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

• Discussion on Website
• Email Notification of Discussion on Website
• Access Permissions

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. This functionality is provided by the Subscriptions Module.

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.