A wiki (IPA: [ˈwiː.kiː] <wee-kee> or also [ˈwɪk.iː] <wick-ey>, according to Ward Cunningham) is a group of Web pages that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows others (often completely unrestricted) to edit the content. The term wiki also refers to the collaborative software (wiki engine) used to create such a website (see wiki software). In essence, the wiki is a vast simplification of the process of creating HTML pages, and thus is a very effective way to exchange information through collaborative effort. wiki is sometimes interpreted as the abbreviation for 'what I know, is', which describes the knowledge contribution, storage and exchange up to some point. Wiki with an upper case W and WikiWikiWeb are both used to refer specifically to the first wiki ever created (25 March 1995). The WikiWikiWeb is, like the Portland Pattern Repository, a section of a Portland, Oregon, web site operated by the company Cunningham & Cunningham. Wiki proponents often spell 'wiki' with a lower case "w". The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki, meaning "quick," "fast," or "to hasten" (Hawaiian dictionary). Sometimes wikiwiki (or Wikiwiki) is used instead of wiki (Hawaiian dictionary). Also, ʻāwīwī in the Hawaiian is used in place of wiki, Wiki, wikiwiki or Wikiwiki.