TiddlySpace

19th June 2011
TiddlySpace is the web-based environment that hosts TiddlyWiki and TiddlyManuals, including this manual that you are reading.

TiddlySpace uses cunning software in the web-based servers that you link to when you type in the address http://tiddlyspace.com. Like tiddlymanuals, it is based on TiddlyWiki. In common with other tiddlywiki, a copy of all public-facing parts of any TiddlySpace can be downloaded, and can be run (completely independent from the internet) using no extra software (it runs inside a normal browser) on a desktop computer, laptop, iphone, etc - where it can be edited, stored, and from which it can be emailed, etc.

Tiddlywiki is an open source software resource that is freely available and supported by a large international community of programmers, most of whom give their time and expertise for free.

TiddlySpace is also supported by BT-Osmosoft and the original author of TiddlyWiki, Jeremy Ruston, and we acknowledge the support of all of these people.

What's special about TiddlySpace?


N.B. YOU DO NOT NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS TO USE THE MANUAL!

TiddlySpace is a place to host and share tiddlywikis - but the way it is set up also allows some pretty unique things to happen that should encourage a respectful and generous sharing and development of ideas between individuals, and small-trusted-groups of people.

There is a growing body of documentation about TiddlySpace, but below are some key points to help the curious understand it:

A "Space"

  • A Space is really just a Wiki, that is hosted online in the TiddlySpace server.
  • It can be run ('hosted' or 'curated') by an individual or by a "small-trusted-group"
  • A TiddlySpace can hosts a collection of Tiddlers in a Wiki.
  • There's an emphasis on the wiki as a clearly-boundaried collection of information that I (or my group) "curate" in order to share and develop this over time.

Ownership and control

  • Any tiddlers held within in my space can be changed by me, or by anyone else who I allow to become a member of my Space.
    • Making someone a member of a space is the equivalent to 'giving them the keys to the door' - not unlike allowing someone access to your office.
    • Do not make people that you do not know and trust well into members of a precious space that carries valuable material.
    • If you want to collaborate with them, you can always (at the click of a button) Make a new space specifically to share with that other person, and by Including spaces you can still work on material without risking anything.

Public and Private

  • Tiddlers have two states: either Private or Public. They show their status with the concentric circles icon, which you can see if you look at the tiddler in Edit mode:
    • The pink inner circle denotes "THIS TIDDLER IS PRIVATE"
    • The blue outer circle denotes "THIS TIDDLER IS PUBLIC".
  • Changing the status of a tiddler between PUBLIC and PRIVATE
    • Any member of the space that hosts these tiddlers can toggle them between 'private' or 'public' status - .
    • This is very useful if a team is working on a draft of material that they are yet to all agree upon:
  • DRAFTS to FINAL versions:
    • 'Unfinished' tiddlers (ones that a team is still working on) can remain 'private'
    • When the group agrees on the content they are ready to 'publish' that tiddler.

Security

    • N.B. Although the security levels for private tiddlers are robust, they are certainly NOT sufficient to store any personal data about third parties (clients, etc).

Inclusion

  • Including spaces is easy - I can "include" the public tiddlers from anyone else's space in my own space.
    • Once a separately-curated space is included in mine I can Edit those tiddlers - which is really just over-writing them in my space. If I then delete my edited version of "their" tiddler, the original tiddler will 'pop back' as their site is still included in mine.
    • It is important to note that when I edit included material I am NOT altering the original in any way.
    • This is how a local team setting up, say, an AMBIT manual manages to share the common 'Core content' from the Anna Freud Centre, but to be able to add their own material or make edits to the included (copied) tiddlers that have originated from the AFC.

Inclusion to add functions

  • A wide range of other spaces exist already that, if you include them, do not add content, but instead add different functions, or different styles and themes.
    • For instance you can include the separate space @simplesearchplugin and this adds a really nice search engine to your wiki.

From Facebook to Mindbook?

  • There is a developing social networking function within TiddlySpace that makes use of these curious and quite unique capabilities.
    • Interacting with other users of tiddlyspace is very different from the breadth of coverage of, say, Facebook, and is more focussed on the depth of exchange... Less about the Face, perhaps; more about exploring the mind behind.

Boundaries

  • Being a member of a Space means I can see both public and private tiddlers, but if I visit someone else's space, I can only see what they have made public.