This week, students gained yet another source of unofficial information through the Penn State University Wiki, a Web site developed by two recent college graduates and modeled after the popular Wikipedia.org.

"I know students know and love Wikipedia," Joe Dipasquale, a founder of the Web site, said. "How great would it be for them to have their own Wikipedia?"

The Web site uses the same software as Wikipedia and allows students to create a new topic about anything and everything related to Penn State or post questions that are placed on the Wiki. Students then receive replies through e-mails sent directly from the Web site, DiPasquale said.

DiPasquale and Jill Faulkner are the founders of CollegeWikis.com and thought of the idea while they were still in college. Last fall, they launched the first CollegeWiki at DiPasquale's alma mater, Stanford University, and since then have added nearly 20 more schools to the list.

The Penn State Wiki was added after a student e-mailed CollegeWikis.com about a week ago, Faulkner said.

DiPasquale said Penn State has one of the most active Wikis even though it's relatively new -- most of its users registered around April 1. Currently, Penn State Wiki has about 1,000 registered users.

Students on Penn State Wiki are already posting questions on a variety of topics including where to get a haircut, cheap car repairs or good dry cleaning as well as what classes are easy to take to fulfill general education requirements.

The concept was thought up as a way to give students pertinent information about their college or university, DiPasquale said.

"We're trying to put word-of-mouth online," DiPasquale said. "It's the ultimate information resource for students."

Students can choose how many e-mails they want to receive per day from the Web site and sign up for specific e-mail lists for information on classes or dormitories, DiPasquale said.

Content is not regulated, and after inviting 15 users who register with the Web site, anyone can become an administrator, a similar situation to the moderators on Wikipedia, DiPasquale said.

"The great thing about Wiki, to me, is it's a resource that is really created by its users and even if it's random content, its out there for people to use as they see fit," DiPasquale said.

Currently, a student has to register with a .edu e-mail address, but CollegeWikis is considering opening the Web site to anyone, DiPasquale said.

The CollegeWiki sites have been growing in popularity and should continue to accumulate more users as students invite their peers, DiPasquale said.

"Its kind of in the hands of students at this point," DiPasquale said. "If they feel it's useful, they should use it."

Students on campus are divided about the usefulness of the new Web site.

Rick Paese (senior-aerospace engineering) said he would use the Web site. "Recently, I had a question about finding a used bookstore and where to get my oil changed in my car," he said.

Esther Deutsch (graduate-English) said she found the Web site by accident, but will not be using it.

"It floods your e-mail," she said.