[ba-ohs-talk] NexistWiki 3-layer Architecture
Jack, (01)
Great news on advancing toward the OHS/DKR with Nexist Wiki, as
related in your letter today. Does this apply the three (3) layer
architecture you an Mary Keeler discussed at SRI on 000518.... (02)
http://www.welchco.com/sd/08/00101/02/00/05/18/160027.HTM#8439 (03)
This came up recently on 020730 in a letter from Gary Johnson, and I
asked at that time if Gary's ideas for SDS implement or in some way
address your planning for a 3-layer architecture... (04)
http://www.welchco.com/sd/08/00101/02/02/07/30/191538.HTM#YR6F (05)
Of course you have something entirely different in mind, and so this
gives rise to asking the master architect. For example, what
scenarios, or use cases, are envisioned for NexistWiki. If is is
readily integrated in a way that adds value to existing methods, this
is a big boost toward the OHS/DKR objective. (06)
Rod (07)
************** (08)
Jack Park wrote:
>
> 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. (09)