Considering the stuff in

http://c2.com/cgi/fullSearch?search=annotation

there might be enough interest to start a Wiki that combines the benefits of both, a Wiki and an (public) online annotation system.

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Example: '''natural extension of the WikiPedia''': What about an annotating Wiki, without the strict rules of the underlying WikiPedia Wiki. This Wiki could take over the role of the adjunct talk pages, but with much more flexibility, for several reasons:
* fine-grained markers on the annotated page allow faster read/write access
* annotating pages on the annotated pages (and so on recursively) create more space for different views
* writing comments in an overlaying wiki, allows more efficient statements due to its additional LinkLanguage formed in its  annotation space
* a link on the base page to the annoting wiki(s) reduces the workload for the admins and opens new horizons for the readers/writers.

-- FridemarPache

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I've been thinking about WikiUserInterface. Annotation has been explored a bit in other systems, but it hasn't been widely adopted anywhere. One could argue that annotation is all over wiki, but it is supported by custom rather than UI. One of the questions is whether the annotation is itself a document, or whether it becomes part of the document. It is a neat way to ask questions, but it could lead to chaos if there weren't an easy way to integrate annotations into the original document. ... or are you interested in AnnotationsOfPrimarySourceMaterial, rather than AnnotationsToFacilitateCollaboration?

The tool should be soft enough to meet the various needs of the people who use it. Yes, where two or more people are are ''co-authors'', wiki customs work as annotation is applied and material is developed. Where the document has "a single author" and everybody else a reviewer, then it would be better to have the original/current document (more) intact and the comments visible by some other means. I'm working towards providing those other means. (and yes, in this system, the highlight-comments are visible when you are editing the raw form of the WikiPage.) -- DaveParker
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I only found out about Wiki yesterday. I have an idea that allows anybody to annotate a picture by putting pins into it, and adding a comment.

I spent an evening writing an ePinboard. You can put a pin in a picture, and add data.
Currently, it works only in IE5. It uses JavaScript and my guestbook idea to store the data.

Have a look at: http://www.dougrice.plus.com/gbbook/emap/beerFairP.htm
The picture could be anything, a network diagram, a map of the world...

It has a big problem, in that you cannot easily update the picture, as the pins only store the coordinates, of the rectangle that the picture sits in.

I have been playing with guestbooks that allow processing before display, for simple databases for collecting testbay data and test results, events diaries, etc. There are so many applications that can be made to fit the download, sort, select, display model. 
Further information at: http://www.btinternet.com/~doug.h.rice/gbbook/

-- DougRice

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See also http://www.usemod.com/cgi-bin/mb.pl?AnnotationWiki