User:Notquiteleet/support wiki
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Support Wiki's are implemented as a form of contextual knowledge management primarily to facilitate a commune-based information repository. The function of wiki software as implemented in a support wiki is aimed at user, or client support within an organization. This kind of information repository enables many types of support to include technical support, collaboration between organizations or entities therein, and project management citation - Information Week, "How To Use Wikis For Business". This type of wiki, as wiki's themselves, are commune-based by nature and are dependent on the collective contribution of the whole, rather than a single dictatorial authority.
Support wiki's can operate on any available wiki software. Network Computing, part of the Information Week Business Technology network, performed a thorough test of several wiki software distributions for the aforementioned reasons. It is important to consider hosted service vs. un-hosted service wiki distributions as well as open source vs. commercial distributions.
Given the nature of a support wiki within an organization, it may be a public or private facing website. The flexibility of implementing public facing wiki website can be disastrous if not done correctly. In June 2005, the Los Angeles Times attempted to supplement coverage of the Iraq War by using wiki software to publish an opinion article, "War and Consequences". The newspaper subsequently removed it after combating spam and an overall adolescent nature of users on the web citation. This example however does not relate directly to support wiki's. It only demonstrates the caution needed when implementing public facing wiki sites.
There are several notable companies who implement both public and private support wiki's. Some of the more prominent companies are:
Novell Cool Solutions and OpenSUSE Project
Other companies who have implemented support wiki's include: