• Social networking: Connecting people to people is now effortless through near-autonomous machine-to-machine communication.
• Rich content and richer experiences: As more people participate, the tools become more powerful, content becomes richer, and user satisfaction is increased.
• Communities and collaboration: Increased participation and enhanced user experience create a self-reinforcing circle. Power shifts from institutions to communities.

QEDWiki has been tested on the following browsers: Firefox 1.5 and 2.0 and Internet Explorer 6.0.2 SP2 and 7.0.

4. How do I find and install new widgets for my QEDWiki palette?
Along the horizontal navigation bar at the top, click on Explore and QED Explorer. Then you will be able to browse the alphaWorks repository of widgets (select My QED). You can add widgets to the repository by clicking on the New Widget button and uploading the widget PHP file or by pasting the source code directly. In addition, if you go to the MashupHub repository (select alphaWorks MashupHub), you can select widgets that are available there and import them into the alphaWorks repository.

Widgets can be exported by selecting WorksSpace and Export WorkSpace along the horizontal navigation bar. The default functionality is such that, when a page is exported, the widgets on that page are exported along with it.

5. If I create a mashup application within QEDWiki on alphaWorks, who will be able to access it?
QEDWiki users can now share pages easily with other QEDWiki users simply by providing the URL of their page. Provided that the other user is logged into QEDWiki, he will be able to access it. In addition, you can also add your mashup URL to the "Share your mashups" QEDWiki forum so that others can access it.

6. Where can I see an example of QEDWiki in use?
Click on the Learn More link on the right. You may also find the demonstrations listed here helpful.

7. Some demonstrations and tutorials use external, subscription-based services. How do I enable these for QEDWiki mashups?
One aspect of the mashup system is the notion of subscription-based services. Many places provide content for free or for limited-use subscriptions. In some of our demonstrations, we have used such external subscription-based content providers.
8. What are the advantages of QEDWiki?

• users enabled to assemble their own Web applications for improved productivity
• rapid deployment and sharing of ad hoc applications
• increased efficiency
• users enabled to make accurate and timely decisions by collaborating and using much information effectively
• improved interaction with and integration of information by workers who face an overwhelming amount of information in our fast-paced, information-driven world.

• Situational application: These applications are rapidly created in order to meet the immediate need of an individual or community. They are typically short-lived, just-in-time solutions that are just good enough for the individual or people in a specific circumstance.
• Mashup: These Web applications are a type of a situation application that yield a new utility by seamlessly combining content from two or more sources or disparate components with new behavior to form a new, integrated Web application. A mashup is the application artifact resulting from the assembly of information-rich widgets.
• Mashboard: These Web applications incorporate the features of a mashup coupled with the concept of a dashboard; the Web application typically contains a collection of indicators that signal change when the status of content of personal interest changes. Aspects of these applications tend to be configurable and personalized for an individual's preferences.
• Mashup assembler: A mashup assembler is a non-programmer who creates an ad hoc application using the visual drag-and-drop composition of a mashup. The assembler uses a mashup maker to connect a few widgets in order to create a new application utility. Typically, the assembler is a knowledge worker (businessman) with domain expertise. In the do-it-yourself (DIY) spirit, the assembler can also be the end user of the resulting mashup. For example, a CFO could assemble portfolio widgets from a vaiety of brokerage firms to create his own dashboard (mashboard).
• Mashup enabler: The person designing the array of mashups that can be created from a collection of widgets. In corporate IT organizations, the mashup enabler will work with a mashup champion who is assumed to be the subject matter expert. This expert has a deep understanding of data relationships and the business rules applicable to the mashup. Although the target user of QEDWiki is the mashup assembler, the array of mashup applications enabled by the mashup maker is highly dependent on the widgets provided by the IT professionals (the enablers).
• Mashup maker: An assembly environment for composing and running mashups. This mashup system is provisioned with collections of widgets that enable the assembly of a variety of application- and domain-specific mashups.
• Content provider: The creator or maintainer who owns or manages information. Content (or information) will come in a variety of forms and is typically accessible through a data interface facade, which is the integration point for widgets.
• Widget: A software component used by a mashup assembler within a mashup maker to create a new mashup. Widgets encapsulate disparate data, UI (user interface) mark-up, and UI behavior into a single component that generates DHTML code fragments. Widgets generally respond or act upon user interaction or data events.