THOUGH THEY HAVE A REPUTATION FOR POSTING MISINFORMATION AND being a tool for procrastinators, wikis can be honed for business to alleviate the strain of managing collaborative projects and human¬resources tasks. A wiki is essentially server software that lets users
rapidly create and edit Web pages using a browser. Wikis can contain hyper¬links, e-mails, and document attachments. Authorized users can edit posted material, and administrators are able to roll back any changes. Because you can establish a wiki quickly and cheaply, they're ideal for far-flung groups working together on a single project. You can also use one as a company knowledge database, interactive Web site, or digital suggestion box that fills in gaps that e-mail simply can't plug.

Hosted wiki services make it even simpler by handling all the storage, update, and security issues for you. Via Wiki has a free, single-user hosted service to try out; small-business versions start at RsAOO a month.

Other wiki companies offer free versions to try, and some include special fea¬tures and tricks. JotSpot, for example, has a library of pre configured templates that include a company directory and an event calendar. It also lets users send e-mail to relevant JotSpot pages so that messages become part of the archive. JotSpot charges Rs. 500 a month for ten users.
The best-known hosted wiki service is SocialText. It has a professional business package for up to 19 users for Rs. 4,300 a month. SocialText is by far the easiest wiki to set up and can be scaled up to handle hundreds of users.

A small company with its own server and network can put a wiki behind a fire¬wall to create what amounts to a nearly maintenance-free intranet. Open source software for the task includes Kwiki and Twiki. Of course, no matter which route you choose, you'll still have to read what your employees post.