Daisy: CMS or Wiki?

Copyright (c) 2007 Peter Dykstra 1
Copyright (c) 2007 Peter Dykstra
Daisy: CMS or Wiki?
Open Source Case Study
Peter Dykstra
peter.dykstra@verizon.net
STC-Philadelphia Metro Chapter
Annual Conference
March 17, 2007
What’s a Wiki?
First introduced in 1995
Server-based software, allows discussion /
collaboration
Distinguish
Wiki
Blog
Forum

Original Definition
“The simplest online database
that could possibly work.”
- Ward Cunningham
(inventor)
Source: www.wiki.org
Wiki characteristics
Allow users to freely create and edit Web
content
Use any Web browser
Simple text syntax (HTML not required)
Cross links
(source: www.wiki.org)

Effect of Wikis
Powerful and subtle effects of Open Editing
Everyday users can edit any page
Encourages democratic use
Promotes content composition by
nontechnical users
(source: www.wiki.org)
Compare: Wiki vs CMS
Wiki
Bottom-up approach to structure and
navigation
About empowering users
CMS (Content Management System)
Top down approval / coordination
About managing content efficiently following
a set of rules

Similarities
Can use the same technology
Wikis require SOME central management
Similar user needs
Edit rights
Ease of use
Differences
Social and governance model
DEGREE of control -- continuum
Need to control / identify the source /
speak with one voice?
Specialized publishing roles?

Original Wikis
Simple storage, files stored in server
directories
One copy, no versioning
Issues:
Sprawl
Hard to navigate random structures
No process for keeping text updated
No edit history / tracking
Newer Wikis
Thousands of pages
Wikipedia English version = 1,688,000+ articles (3/16/07)
More formal governance models
Database back ends
Versioning, tracking, and rollback
Specialized administrator roles
Start to look more like a CMS

Introducing Daisy
CMS-based Wiki
High-end features
Open Source / Standards-based
Free to use and distribute (“Apache-style”
license)
Some tech required
Where’s it from?
Outerthought
Small co (3-4 developers) in Belgium
Government funding
Connections to Apache Software Foundation
Two levels of support
Open Source community (free)
Outerthought Support contract ($)

Apache Software Foundation
Known for Apache Web browser
Supported by major software cos
Sun, IBM, HP, etc.
Open licensing model
Java-based
Web / XML / XSL focus
Daisy Technology
Integrates Apache components
Cocoon Web publishing framework
Lucene search engine
Messaging
Uses MySQL Open Source database
Adds a content repository and editor

Two main parts of Daisy
Front end: Daisy Wiki
XML-based publishing
Browser-based wysiwyg editor for html
Back-end: CMS repository
“Daisy HTML” document format
Store other file as attachments
Extensible (XSL, CSS, JavaScript, Java)
Daisy architecture
Repository WikiAPI

Daisy architecture
Repository WikiAPI
Web
site(s)
Repository
Single ‘big bag’ of documents
Versioned documents / diffs
Metadata as document fields
Definable document types
All communication via API

Repository features
Two main document formats
‘Daisy’ HTML subset
Attachments
Full-text search (html, doc, xls, pdf, txt)
Authorization/Roles
Query language
Subscribe to event notification
Daisy Wiki
Standalone application
Wysiwyg HTML editor
Supports multiple “sites” from one repository,
based on metadata
Virtual document hierarchies derived from
metadata + rules
Book publishing
Built using the Cocoon framework

What’s Cocoon?
Apache project
Web publishing / application framework
Provides XML processing on the server
Supports the Wiki
Can be used to build Web sites using the
repository
Sample Cocoon processing
Source files
(Daisy
repository)
Sitemap
XSL Stylesheet
library
1. User enters request
for “sample.html”.
2 Sitemap sees
“*.html” …
Match=“*.html”
Sample.xml
3. …gets “sample.xml”…
4. …transforms it using
xml2html.xsl…
5. …and sends
“sample.html” back to
the user.
A sample page
This content for this page is in an
xml file. The html file doesn’t exist
until someone asks for it.
The user never sees the xml.
xml2html.xsl
http://www.site.com/sample.html

Goal: “Separation of Concerns”
Cocoon’s architecture separates
Program logic
Content
Visual style / branding
Site management
so they can be managed independently
Official Daisy site (shows the Daisy Wiki)

Daisy Wiki (Modified styles)
Daisy Wiki

Daisy Wiki
Daisy Wiki

Our Experience
Our Experience
Setup
Configuration
Infrastructure
Author training
Sample project
User response
Open issues

Set up (test environment)
Install on a standalone PC
Download and install JAVA
Download and install MySQL
Download and configure Daisy
Start up
Estimated time: 1-3 hours
Configuration
Modify logo, fonts, colors
Define desired
Document types
Fields and field values (metadata)
Sample documents
Set up “Collection” for each work group
Set up “Site” for each content area

Infrastructure
Two stages (after test install on a PC)
Pilot server installation with IT group
Production server installation
LDAP directory
Backups
Author training
Appointed one editor / trainer
Requires some understanding of HTML
Created company-specific document types
One-on-one training sessions with authors
Support for problem resolution

Sample project
Developer’s Library
Architecture documentation for development
group
Wiki style documents
PDF / Word / Visio, etc
Results
Enthusiastic sponsorship by technical managers
Participation by content owners
With editorial support: Full participation
As authors: Limited participation (slowly expanding)
Built library of 1500+ documents across 10+ teams
High level of awareness/use by ‘consumers’
Easy browse/search is key factor
Rated as successful at building common
technical understanding

Assessment
On the one hand
Documents are centrally accessible
Site structure is intuitive
Tools are accessible, easy-to-use
Wikis are cool
On the other hand
Doc creation/editing is still by a limited group
Some HTML knowledge required
Editorial support is still important
General experience
Easy to train interested authors who have
basic Web/HTML understanding
Authors can manage content
Some editing was needed
Main success factor is ability to write
clearly

Lessons
Open Source Lessons
Open Source software can be powerful and
robust
It provides a hands-on way to learn about
CMS
Use in the right business context can provide
significant benefits
Organizational learning curve
One size doesn’t fit all projects

Software is not the solution
An Enterprise CMS system has to be
integrated into the workflow of an
organization
Clear goals and requirements
Defined roles
Needs to present itself differently to different
users
Content issues vary
Very different requirements and success
criteria for
Internal Wiki / Intranet
External Web site
Office document management

Conclusions
Open Source may be the right choice for some
Robust core features
Flexible, extensible
Participate in the community
No license fees
Rough edges
Requires expertise
Information Architecture
Infrastructure management
Application configuration
Conclusions
Not free
Requires business and technical
Skills
Time
Development and support depend on an
external community
Feature gaps may require development

Vendors offer
Guidance
Broad and deep experience
Richer feature sets
Support
Daisy Strengths
Integration of industrial strength components
Versioned document model
Separation of concerns
visual design
content creation/editing
site logic
Repository architecture
Open standards-based design

Recommendations
Good learning project
Ready for medium-size applications
Good for managing technical documents
Requires fairly technical orientation
Links / Contacts
Outerthought / Daisy
http://outerthought.org/site/index.html
http://cocoondev.org/daisy/index.html
Cocoon
http://cocoon.apache.org/
Forrest
http://forrest.apache.org/
Me
peter.dykstra@verizon.net

Daisy: CMS or Wiki?

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