Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: sample document library: laying the groundwork

[Dirk Herr-Hoyman (hoymand]

On Feb 13, 2007, at 4:00 PM, Tim Mensch wrote:

> Lyle Scheer wrote:
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> > Hash: RIPEMD160
> >
> > Not entirely true.  We use http://www.twiki.org for our site,
> > http://www.ashlandcoho.com.  It implements access control so that you
> > can assign editing access to certain areas, as well as viewing  
> > access.
> I'd like to suggest an alternative to a Wiki for this. I've used  
> TWiki,
> and I've used other Wiki software, and while the idea is great, their
> time has passed--and regardless, it's always been hard to get non- 
> geeks
> to use them.
>
> The strength of a Wiki is that anyone can edit it from within their
> browser. The weakness is that there are a zillion different flavors of
> Wiki, each with its own markup that you need to memorize (the  
> markup is
> how you tell it to italicize a word, or to make a link to another  
> page,
> or to make a list, or to embed a PDF...any formatting that can't be  
> done
> in text) and switch between if you end up using more than one.
>
> Here's what I've been doing: I set up a free content management system
> called Drupal (drupal.org) that has a word-processing-like web plug-in
> as well as a Wiki-link plug-in. Now any authorized member can create
> pages on my site and edit them, within a browser, using a simplified
> word-processor that works in Internet Explorer or Firefox or Safari or
> whatever you want to use. No more memorizing how to make text bold, or
> looking at pages of symbols that once was a nice text file--and I can
> still create new pages Wiki-style.

While I will agree with you Tim on the issues of editing in a word- 
processor like style, I will have to disagree that Drupal is the  
right tool for that.
I am also looking at Drupal, Joomla, Dot NET Nuke and several others in
my day job.  These are called Content Management Systems and have more
features than one would want, this is where you are trying to get a
very polished web presence with a bit of community thrown in.
What we need here is more like a reference book, an encyclopia if you  
will.

> To be fair, TWiki now has "Wysiwyg" (word-processor-style) editing
> features, and we're still using it at my current office (where I  
> set it
> up originally), but I've always found the TWiki look, feel, and  
> general
> organization to be a bit awkward.

Yes it's true one is a bit constrained by a wiki.  Would not let
that get in the way.  Wikipedia is used by lots of folks every day
and they are not confused by the lack of a WYSIWYG editor.

The Mediawiki project IS looking into integrating WYSIWYG editors
as a plugin.  For example there is FCKedit, that's one I am fond
of, in:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/FCKeditor
So there ya go, some assembly is required and you'll be all set!

FCKedit is available as a plugin for the finer content management  
systems too, like Drupal and Joomla.  There are no secrets in the world
of open source software!

--Dirk

> Tim
>
> --
> Tim Mensch
>
> Currently in Pleasant Hill Cohousing (CA): phch.org
>
> Member of Tumblerock, a Boulder, CO area community
> in its forming stages.
>
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--
Dirk Herr-Hoyman
Member of Arboretum Cohousing
Madison, WI
http://arboretumcohousing.org