Hack #30. Collaborate Safely with a Secured Wiki
Get out of the business of coding, supporting, debugging, and maintaining project collaboration sites by using a tool that allows users to create their own sites.
If you're a busy webmaster trying to perform systems work, the last thing you need is yet another user coming to you with a request to build and host another web site or to install yet another content management solution. Instead, promote a Wiki solution that can be up and running in seconds, ready for the user to create and edit content with no further help needed from you.
Wikis evolved around the idea that content can be editable by anyone who happens upon the site and sees a mistake or has something to add. Webmasters and system administrators alike were wary of this concept, which sounded like an idea just waiting to be completely abused by spammers, digivandals, and the like. If you last looked at Wiki solutions when the buzzword was fresh off the front page of Slashdot and wrote them off as unmanageable or as security issues waiting to happen (like I did), I urge you to have another look.
MediaWiki is the powerhouse Wiki application that runs the http://wikipedia.com web site. Since Wikipedia runs the most visible Wiki site in the world and prides itself on being a resource for the people by the people, what better endorsement do you need for a Wiki application?
Wikis need not be unsecured free-for-alls. Nowadays, you can configure MediaWiki to authenticate to your ...