There are numerous examples of successful open source wiki implementations throughout the internet. Wikipedia is the most well known of these, which is built on the MediaWiki open source software. Hoping to see the same type of viral adoption and enhanced collaboration in their organizations, more and more people are looking into wikis for a wide range of needs, and many of these people look at open source software as their first option. There are situations in which an open source wiki is right for an organization- but it also could be a big mistake.
There are several main reasons why open source software appeals to people (which tend to be more technical than the average employee). A large user community to help troubleshoot installation and configuration issues can be a big factor, as is having familiarity with the software if you are an active user of Wikipedia or other wiki-based sites. Most often, however, the biggest motivator is the fact that open source software is free- but is it really? Taking everything into consideration, could your open source wiki project actually end up costing you more money than subscribing to an online Wiki Software service?
Ultimately, you are interested in a wiki to centralize information, be it an intranet, a knowledge base, or a collaboration center- all with the goals of saving time to access information and answer critical questions. How much time would you spend to install, configure, backup, integrate, and maintain your own wiki? Add the cost of the hardware to run it and the extra strain on your infrastructure. Just compare the days of work and added costs of open source to the minutes it takes to get started with the BrainKeeper wiki- which has zero impact on your IT. We offer a 30-day free trial, so you can have a 60-day pilot for 10 people for only $35.
Something else to keep in mind with open source wikis is that if your wiki is a success, your entire company may want to have access to it. Will you have the time to teach everyone how to use wiki syntax? Will you be able to work around any quirks of the system until a new version comes out? Training, writing documentation, and developing workarounds all take even more time to keep your wiki running smoothly.
With an online enterprise wiki like the one offered by BrainKeeper, you get an ideal situation: you can try it out with very little risk, and if it becomes a success, you will have a provider that you can trust to deliver on your goals of knowledge sharing and enhanced collaboration.
See for yourself by signing up for a free trial: http://www.brainkeeper.com/free
