Wiki's and TWiki specifically

[bdillahu]

I've been meaning to write this up for a while (something else that should be on my lists , but given that Wiki's seem to come up every so often, I'm going to make a stab at it. It won't be complete, but might start some people thinking. If you need/want more detail, drop me a note (bdillahu@peachbush.com).

I have implemented a GTD process/area in TWiki, which is a public domain wiki tool. I had a couple of main reasons for going this route:

1) Accessible from anywhere... I have the twiki password protected on my personal server, so whereever I can get to a computer, I can see my world. Since most of my time I'm near a machine with net access, this works for me.

2) TWiki keeps all changes in a "history"... I have a pathological desire -)) to not loose old to-do items, etc. This led me to always keeping things around, never "marking them off" and cleaning lists, etc. With TWiki, when I mark something as done, or even if I delete it, it keeps it in the history. I know that I'll probably never go back and look at it, but it relieves me of a set of concerns and helps clear my mind

How I did it:

I'm still getting on the GTD bandwagon, so I don't know that this is the best, but so far it seems to be working when I maintain the discipline to use it:

I created several "trees" or heirarchies in TWiki:

List
AtLists
Projects
Reference
Addresses
Datebook

For calendar type items, I place entries in the databook area.
For general "lists", they get a page in the Lists area.
The AtLists are auto-generated using searches across the Wiki.
N/A area "Actions" that use the TWiki Action Plugin... this allows an entry to have a date, time, project, @List, etc. associated with it so that the searches can easily pick it up.

I have templates for Projects, etc. so that when I click "new project" and give a name, it fills in my standard look.

Things I'm still working on:

1) Exporting to a Palm... I've been working with the TWiki PublishAddOn to get my TWiki loaded on my palm for quick reference, but haven't been totally successful yet.

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  I know this probably isn't really detailed enough, but might get some conversation going.

 

[Stephen-I-Am]

Thanks for the post. I have just started reading "Getting things done" and am looking for a solution like you're describing. Please let us know how it is working out for you.

I have a few questions for you:

1. Is there a secure mode for twiki so that you can do everything you need to from anywhere on the web over SSL?

2. Are you relying on existing functionality and plugins are do you plan on programming in perl?

Thanks.

Stephen

 

[bdillahu]

1) TWiki is running behind apache (really apache is the web server, in my instance at least), so I think that if Apache can do it, it can be done. I have mine password protected, but not SSL

2) I'm currently just using existing functionality and plugings.

 

[Stephen-I-Am]

Password protected ... does that mean that anyone can see it but only you can edit it?

Stephen

 

[bdillahu]

Again, mostly up to you. I have it set so that no one can see it without logging in (since I consider it personal). I'm sure its not bulletproof, but fairly secure... it uses Apaches .htaccess mechanism if you are familiar with it.

At your option, you could have it read-only with a login required to edit.

 

[Stephen-I-Am]

Thanks. I'll try installing twiki tonight.

Here's a link you might be interested in. It doesn't seem to hard to do it over SSL so I'm going to give it a shot:

http://twiki.org/cgi-bin/view/Support/SecureAccessWithSSL

Stephen