KOOLTools

About KOOLTools

KOOLTools takes the form of succinct descriptions and evaluations of KO tools, together with illustrations and simulations where appropriate, so that users are able to embark on their own evaluation better-informed than they might otherwise be.

How KOOLTools Works

KOOLTools employs a novel Web 2.0 technology called TiddlyWiki. TiddlyWiki is a transportable wiki, meaning that it is a fully-featured wiki contained within a single HTML page. All text content is held and managed within one HTML file, so that a TiddlyWiki-based wiki can be distributed, for example, as an email attachment, complete with all its wiki functionality built-in. Of course, if images and other non-HTML resources are referenced within a TiddlyWiki, then these separate files must be distributed along with the wiki file itself.

Using KOOLTools

In this experiment, we are investigating two possible modes of use – Self-contained and Hosted – each with its own pros and cons:

Self-contained

Pro: self-contained; can be run anytime, no Internet connection required

Con: large download size owing to the need to bundle images and animations

Hosted

Pro: much smaller download size

Con: needs an Internet connection to access images and animations

The Wiki markup needed to format text is easy to learn and helpful references are provided in the How To item on the KOOLTools menu.

Accessing KOOLTools

KOOLTools is currently available in self-contained form. To access KOOLTools for reference, or in order to submit an evaluation, simply download and extract the KOOLTools ZIP archive to a temporary folder. Once extracted, open the KOOLTools.html document in your browser. You will find all other instructions included under How To on the menu.