Re: [Phpwiki-talk] Email Notification question

[Aredridel <are...@nb...>]

> > A side note here: I do find it interesting that the Wiki isn't enough
> > even for the hardcore Wiki lovers on this mailing list -- if it was
> > enough, presumably the mailing list wouldn't be necessary, because
> > you'd all be checking the Wiki regularly.

>   Wiki is not designed as a groupware/messaging tool. It is designed to
> give many people the ability to edit a document simultaneously, not
> provide a forum for discussion.=20

Wiki is odd in that it wasn't particularly designed for /any/ of it's
uses.  On the other hand, it's simplicity of concept has made it better
than a lot of solutions "designed" for a specific purpose.

It has always been easy to say what Wiki is, though never with
certainty that what you're saying is complete.  It's always been quite
hard to say what it isn't.

>   Would you use CVS to carry out a discussion? Would you use
> Word/OpenOffice's "Track Changes" and "Merge Document" features to carry
> out a discussion?

Actually, CVS has turned into a discussion forum on the PLD Gnui/Linux
distro system more than once... quite effective, having the discussed
material so close at hand, and discussion as meta-data.

>   The correct answer to both of these questions is "no". If you want a
> discussion forum, use a tool that is designed for it (a web BBS, a mailing
> list, etc). If you want different people on different networks to be able
> to edit a document, use wiki.=20

I rather disagree -- wikis make fantastic discussion tools, though with
a few features added they are much more potent.

That said, I also agree that I'd prefer a mailing list for discussion
than a wiki -- I can answer email offline, and the queuing systems and
batching of messages is far more sophisticated than Wiki.  Both are
quite valid, but I quite prefer e-mail for discussion like this.

Ari