This is exactly the kind of infrastructure the open web needs — a place for genuinely open-licensed projects that actually lets people collaborate.

MediaWiki has a steep learning curve, but there are some basics you can get right from day one:

• Start with a clear hierarchy of namespaces. Keep your “project documentation” separate from your “forum” space.
• Use extensions sparingly. MediaWiki extensions break on upgrades. If an extension is core functionality, consider a custom solution instead.
• Permissions can get messy fast. Test your group setup before you launch.

Happy to take a look at your setup if you want a second pair of eyes. DM me.