addictions, especially my workmates who marvel at the boxes I get delivered and run bets on whether it will be toys, a camera or even fish! It's all good fun though :). One thing I wonder, do you think in 80-100 years time, that maybe all our toys will be getting on Antiques Roadshow?

TOYSREVIL: either that or online-immortality? ;p ... cheers for all your efforts for Vinyl Creep, Cat! am sure loads of folks appreciate it - now tis time for everyone to participate! :)