Internet collaboration: TWiki

This research paper covers TWiki, a Wiki clone, as a collaboration tool for the development of educational papers and technical projects. The need to conduct business and research in a collaborative manner will increase as a result of the downturn of the economy and a desire to reduce travel due to the events on September 11, 2001. The time has come to use Internet mechanisms to supplement face-to-face meetings and to facilitate collaboration. The objective of using TWiki was to determine how the technology behind the application worked, and determine the usefulness and capabilities of incorporating its use with other groupware applications. The Wiki-Web concept has potential for technical, scientific, and project collaboration. This asynchronous method of collaboration fits well with synchronous collaboration tools, making it a valuable addition to any corporate or educational approach to "e" communications. The results of using Wiki-Webs for paper development and small project management are favorable. However, any tool used for collaboration is constrained by the methodology and compliance to the methodology used by the participants. Getting "Round-to-it", as with many new approaches, is the most difficult issue of Wiki adoption.