Review of the ComSwiki used at the SwikiFarm
Swiki Versions
I am confused about Swiki versions. This review is primarily about the swiki in use on the SwikiFarm, http://www.swiki.net/.about. I suspect that I have confused features of Swiki 2.8, ComSwiki 11, and the ComSwiki in use at the SwikiFarm.
My last communication with the SwikiFarm leads me to believe that they are running a unique version. The following is quoted from an email from Mike Sheridan:
-
- "ComSwikis? are Comanche based Swikis...which is what we're using. We used Comanche and Swiki before they became ComSwiki beta 1, and in fact contributed a lot of the code that was used for the ComSwiki releases. Since then, we've picked up some features added in the ComSwiki release."
Swikis are written in Squeak, which is a version of
SmallTalk. I don't know much about Squeak or
SmallTalk, but I have the following impressions:
- Squeak is very portable between operating systems
- Squeak creates what I will call an "environment" on the computer it is installed on. This environment contains things like a built in webserver and a means of persistent data storage.
I have the following impressions about Swikis:
- A Swiki is built into Squeak, or a Swiki can be loaded into Squeak by a mechanism called a "filein" or as a "goodie" (are they the same thing?)
- I believe that more than one swiki exists and can be loaded into Squeak as a "filein" or "goodie".
- The two major variants are Swiki 2.8 (part of Squeak 2.8), and ComSwiki 11. ComSwiki uses the Commanche webserver, which may also be a "filein" or "goodie".
The Swiki on the
SwikiFarm looks good (see the review summary), but with the following drawbacks:
- No diffs
- No means to delete pages (even by the administrator -- short of creating a new swiki and moving only the desired pages to the new swiki)
- No means to delete snapshots (short of creating a new swiki and moving only the desired pages to the new swiki, saving newer pages over them so they become history)
- Search mechanism is not as flexible as I would like (no phrases, within x -- it does allow words, multiple words, or portions of words)
- Storage mechanism is unique to Squeak (??), thus making it difficult to consider improving search by using an external indexing and search tool
- For someone who uses Squeak or SmallTalk, it may be easy to extend the swiki to include expanded search and diff capabilities, but I suspect it is not worth my time to learn SmallTalk strictly for that purpose.
Good things about swikis:
- Looks fairly easy to install on many operating systems, with minimal need to learn Squeak (??)
- Password protection, "invitations", and page locking look useful, and can be used to minimize dangers of allowing embedded HTML
- There is a farm which will host public or private swikis, for free up to 25 megabytes (and this size restriction may have been lifted).
I wonder how difficult it would be to provide diffs, improve the search capabilities, and provide a means to delete pages and revision snapshots? I suspect it would not worth my effort to learn
SmallTalk in order to attempt those changes.
General Notes
Adding Attributes
Please use the same attributes and the same sequence of attributes in each review. If you add an attribute to one review, please consider adding it at the same location in each review, the WikiEngineReviewTemplate and the WikiEngineReviewTemplateAnnotated.
Reviews of New Releases
Please maintain separate reviews for each version of each WikiEngine. The intent is to maintain reviews of old versions of software that might still be in use on a WikiFarm or on a specific WikiForum. See WikiEngineReviewNewRelease for the recommended approach.
Notes
See WikiEngineReview, WikiEngineReviewNotes, and WikiEngineReviewTemplateAnnotated for notes and discussion about these reviews and wikis in general.
General
- Date of Review: December 05, 2000
- WikiEngine and Version Reviewed: ComSwiki as used at the SwikiFarm
- WikiEngine Author: "The Wiki was originally ported to Squeak (Squeak + Wiki = Swiki) by Mark Guzdial." (http://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/csl/9) "Ted Kaehler dramatically improved on Guzdial's original implementation, and his was the version we ran until January 2000." (http://pbl.cc.gatech.edu/myswiki/107)
- Review Summary: See discussion under "Swiki Versions, above".
- Review Quality: Despite my confusion about Swiki and ComSwiki, and some omissions and possible errors in this review, this is adequate for my purposes at this time. Others may improve / extend this, but I think it has enough valid information to be used as a basis for my decision on which wiki to use (which I have not yet made).
- Standard Features Missing (see WikiEngineReviewStandardFeatures): None.
Software
- Server OS: Acorn, BeOS, Macintosh, OS2, Unix, Windows -- see http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/388
- Language: Squeak 2.8
- Database: Don't know -- may be a data storage mechanism inherent to the Squeak environment?
- Required Software: Squeak 2.8. ComSwikis?, which may be covered in a separate review use the Commanche webserver -- Swiki uses a webserver (PWL)built into Squeak.
- Installation Difficulty: Sounds simple to install on a variery of platforms, maybe even if you are not familiar with Squeak -- see http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/388.
- License: GPL-like terms including making the source available to anyone you distribute the software to and requiring the return of modifications -- see http://minnow.cc.gatech.edu/squeak/159.
WikiFarms
- Name / cost / limits / URL:
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- SwikiFarm / free to 25 megabytes -- beyond that "discuss" / http://www.swiki.net/ -- they use a "modified version" (?) of Swiki 2.8(?)
Content
-
- Note: The WikiFarm had trouble with the TextFormattingTest? page (http://rhkswikitest.swiki.net/12), perhaps because of the size. When I first tried the test, headings did not work properly, but bulleted lists did. (The numbered and nested lists were added to the test page later.) Now headings are working but lists are not. (Lists do work ok on short pages -- see http://rhkswikitest.swiki.net/13) The version of the test page that I had trouble with had 16,438 characters (it keeps growing as I add tests for other wikis).
- Headings? Yes, using equal sign prefix (six levels) in the WikiFarm version (and HTML). In some other versions (ComSwiki), headings are defined using "!" prefix syntax.
- Allowable WikiNames: Most anything enclosed in asterisks (ComSwiki uses *+ ... +* as delimiters). Unlike most wikis, the page URL does not include the WikiName -- the URL uses an "arbitrary" page number.
- Subpages? No
- Max Page Size: Not tested, but see note under "Text Formatting Rules".
- Tables? Yes, "|" syntax (but as a general comment for all wikis, not all "|" syntax is exactly equal)
- Images? Yes
- Attachments? Yes
- Editing Contention Resolution: No -- No reference, I attempted editing same page from two edit windows (as the same user) at the same time -- no problem.
Readability
- Search capabilities: Word, multiple words, or word fragments (in essence, wildcards); not phrases, regular expressions, or within x.
- Email notification: Yes, per page. (Requested from edit page -- if you can't edit you can't request email notification (?).)
- Diffs: No
Security
- Embedded HTML (risky): Yes ("any HTML" in ComSwiki", "simple" HTML? in Swiki(?)). Risk can be mitigated somewhat by limiting editing privileges to a trusted group using password protection, invitations (lists of authorized users), and locks, but at the cost of losing some WikiNature.
- Password protection? Yes. Looks like a useful approach. Owner can allow anyone to view and edit, allow anyone to view but limit editors (invitation only), or make the swiki private (invitation required to view or edit). If you are invited you must sign up, create a password, and then log on to view or edit. If anyone is allowed to view or edit, passwords and log ons are not required. Extending an invitation sends email to the invitee.
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- The wiki owner can also invite people to help with user and/or site administration. See also locks under "Extra Features". The edit button can be hidden but people "in the know" can still edit the page.
- Revision Snapshots? Yes, saves every revision
- Rollback: Yes, by anyone with editing privileges
- Delete Snapshots? No, except by creating a new swiki and transferring only the desired pages and desired history. The 25 megabyte limit is generous, but you can chew a lot of that up with snapshots, especially if you "save" often while editing.
- Delete Pages? <New attribute, not sure I'll leave it here, but will pick a place and then modify template, etc.> Similar to snapshots, there is no means to delete pages -- one recommendation is that when you empty a page you keep track of it and reuse it when you want to create a new page.
Working Well with Others
- Static or dynamic web pages: Dynamic
- Indexed by search engines? Don't know
- InterWiki Links? No, no special provisions or syntax. (Links to arbitrary URLs are allowed.)
- Import / Export Features: Yes, there is reference to some hints on one of the help pages, haven't looked for again -- it sounds like you can export to some sort of file, then email that to the administrators of the swiki site who can import the file.
- Translators to/from other Wikis? None found
Miscellaneous
- Extra Features: Forgotten password reminder, locked pages (can only be unlocked by person who applied lock or administrator), append areas -- an area can be established for a reader to enter text without editing the page -- text can be entered here even if the page is locked,
- References:
- Browsers Used: (See WikiEngineReviewBrowsersUsed for abbreviations)
- Comments by Users:
Originator / Author, Maintainer, Contributors
- Originator / Author: RandyKramer
- Contributors:
- <add your Wiki name, move this to next line>
--
RandyKramer
CategoryWikiEngineReview
Wiki Engine Review Com Swiki Farm