"following" is a mechanism, that is similar to twitter or facebook following.
Setup:
- You need to include the space named: "following" into your space. This will include the needed plugins and templates.
Following a space:
To follow a space you just need to create a tiddler eg: @pmario and tag it: follow
- So the above setting would follow my space.
- You can see who I follow if you visit my space [2]. The link shows a list of tiddlers I did tag follow.
- if you included the space: "following", there will be a new tiddler named: Activity.
- If you open this tidder, it will get a list of all public tiddlers from users / spaces you follow.
- So if you want to get my attention, you create a public tiddler in your space and tag it: @pmario
- So if I follow you, I get a "highlighted" list element in my activity stream.
- If I want to get your attention I would create a public tiddler in my space and tag it with @YourUsername
- If you follow me, you will get a highlighted list element ....
There is also a possibility to see if any user tagged a public tiddler with a username eg: @pmario. So you don't need to follow everyone, just to see if they want to get your attention ... I use the <<tscan...>> macro [1] to get a list of tiddlers that are tagged @pmario
The "following" space also contains some more usefull plugins.
eg:
- <<following>> .. tells you who someone is following
- <<followers>> .. can tell you, who follows whom
Some more info can be found at the "following" space [3]
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The reply mechanism is meant for "communication" in a TS setting. ... But the way it implemented is quite different, to what users are used to ...
Let me explain:
In a "standard" eg Wordpress setting the owner of a blog may allow visitors to post comments "into" the blog owners space - database.
- So if I visit your blog, and you did enable comments, I can write my comments to your database or "pollute" it with spam if I'd be evil.
- This setting imo has at least 2 disadvantages.
a) You need to take care that you filter spam and "rude" comments. Which is a lot of work.
b) I'm not the owner of my comments any more, because they are on your server in your database and you are in control of it.
- So most people don't care about a) and b) .. may be they like spam or like to deal with it. I don't know.
How is TS different
- You have to create a space with your user-name. At this space you have "full access". So with default settings, you only can write to your own spaces.
- If you want to reply to one of my tiddlers, you give it the same name and tag it with eg: @pmario. So I can see it. "That's basically the TS reply mechanism"
- If I care about it, I create a filter, that "pulls" your public content into my space and it can be seen there.
- If I don't care ... I don't
See some examples:
I use a tiddler named "Topics" that show a list of my tiddlers, where I do pull content from other spaces
"Some more following thoughts" is one of them. [4]
The advantage here is, that I have control over my content and you stay in control of yours. Because your tiddler lives in your space, you can modify it or even remove it. ... If I decide I don't like your tiddler, I just exclude it from the list on my space. ... This mechanism is different, to what we are used to ....
eg:
In a wordpress setting, if I'd remove your comment on my blog, because I think it is rude, you could say I'm a moron, because you did take your time to post something valuable and I did destroy it at will. In a wordpress setting, you would be right, because I did violate your right, to own and express your thoughts. So imo the "design" is broken here. ... For me there is an "ethical" dilemma - If I want to respect your rights and if I want respect "free speech", I can't remove your comment. Even if it conflicts with my personal opinion (which is _my_ right). .... Can you see it .... Either you loose or I loose. ...
In a TS setting this is different.
- Your comments are stored on your space. You can do with them what ever you want.
- I'm in command of my space, and I can decide, what is shown there or not.
So imo we both win. You can write what ever you think about my "blog post" and I can decide, if I list it on my space or not. ... No dilema, we are both in command of our content.
There are 2 problems with the TS reply mechanism.
- There is no good UI, that let's you create a "traditional" discussion group / forum, with a "hierarchical" structure.
- probably, because TS isn't designed to be a discussion group.
- With the existing UI, it actually isn't possible.
- The TS mechanism doesn't allow anonymous posts, in a default setting. So that's why users seem to refuse it.
I think, we just didn't explore the TS possibilities enough. ... There is a very simple way to create a "news" or "what's new" system with TS [5]. Which imo could be interesting for your usecase.
TS allows us to be the "owner" of our content, which is very rare in the web atm. But this ownership has a price: responsibility. TS makes it clear by design. You can't post to someone elses space, if you are not a member of this space. So your posts will stay in your space!
....
May be we are not willing to pay this price or we are just not used to it ;) But that's a different topic.
have fun!
-mario
[1]
http://pmario.tiddlyspace.com/#Attention[2]
http://pmario.tiddlyspace.com/#follow[3]
http://following.tiddlyspace.com/#TabFollowing%20%5B%5BHow%20to%20use%20the%20activity%20feed%5D%5D[4]
http://pmario.tiddlyspace.com/#Topics%20%5B%5BSome%20more%20following%20thoughts%5D%5D%20Attention%20Activity[5]
http://news.tiddlyspace.com/