Top Three TWiki Features

We interviewed a number of companies that use TWiki and asked them: "What are the top three features you would like to see added to your current wiki environment?" Here are the answers, grouped by topics, with number of occurrences:

• Ease of use:
  • 2 - Offline mode, on a laptop, on a plane.
  • 2 - Better UI for users so the twiki is easier to use with the learning curve, but keep it FAST.
  • 1 - Easier / finer control of topic notifications.
  • 1 - Reliable, dynamic tables.
  • 1 - Create pages from templates.
  • 1 - Windows look and feel for Microsoft fans.
• Editing:
  • 3 - Fully functional WYSIWYG.
  • 1 - Ability to use Microsoft Word to edit a Wiki document.
  • 1 - Provide integrated skin editor.
  • 1 - Plugin to do mathematical equations. FrameMaker has it now. Must be simpler than LATEX.
• Integration, convert data:
  • 2 - Office suite integration. Import Office documents into wiki pages.
  • 1 - PDF generation using content referenced by autgenerated wiki index.
  • 1 - Import from FrameMaker and HTML. Must be WYSIWYG. Transform HTML to wiki ML.
  • 1 - Tight integration with blogging.
• Search & reporting:
  • 3 - More reporting capability, better search.
  • 1 - Faster search and interface to search engine.
  • 1 - Search all content including attachments.
  • 1 - Interwiki search.
• Operational management:
  • 3 - Automate the installation of patches, updates, plugins.
  • 2 - LDAP, Active Directory and Windows domain controller authentication integration.
  • 1 - Better user management.
  • 1 - Authentication/Access control improvements.
  • 1 - Single Login.
  • 1 - Easier CSS configuration.
  • 1 - Plugin support not requiring configuration.
  • 1 - Plugin sorting, vetting, testing, and deployment management.
• Security:
  • 4 - Better security.
  • 1 - Better default security on pubs.
  • 1 - Improve security administration.
• Applications:
  • 1 - Bugzilla plugin support.
  • 1 - Trac like features in TWiki.
  • 1 - Project management.
  • 1 - Support for code reviews.
• Uncategorized / non specific requests:
  • 1 - Findability.
  • 1 - Authentication & authorization.
  • 1 - Easy way to share tribal knowledge.

I would like to see us focus on customers. Of course we are our own customers by definition, but it is good to understand what non-contributors would like to see in TWiki. Once we have a ProcessForMarketDrivenInnovation it will be more natural to do that.

-- Contributors: PeterThoeny - 06 Nov 2006

Discussion

Of course we will not fall into the trap of featurism (famous for Microsoft). See the Getting Real by 37signals, with this article: Forget feature requests.

-- ArthurClemens - 06 Nov 2006

It is not the idea to implement all these features. The purpose is to modify TWiki / implement features the majority of users are looking for, e.g. to enhance TWiki with more market focus. BTW, that is the primary reason why Confluence is getting successful.

Here is what I read from this list:

• Work on usability (such as simplified skin, and a "my homepage" listing things I am involved in)
• We need a solid, extensible, and fast WYSIWYG editor
• Better integrated / easier to use data import/export
• Improved performance
• Automated updating of core and extensions
• Establish an Apps web as a repository for applications; and building up an app dev community

-- PeterThoeny - 06 Nov 2006

What I read from this list is that the top three features for TWiki are nothing but a myth. There are no less than 37 "top three" features on the list, and I'd guess that more interviews are likely to add more. Even if I subtract all the items which already exist in TWiki4, they outnumber the active developers.

-- HaraldJoerg - 06 Nov 2006

Sorry, I do not get "the myth". There is possibly a misunderstanding. Each of the 15 interviewed companies gave up to three "top three features" wishes. That is what is aggregated above, grouped by topic. Adding more interviews gives us a better picture, e.g. we get a better statistical distribution of what is important.

-- PeterThoeny - 06 Nov 2006

I think we can create a great collection of "how to" pages from above wish list. And possibly scrutinize a plugin or two if they are up to standards.

-- ArthurClemens - 06 Nov 2006

It would be useful to have the "weight" of each answer (ie, how many of the interviewed companies mention them). That will give a clearer view of what is expected from TWiki. But if each company gave different "Top Three Features", then the list can be useful for seeding ideas, but nearly useless to drive the development.

-- RafaelAlvarez - 08 Nov 2006

Good point Rafael, I updated above list accordingly.

-- PeterThoeny - 09 Nov 2006