General
OnlyConnected is an online collaboration tool. What makes OnlyConnected special are the following characteristics:
- Registration not required. When you invite others to collaborate via Only Connected, these new participants do not need to register. They do not need to create a new user name nor a password, or go to any convoluted registration process. Therefore, there is no barrier preventing people you want to collaborate with to access OnlyConnected.
- Private Access. If a participant is invited via an e-mail address but wishes to be notified using a different vehicle, the participant can do so without divulging this new vehicle to other participants.
- Open Source. OnlyConnected is an Open Source project. The aim of the project is to promote collaboration. The project is not about selling advertisements.
Creation of a Discussion Thread
When creating a new Discussion Thread, a user is asked for a title, a description, a name and an e-mail address. Once the discussion thread is created, an e-mail is sent to the creator containing a special link. When the link is followed, the content of the discussion thread is displayed.
When the discussion thread is shown after following a link received in an e-mail, then the user does not need to perform any log in actions since the user is recognised from the link. By using the link, all operations performed on the discussion thread are attributed to the owner of the e-mail where the link was sent.
Inviting Others
When the creator of a discussion thread is accessing the thread, a button titled "Invite Participant" is available. Pressing this button, brings up a dialog where new participants can be invited. For each new participant, a name and an e-mail address are required. When the dialog is accepted, the OnlyConnected service contacts these new participants with links tailored for their own use.
New participants receiving invitation e-mails can directly access the discussion thread using the link found in them. New participants do not require to register with Only Connected since the link used to access the thread contains all the information required to identify them. Therefore, all actions taken as a result of following these new links will be attributed to the right participant.
Creators and participants of discussion thread do not have the same privileges in relation to a given thread. The creator of a thread has more privileges than other participants. For example, inviting new participants or changing the title/description of a thread is initially reserved to the creator.
Adding Sections
When a discussion thread is first created, it contains a header (title and description) and a comments section. This is equivalent to a discussion thread found in any popular forum. However, the strength of discussion threads in Only Connected is that they can be tailored using various sections, or gadgets.
The creator of a discussion thread can add sections by pressing the button titled "Add Section". Each section type is different, and the creator must answer the questions appropriate to the type to create a section.
Replying
The main action in a discussion thread, which is available to all participants, is the ability to reply. Participants can initiate a reply by pressing the button titled: "Reply". When the button is pressed, a new window is opened containing all the fields that should be filled in a reply.
A reply can be abandoned by pressing the button titled: "Cancel".
A reply is sent to the Only Connected service by pressing the button titled: "OK". If the reply is accepted, then all browsers viewing the thread are updated with the new information. Also, all participants wishing to receive update notifications are sent e-mails explaining the changes.
Managing E-Mail Addresses
A participant can add or remove his/her e-mail addresses associated with a discussion thread by using the "Options" dialog. The dialog can be accessed by pressing on the "Options" button.
To remove an e-mail address, press on the link titled "Remove" next to the address that should be removed.
To associate a new e-mail address, press on the link titled "Add Address". A new dialog is shown requesting the new address. When the new address is accepted by the service, an e-mail is sent to verify the address. Following the link in the address confirms the validity of the address. From this point on, the participant can opt to send notifications to the confirmed address.
Notifications
A participant can opt to have update notifications sent to any of his/her confirmed e-mail addresses. This can be accomplish via the "Options" dialog, available via the "Options" button.
On the "Options" dialog, under the "Notifications" area, a participant can decide which confirmed e-mail addresses are to receive notifications by adjusting the check boxes next to them.
Display Refreshment
When a discussion thread is shown in a browser, its display is refreshed at regular intervals. This way, a participant is always presented up-to-date information. In the case that the Only Connected service is not available, or that the network can not reach the service, a status icon explains this fact. The icon is located at the top right of the discussion thread and looks like this:
- Connected:
- Not connected:
In the instance where the connection is lost, the client will attempt to reconnect at regular intervals.
When the status icon is blue, it means that the browser is attempting to fetch new information from the server. Finally, clicking on the status icon forces a new refresh.
Resolving Issues
The software comprising the Only Connected service is in development. As a result, some issues might be experience as a result of using the service. Feedback can be sent to the following e-mail address: server at onlyconnected.com
To gather more information and help us track down your issue, a debug page is available.