TWiki (TM) - A Web Based Collaboration Platform =============================================== TWiki Distribution ------------------ Version: 01 Feb 2003 Release type: Production release What is TWiki? -------------- TWiki is a flexible and powerful web-based collaboration platform that allows you to run a dynamic intranet site, a project development space, a document management system, a knowledge base, an issue tracking system and many other groupware application. TWiki looks and feels like a normal intranet or Web site. Users can freely change or create content from any Web browser, without requiring special browser plugins. Major companies like Sun Microsystems, Motorola, Inktomi and SAP depend on the TWiki platform to increase the productivity of their engineering teams. Features include automatic link generation, full text search, authorization based on groups, Web form handling, email notification of changes, file attachments to Web pages, revision control of pages and attachments, and more. The server-side TWiki Plugins API provides developers with a simple way to build new groupware applications. The GPLed TWiki software and over 60 Plugins can be downloaded from the TWiki.org web site, http://TWiki.org/. TWiki Distribution and License ------------------------------ TWiki is open source software and is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. You can request the latest version of TWiki from http://TWiki.org/ . The license.txt file, located in the root of the TWiki distribution package, shows your rights and duties on how to use, redistribute and/or modify it. Any redistribution of TWiki or it's clones MUST contain the UNMODIFIED license.txt file. Please note that TWiki is not distributed under the LGPL (Lesser General Public Licence), which implies TWiki can only be used with software that is licensed under conditions compliant with the GPL. Embedding in proprietary software requires an alternative license. Contact the author for details. TWiki Installation, Support --------------------------- It is important to follow the installation instructions in TWikiDocumentation.html located in the distribution, also at http://TWiki.org/cgi-bin/view/TWiki/TWikiDocumentation Important note: Once you installed TWiki on your own system, make sure to add yourself to the list of TWikiInstallations at http://TWiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Main/TWikiInstallations . This helps to get more exposure --> attract more developers --> result in a better product. Please add a "Powered by TWiki" logo to your TWiki home page. Review details in http://TWiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Main/PoweredByTWikiLogo TWiki is free software and does not include any support. There is a TWiki web for support questions, run by TWiki users for TWiki users. Visit http://TWiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Support/ if you have any installation questions or questions about TWiki deployment; please do not contact the developers directly. TWiki News, Development and Deployment -------------------------------------- You can always find out the latest news at the TWiki home page at http://TWiki.org/ . The place to collaborate on further TWiki development is at http://TWiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Codev/ . ReadmeFirst tells you how to collaborate. Subscribe in WebNotify to stay up to date on latest development issues. A side note in case you intend to use TWiki on your Intranet: TWiki is successfully deployed as a collaboration tool and dynamic Intranet tool at many major companies. You need to consider some important points to reach that goal. Do not underestimate the initial effort it takes to get a collaboration tool accepted within the company. Support from upper management is a must. A company with a culture that encourages information sharing is much more likely to succeed than one where information hoarding is the norm. There is also an initial catch 22 problem if you intend to use it as a knowledge base: "Why should I use the tool, there is so little information in it". An incentive program to reward contributions, and a dedicated knowledge engineer can help in the initial phase of deployment. Good luck with your collaboration effort and with TWiki. Happy collaboration and twiki'ing. Best regards, PeterThoeny - Peter@Thoeny.com