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Blogging? Graffiti? Chat?
Whiteboard? Forum?
These are all examples of interactive "Web 2.0" tools providing
dynamically-changing page content. The demarcation lines between these
various tools are blurred, since they are remarkably similar to each other,
there are no universal definitions, and feature sets vary from one provider
to another. This page attempts to clarify what these tools are, and
what Triskelon offers in this category.
Where it is cost-justifiable, we can provide custom software development
services to achieve the exact feature set you want. Or you may find it is
preferable to implement pre-existing software because it's less expensive
than custom software development.
We offer two free pre-existing software modules in this category, which
we call "blogging" and "graffiti" modules. (Licensing is free
for both these modules, so the only applicable charge would be for time
spent configuring, which is nominal.) We'll be happy to discuss with you
which tool is better for your unique situation, and help you reach an
optimal solution using either custom or pre-existing software. As you
decide between these pre-existing modules, factors to consider
include:
 Indirect vs. Direct
Contributions
Our blog module does not allow direct public write access. Rather,
contributions to this kind of blog would be sent to you via email, and
you would decide case-by-case which contributions from the public to
incorporate into the blog, then add those you approve using the content
management module. With our graffiti module, on the other hand, the
public can make direct contributions without your intervention. Since
some public comments may be unfavorable toward the site owner, yet it
means less work for the site owner, direct public contribution is both
the “good news” and the “bad news”.)
RSS vs. Email
Subscriptions
If you want your readers to be able to subscribe to your content via RSS
feeds, choose our blogging module. If you want them to be able to
subscribe via email, choose our graffiti module. Email subscriptions via
the graffiti module are not the same as a newsletter, because it does not
offer a polished page layout. Rather, since it uses plain text, it is
more like a news bulletin.
Public access vs.
password-restricted access
Generally, our blogging module is not configurable for private read access.
Our graffiti module can be open to the public, or it can be password
restricted, so that only a finite group of persons can read and write to it,
such as a teleconference or workgroup. In this respect, it is like an
electronic whiteboard. You can have multiple graffiti walls
(forums/rooms), with different passwords for each.
Periodical material
vs. real-time dialogue
Our blogging module is recommended for articles which are especially
relevant for a finite period of time, such as news articles or rotating
special features. However, our graffiti module can be used like a chat
client for a two-way dialogue in real time.
Pages rich with
images vs. text only
If you want your pages to be enriched with images and other page
elements, our blogging module is the way to go, as it offers virtually
unlimited page layout customizability. A graffiti wall, on the other
hand, is little more than text (although participants can choose an
avatar icon).
Persistent visibility
vs. scroll-away
Like a chat window, page content displayed using our graffiti module is
impersistent. It will eventually scroll away. However, articles
created using our blogging module are a permanent part of your web site
until you delete them, if ever.
Low server
demand vs. High server demand
The graffiti module demands more from your web server, especially if it
brings an active discussion group to your web site. If your web hosting
account comes with a limited monthly bandwidth, it's more likely you'll
have to upgrade your web hosting package if you choose the graffiti
module. If you're hosting through Triskelon, the Platinum hosting
package is required if you plan to use the graffiti module. The graffiti
module does not pose a challenge for users with slow (56K) modems,
because the high demand pertains to the web server, not the user's ISP
connection.
Have questions? Let us provide
solutions.
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