Probing: TiddlyWiki 101 - The CONSUMER VERSION

[@TiddlyTweeter]

Cari tutti,

This is an initial query about TW when its incarnated as a SPECIFIC APPLICATION.

It seems to me that most of us HERE are inclined to D.I.Y.

BUT I'm not convinced that the actual USER base are D.I.Y. enthusiasts.

When you start looking at TW when incarnated as specific apps other issues arise.

The RECENT innovations on file saving echo that point.

Should TW be seen as a Web Page? Why emphasise that?

OKAY.

So my thought is here about having TW that are "set-for-purpose" (ToDo, Image Gallery, Mapper etc) enfolded within an install mechanism that the user see NOT as a web-page but as a normal piece of SOFTWARE. they are never aware its running in a browser (Tiddly Desktop is closish to that). And development is NOT D.I.Y. by end users. Its all done by the developer, solo. 

Before I go further
I need check that at least someone knows what I'm talking about.

Thoughts
Josiah

[TonyM]

Josiah,

I tend to be going in the direction of building specific applications, perhaps I would call this publishing TiddlyWiki instances, perhaps to provide online tools or take home applications, I think this is where you are  thinking as well.

In these cases I expect them to be self contained and self documented, only detailing tiddlywiki in so far as to give due recognition of its source and to promote new users. In this case I am behaving as developer, and yes I think we could develop this as a practice and support each other in this.

It is a larger problem for me to promote to clients how I can make tiddlywiki work for them, without simply handing over complete solutions. I am about to prepare a dynamic document as a report on a piece of work I recently did for a small client. Which will be my first foray into publishing content through tiddlywiki. I will share any learnings.

However, this response is to highlight something I see as very important about tiddlywiki, and the key reason I am such an enthusiast, sure only a fraction of users will think the way I do but this is in my mind a critical use case, and something that inspired me from the beginning when I first noticed tiddlywiki.

TiddlyWiki goes beyond DIY and extends to the enthusiast the the capabilities of application development, document writing, website development, sophisticated documents, data and knowledge analysis and tools development.

This means that we can evolve our own custom responses to our own needs or of of friends, family and clients around us. TiddlyWiki is a platform, an environment, a place in which your ideas can evolve and be represented how you wish to present it. Its ecosystem evolves with me, and my own needs, and a new personal ecosystem develops.

Whilst I wholeheartedly support promoting adoption through turn key solutions, easy adoption and well guided introductions to tiddlywikis capabilities, however I believe it must always expose its shear enormous benefits to an enthusiasts willing to "bite the bullet".

I say this as someone who has used tiddlywiki (classic) as my key knowledge base, task and project management for many years now. I have a sophisticate TWC that has evolved with me. I am now moving into a multi-wiki TW5 phase, and plan to let it support my business.

PS I am looking for work, local (Sydney Australia) or international to kick along my new business in ICT Services, "People, Systems and Things" . My soon to be rewritten website explains. PSaT.com.au

Regards
Tony

[Mark S.]

It sounds like you're talking about Editions.

One can imagine various TW's customized for Contact Management, Education, Recipes, Book Readers, Quizzing, Calendars, etc.

Tiddlyspot offers various aging custom solutions. Something like that but with a host of starter options would be cool.

Mark

[@TiddlyTweeter]

Ciao TonyM & Mark S.

Thanks for your replies.

TonyM wrote:

I tend to be going in the direction of building specific applications, perhaps I would call this publishing TiddlyWiki instances, perhaps to provide online tools or take home applications...

... In these cases I expect them to be self contained and self documented

Right. That's what I'm thinking.
 

Whilst I wholeheartedly support promoting adoption through turn key solutions, easy adoption and well guided introductions to tiddlywikis capabilities, however I believe it must always expose its shear enormous benefits to an enthusiasts willing to "bite the bullet".

YES. Many users nowadays are fascinated by not only having the "clock" but also being able to tweak its mechanism themselves.

And NO. In my sense many potential users only want to get a delimited thing done. To run an app. for defined purposes with the least setup hassle possible. Its mainly this class of users I was thinking of.

 

Mark S. wrote:

It sounds like you're talking about Editions.

Right. Editions. Though "wrapped" inside some kind of runtime engine so there is ONE install. Not a TW Edition plus browser plus add-ons or hacks or node or wotnot. Just one installable package.
 

One can imagine various TW's customized for Contact Management, Education, Recipes, Book Readers, Quizzing, Calendars, etc.

Right. I think its exactly these kind of discrete apps that could be well suited for this.

 

Tiddlyspot offers various aging custom solutions. Something like that but with a host of starter options would be cool.

In some earlier discussion Jermolene has mentioned that he's inclined to view the "consumer version" of TW as most likely successful longer term via an on-line service. Innovations like NoteSelf and MaarfaPad might also have a role here in being able to transparently run TW in-browser and in-cloud.

Whilst I agree with Jermolene. I also think that locally installable "packaged apps" might also work well for some types of TW "consumers". In these cases the "browser" part of the interface is muted, so they appear more like conventional software

I think my OVERALL point (though not one I myself alone would have the competence to actually solve) is to get the benefits of dedicated "software" ...

- ease of install

- dedicated purpose

- app specific support

- reaching larger, differentiated (by users purposes), audiences for TW

Best wishes
Josiah

[TonyM]

Josiah,

Of course we can walk and chew gum at the same time and whilst I supoort complete solutions that answer peoples needs I also understand the limitations of editions. Many have inspired me, many have being a source of code and ideas but I do not use a single one everyday.

I have invested a lot to build my bespoke solution and I do not expect anyone to make the commitment, I know that the way I use it is not the way to increase adoption.

But I am not sure the direction you are going is the whole story.

To me it is the gap between what tiddlywiki can do and the effort to do it.

I speak from considerable expirence that the key in my view is we need to bring tiddlywikis features forward and exposed to novice users.

It is hard me to put the details of my argument because it is all about the details. yet also about retaining and expanding its pgilosophy and capabilities

Regardless of If get my ideas understood by this community I plan to deliver such improvements myself. Though some colaboration would be nice.

Examples include
simpler sopgisticated use of fields
generic queue managment features
simple note taking in a world of complexity
and much more

yours sincerly
tony