QEDWiki provides the following features:
Application Container
As a container (wiki engine) for applications, QEDWiki provides a common paradigm for navigation, menus, installation aand configuration for all applications.
Structured Data Definition
Content Aggregation Model
Every thing is a Wiki Page
Extensible Architecture
QEDWiki allows for developers to create custom Wiki tags (Widgets) that extend the functionality and scope of applications running within the framework. For example, a developer could make the PayPal e-commerce service available to applications within QEDWiki by created a PHP based Widget that encapsulates PayPal's Web Service (WSDL). This widget would then be avaialble as a tag within a wiki page that integrates with the remote PayPal service.
Everything is Customizable
QEDWiki is a framework. As such everything is customizable. You can change or add WYSIWG editors and you can provide alternative layouts to your users to address user personalization. The QEDWiki architecture is rooted in the Zend Framework.
Development Tool is the Wiki
The QEDWiki framework provides a rapid prototyping environment. Web pages are edited and deployed all within the same application container.
| Capability | QEDWiki | Commercial Collaboration Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Calendaring/Email | External | Varies: Integrated or External |
| WebConferencing | External | Some |
| Blog integration | Yes | Typically |
| ToDo/Task Lists | Yes | Typically |
| Free form data input | Yes | Rare |
| Instant Messaging | External by default but possible through extensions to existing widgets | Sometime integrated, most commonly external |
| Content (Page/Document) Versioning | Yes | Rare |
| Basic Content Component | WikiPage | Varies: Portlets, Database, Document, Memos |
| Shared Development Environment | Yes | Rare |
| Browser/Thin Client Presentation Interface | Yes | Varies |
| Customizable Views | Yes | Typically, but with security considerations |
| SOA Enabled | Yes | Becoming more common |
| Templating | Yes | Typically |
| Data Storage | Any Database | Varies: Oracle, DB2, Domino, FileSystem |
| Content Syndication | Yes | No |
| Collaboration Context | Yes per wikipage | Varies, but context is usally proprietary format |
| Search driven retrieval | Yes | Typically |
| Third-Party Enhancement Skills | WSDL, PHP, CSS, Javascript | Varies: Platform (Java, .NET) or propriotary in nature but with security considerations |
| Personal Content Publishing | Yes | Rare |
| User/Mashup Assembler |
Application Developer/Mashup Enabler |
Network Administrator / Infrastructure Deployer |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Workspace | Wiki application deployment model | Simple installation and deployment |
| Situational App development | Application and plug-in development environment | Platform flexibility |
| Knowledge level required to use existing plug-ins to build pages / situational apps | Language flexibility (scripting languages) | Cost |
| Rich User Interface |
Data storage format (Content management - mysql, etc.) | SaaS Consumer |
| Content aggregation | Invoking external processes | Revision control / updates of software |
| Personal publishing | Import / Stream external data sources | Access control (BlueGroups) |
| Disconnected User | Size of potential development community | Deployability |
| Freeform data input with revision tracking | Programmer skill required (wiki langs are scripting langs) | Security |
| Ease of content shareability | Extendability (SOA and plug-in) | Scalability |
| Searchability by external crawlers | |
Export / Import of wiki spaces |
| Granularity of Access Controls | |
Fault tolarance |
| Role/Activity-based workspaces | |
Backup / Restore / Archive |
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Performance |