Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I let everyone edit pages on my intranet?
What are the system requirements?
How much does ThoughtFarmer cost?
Is a hosted version of ThoughtFarmer available?
Are professional services available?
Does ThoughtFarmer require any training?
Can I customize ThoughtFarmer?
What is a wiki?
A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add and edit content. On a wiki, if you can read a page, you can write it too. It's especially suited for collaborative authoring.
The best-known example of a wiki is Wikipedia, the largest online encyclopedia. Articles on Wikipedia can be added and edited by anyone, anytime.
Why would I let everyone edit pages on my intranet?
You don't have to. ThoughtFarmer contains powerful security controls so you can selectively apply viewing and editing capabilities.
But with ThoughtFarmer, everyone could be an editor. If users have the ability to add and edit intranet content:
- Bottlenecks in the publishing process are reduced
- Intranet content is more current
- Errors are corrected
- Users feel a sense of responsibility for the intranet
How secure is ThoughtFarmer?
Very secure, on many levels:
Architecture: ThoughtFarmer runs on your server on your corporate network. Your data is protected by your company's firewall.
Access controls: ThoughtFarmer lets you define custom security groups, such as “Finance” or “HR Directors”. For each page, you can explicitly define whether these groups have no access, view access, or view & edit access.
Version history: Infinite version history stores every edit to every page, so you never lose data.
User tracking: ThoughtFarmer integrates with your Windows network, so it always knows who is using the intranet. All access and edits are logged.
What are the system requirements?
ThoughtFarmer is a server-based web application. You need a server to host the application, and a web browser to use it.
Server software: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Microsoft SQL Server Express, Standard or Enterprise.
Web browser: Any standards-compliant web browser will do, though ThoughtFarmer is optimized for Windows Internet Explorer 7 and FireFox 2.x on Windows and Macintosh.
For more details, see System Requirements.
How much does ThoughtFarmer cost?
ThoughtFarmer pricing information is available here.
For intranets with greater than 200 users, please contact a ThoughtFarmer consultant for an estimate for your particular situation.
Is a hosted version of ThoughtFarmer available?
ThoughtFarmer is usually installed behind the firewall in the customer's environment. This model especially suits medium to large-sized companies with data security concerns. It also means that users can use Integrated Windows Authentication for single-sign-on: they never have to enter a password to access ThoughtFarmer, yet they get a secure, personalized view.
For companies without the necessary technical infrastructure, ThoughtFarmer Professional Services can arrange dedicated hosting through reputable third-party web hosting services.
Are professional services available?
Yes. Our professional services organization has extensive experience in custom software development, information architecture design, interface design, and usability testing. Contact us for more information.
Does ThoughtFarmer require any training?
ThoughtFarmer is very simple to use and requires little training.
We offer on-site and web-based training with a view to showing users what is possible with ThoughtFarmer. If users know it's possible, they can usually figure out how to do it on their own with ThoughtFarmer's simple interface.
Inline help, eLearning modules and paper-based quick reference guides are also available.
Is ThoughtFarmer customizable?
Yes. ThoughtFarmer is a custom software product--each installation is tailored to the unique needs of the company.
Customized layout & design: The look of ThoughtFarmer is fully customizable. See some examples.
Customized system integration: ThoughtFarmer can be easily integrated with your legacy systems. Its SQL-based architecture makes it simple to leverage its powerful user and security models for other applications.