Re: [ba-ohs-talk] NexistWiki
Way cool to see this getting out, Jack. (01)
This is first Wiki-type thing I've ever seen that actually felt
I could *use*. (02)
Jack Park wrote: (03)
> Now seems like a fair time to announce NexistWiki in such a manner that the
> Web site becomes subject to google and slashdot.
>
> Visit http://www.nexist.org/wiki/
>
> It's actually a Java WikiWiki but with tons of added features, a terrible
> user interface, and (still) lots of bugs.
>
> To get a feel for what can be done with it, visit
> http://www.nexist.org/wiki/Doc2682Document
> which is an emerging dissertation on Inquiry Driven Systems, of which, I
> think, NexistWiki is an instance.
>
> A software bug prevents the author of that particular page from breaking
> the dissertation into sections on different pages, but that will soon be
> fixed. He is using ascii characters for graphics, in advance of an applet
> I am building that gives users a sketch pad for entering graphics.
>
> What's different between NexistWiki and other Wikis? First, no "Edit this
> page" button. If you sign up (go to the LogOn page), you will be given
> access to control buttons, one of which is New Entry. That's how users add
> content to pages, and create new pages (in addition to the usual WikiWord
> method of inventing new pages).
>
> Each entry is called an AddressableInformationResource (AIR for
> short). Each entry has its own home page, and the ever popular
> PurpleNumber link to it. At the home page, the originator of the AIR (and
> a super user) can edit the AIR; nobody else can edit your AIR. Also at the
> AIR home page is a link to an IBIS discussion (thanks, Eric!) that allows
> threaded, controlled discussion about the AIR in specific. Also at that
> home page is the ability to "transclude" that AIR for inclusion as an AIR
> elsewhere (on a different page). There's also a button that allows you to
> declare some other page to be related to that AIR.
>
> NexistWiki presently is a graph builder with a preconfigured simple
> parent-child-sibling graph model (which may be dropped in Version 2). In
> addition, there is a Related Page control that allows you to declare other
> pages related (by a relation of your choice or creation). Much of this was
> inspired by the program Lucid Fried Eggs (http://www.memes.net), thus the
> portal home page is called LucidHomePage, and that class of NexistWiki
> pages are titled LucidWiki.
>
> In addition, there are several "application" Wikis: IBISWiki, where you can
> just haul off and start a discussion about whatever comes to mind, EduWiki,
> where (in theory) you can create elearning course content, DocWiki where
> you can create documents -- indeed, the entire _XML Topic Maps_ book will
> soon be imported to NexistWiki online. There's already a home page for it
> in DocWiki.
>
> NexistWiki supports what I call "living documents", those in which, as new
> information suggests changes to some part of the document, that part can be
> updated. Eventually, there will be an Export button that allows the entire
> document to be exported in (probably) DocBook format ready for
> publication. It is my intent to keep _XML Topic Maps_ up to date by that
> method, and to create the entire new book, _Advances In XML Topic Maps_ on
> NexistWiki itself.
>
> At the same time, NexistWiki, Version 2, will be developed on NexistWiki
> itself by means of DocWiki: it is possible to have an AIR be a chunk of
> software code, and an entire page represent the Java class that holds that
> code. Thus, the entire body of code, complete with all sorts of paragraphs
> of discussion about theory, etc, and IBIS arguments about the code itself,
> will soon begin to appear online. A different (soon to be implemented)
> button will export the code ready to compile. It is my intention to cause
> to be created a plugin for Eclipse (http://www.eclipse.org) such that
> Eclipse can log into NexistWiki to enable online, interactive,
> collaborative software development. NexistWiki already provides version
> control, so, all that is needed will be "commit permission" -- the ability
> to edit an AIR, to be expanded to groups. Of course, locking and other
> issues remain to be resolved.
>
> When you log in as a user, you are taken to another application Wiki,
> UserWiki, where the pages are private. There, you can create your own
> knowledge base, even using other public pages, and your work will remain
> private.
>
> Issues being explored with NexistWiki include:
> reusable components (AIRs can be transcluded)
> evolvability (Version 2 will bring that issue to the light of day)
> scalability (Wikis are limited more by available disk space than anything,
> but other aspects of this issue remain to be explored)
> collaboration
> usability (Version 1 really doesn't go there, it's just an engineering
> prototype; be kind to it)
>
> Right now, the site doesn't do anything for child protection (it just warns
> those under 13 to not sign up -- will need to deal with such issues in
> Version 2) and is clearly subject to lots of abuse. It is my hope that
> people will remain civil and respectful of the mission of this project and
> not turn discussions into objects I will be forced to delete from time to
> time. Version 2 will make much stronger moves in the direction of
> authentication.
>
> Behind the scenes, there are discussions about something I am calling
> "Nxist Group LLC" along the lines already in place with JBoss Group
> (http://www.jboss.org). NexistWiki is an open source project (source code
> for Version 2 will eventually be available) under a BSD-like
> license. There remains, however, the opportunity (Version 2) for people to
> add value to functionality of a NexistWiki installation by way of
> proprietary plug in agents. It seems that there should be an enterprise
> created to manage that opportunity.
>
> The open question I expect to hear is this: Is NexistWiki an OHS?
> My answer is this: No. It is just one of (I hope) many experiments that
> will seed the evolution of an OHS, whatever that may turn out to be.
>
> Comments always welcome
> Jack
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> XML Topic Maps: Creating and Using Topic Maps for the Web.
> Addison-Wesley, ISBN 0-201-74960-2. (04)