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TOPS IWSS vs Drupal

2007, February 1 - 6:40pm — Dave Allen Barker Jr

This is a comparison of how TOPS IWSS and Drupal are able to support our website feature proposals.

Discussion on Website

TOPS IWSS
All discussion takes place in a message board. Two message boards exist, differing by access permission: the "Message Board" for "Residents" (security level <= 50), and "Board Message" for the "Board" (security level <=25).

A message board can contain any number of topics, listed chronologically (newest first) by creation date.

Topics can contain any number of messages, listed chronologically (oldest first) by post date. Messages are posted to the topic, not as a reply to a specific message.

Messages have addresses (so they can be linked to), but the message's page does not indicate the topic it is a part of (there's no context).

Drupal
Discussion can take place on any webpage in the form of comments. Comments are posted to either the webpage or another comment on the webpage, allowing for discussion threads. Comments are listed chronologically (oldest first) by thread.

Like the webpages they are a part of, discussions can be organized under any number of categories. This categorization also establishes the discussion's access permissions.

Categories, discussions, and individual comments, all have addresses (so they can be linked to).

Email Notification of Discussion on Website

We'll use the term subscribe here as the ability to be notified by email of discussion taking place on the website.

TOPS IWSS
Users may subscribe to the entire message board where all (non-Board) discussion takes place. (reference)
Drupal
Users may subscribe to any number of individual discussions, as well as groups of related discussions by subscribing to any number of categories.

Access Permissions

TOPS IWSS
There are 1–100 security levels. A Security level is assigned to each website function and role. A single role is assigned to each user.

When a user accesses a website function, if the security level of the role assigned to the user is less than or equal to the security level assigned to the website function, access is granted, otherwise, denied.

Drupal
Website functions describe the ways they may be used as access controls. Any combination of access controls may be assigned to roles. Roles may also allow or deny permission to create, list, view, update, and/or delete content in different categories. Any number of roles may be associated with a user.

To highlight one of the many differences between the two systems, suppose we have the roles, "web master" and "board member", and the website features, "tweak the website" and "view board minutes". How can we allow "webmasters" to "tweak the website" but not "view board minutes" and allow "board members" to "view board minutes" but not "tweak the website"? With TOPS IWSS, this cannot be done.

Revision Control

We'll use the term, revision control, here as the ability to track, and revert to, prior versions of an edited webpage.

TOPS IWSS
There is no revision control—old versions and deleted webpages are forever lost.
Drupal
Deleting of webpages is disabled (except under special circumstances). All prior versions of a webpage are available and may be reverted to.

In a collaborative (and even solitary) environment the possibility of reverting a webpage to a prior state is very valuable. For example, one may track the changes made by particular contributors, or quickly correct unintentional or malicious changes.

Unchecked content removal is also detrimental to collaboration: meaning is lost when references fail, users are discouraged when their contributions disappear, and no accountability can exist.

Linking to Protected Content

In this case, content is referred to using a link (by URL), but the content is protected (requires login). If the user is not already logged in (as will often be the case), what happens?

TOPS IWSS
Users are redirected to a login page and upon successful login, are redirected to a homepage. The protected content is never presented.
Drupal
Users are shown an "Access Denied" message, but have the to opportunity to login. Upon successful login, the protected content is presented to the user.

Referring to content using links is the key feature that makes the web so useful. Not being able to do so with protected content (requiring a login) would significantly reduce the usefulness of a website.