Change of license with version 1.5 of sharetronix

Sharetronix decided to switch from Affero GPL to their own license. They said that Sharetronix remains free for personal communities. See here.

———————————————-

This review is based on version 1.4.2 of sharetronix

No difference to version 1.4.1.

———————————————-

This test is based on version 1.4.1 of sharetronix

I have set up a test site of this open source microblogging system. It wasn’t a problem to install it on a shared hosting platform with LAMP.

The install was easy and the result looks incredible. A smart and clean user interface, easy to understand with a bit facebook feeling – but for your own installation.

• The streams could be organized in groups
• You could add direct links and upload photos, images, files, videos. For photos and videos you get a thumbnail preview included in your message. There is only one attachment per type possible. E.g. more than one photo couldn’t be attached to a message.
• If you would like to have more than 140 characters, you could configure that. But the maximum is 200 characters right now. For that reason you could not extend the microblogging system to something similar to a blog.
• For each group you could decide if it is public or private with invitation.
• Unfortunately I haven’t found a way to invite someone to a group who is not a member of the site. For that reason it is a two step process to get someone as a member of a private group: Invite someone for the site (automatically get a friend relationship) and afterwards invite her/him for a specific group. The direct invitation to a group would be required for communities where you would like to have closed groups with special interests (alumni, different clubs…).
• Private groups are invisible. You did not know that a group exists and could not ask to get a member. Therefore you could only join if you are invited to that group.
• Privacy settings based on roles and groups is not implemented and I’m not sure if that is a task on the roadmap of sharetronix. E.g. the creation of a group could not be limited. Profile data is visible to everyone.
• I haven’t found a roadmap.

I like that system and I’m sure it has a great potential as micoblogging and social networking platform.

Related posts:

1. Review: status.net
2. Review: OpenAtrium
3. Review of Buddypress
4. Review: Elgg