| Enables people to use email more effectively for
many-to-many communication |
Fully
turns email into a group medium, supporting multiple
concurrent conversations and shared archives
|
Not at all
overloads and isolates people; where
shared folders are present, they're usually not used
|
Not at all
conversations are in a separate place
|
Not at all
most provide only web forums that don't use email
|
Fully
turns email into a group medium
|
| Accessible from multiple locations
for conversations |
Fully
accessible from any Internet-connected computer, running any operating system; web pages download quickly; participants can use email only in many cases and work while off-line
|
Poorly
often can only be accessed via in-house network, WAN or VPN
|
Partly
requires active Internet connection
|
Partly
requires active Internet connection
|
Fully
as with GroupServer, requires only Internet email and part-time Web connection
|
| Co-locates files and a medium
for conversations |
Fully
turns email into a group medium, supporting multiple
concurrent conversations and shared archives
|
Not at all
overloads and isolates people; where
shared folders are present, they're usually not used
|
Not at all
conversations are in a separate place
|
Not at all
most provide only web forums that don't use email
|
Fully
turns email into a group medium
|
|
Manages files by metadata
|
Partly
files can have descriptions and be organised in folders
|
Partly
file system provides for folders and very good (but seldom used) meta-data
|
Not at all
files may not even be supported
|
Fully
sophisticated metadata management (superseding files altogether) is available
|
Partly
files can have descriptions and be organised in folders
|
|
Allows control over look'n'feel and sense of place
|
Fully
interface highly configurable using CSS
|
Not at all
interface is as it is; very hard to create sense of place when messages and files are in different places
|
Partly
usually quite configurable
|
Fully
often highly configurable
|
Poorly
intrusive ads in web and email; can name and theme groups; no flexibility with overall context of interface
|
|
Enables management of static content
|
Partly
flexible, standards-compliant (XML, DocBook);
currently requires manual maintenance (provided as part of the GroupSense support service)
|
Not at all
not possible to associate static content with shared repositories
|
Poorly
some support static content
|
Fully
excellent support for static content via integration with CMS
|
Not at all
very limited support for static content
|
|
Enables management of dynamic content
|
Partly
supports survey forms, structured data display, statistical processing and reporting; highly flexible with customisation
|
Not at all
usually not supported
|
Poorly
supported in the higher end solutions
|
Fully
excellent support via integration technologies
|
Not at all
not supported
|
|
Gives control and administration
|
Fully
flexible, robust security sub-system provides high level of control
|
Adequately
file system can be very well controlled but emails are managed separately and seldom shared anyway
|
Adequately
high end ones are highly configurable
|
Fully
highly configurable
|
Not at all
no control beyond limited features provided; no backup
|
|
Provides advanced features
|
Not at all
most are not yet implemented
|
Not at all
not supported
|
Poorly
some have calendars
|
Fully
sites support wide range of portlets
|
Adequately
calendars, tables, chat, polls are good
|
|
Gives access via multiple means
|
Partly
email, web, screen readers, PDAs and PDF
|
Not at all
email client and file system browser
|
Poorly
usually web-only, some with email notification and posting
|
Fully
support integration with wide variety of devices
|
Poorly
email and the web
|