[Zope-PTK] ZTopics

[Mike Pelletier]

  Repackaging ZTopic in a form suitable for use by the unwashed
Membership is proving quite challenging.  ZTopics are just too nifty
to keep from integrators while I struggle to put training wheels on
them.  I have published the standalone product PTK Topics will be
based on.  See:

	http://www.zope.org/Members/MikeP/Products/ZTopic

  This product (which does not require the PTK) will allow Managers to
create ZTopics, but not mere Members.  The criteria have to be entered
as raw python expressions.  Nothing more complicated than "['truck',
'car']", but complicated enough that it's not suitable to throw at a
non-technical Member.  I am working on a criteria builder to handle
this.

  Can anyone think of the Killer Application that the enabling of
Members to create Topic objects will usher in?  I'm trying to convince
myself that it's worth the effort.

  I see membership using topics as simple canned, flat searches they
can publish or share, with actual topical hierarchies being the
exception.  I wonder if a simple Search object wouldn't be more useful
to the average member than full-fledged topics.  They'd be much easier
to create; there could be a 'Save this search' button on the search
results page.

  Thoughts?  Objections?

Mike.

-- 
Mike Pelletier                          email: mike@digicool.com
Mild mannered software developer          icq: 7127228
by day, super villain by night.         phone: 519-884-2434