Editing ArsDigita Community System

{{Short description|Open source toolkit for developing community web applications}}
The '''ArsDigita Community System''' ('''ACS''') was an [[Open-source software|open source]] toolkit for developing community [[web application]]s developed primarily by developers associated with [[ArsDigita Corporation]]. It was licensed under the terms of the [[GNU General Public License|GNU GPL]], and is one of the most famous products to be based completely on [[AOLserver]]. Although there were several forks of the project, the only one that is still actively maintained is [[OpenACS]].

Features of ACS included a core set of APIs, datamodels, and database routines for coordinating information common to all community web applications, as well as modules such as workflow management, [[Content management system|CMS]], messaging, [[bug tracker|bug/issue tracking]], project tracking, [[e-commerce]], and bboards.

==History==
ACS was built in the mid-1990s to support the photo.net online community as well as a variety of Internet services from Hearst Corporation.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Its creator, ArsDigita, was founded in 1997 by developers such as Philip Greenspun.<ref name="0:1">{{Citation |last=Livingston |first=Jessica  |year=2008 |title=Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days |publisher=Apress |publication-place= |page= |isbn=978-1-4302-1077-1 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ktm885vGIXEC&q=ArsDigita&pg=PA317|access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref> The initial developers included Tracy Adams, Ben Adida, Eve Andersson, Jin S. Choi, [[Philip Greenspun]], Aurelius Prochazka, and Brian Tivol.<ref name="0:1"/>

The ACS was originally written using the [[Oracle database]] and AOLserver threaded web server and thus was a combination of [[SQL]], [[HTML]] templates, and [[Tcl]] code to merge database results with templates. ACS 3.4, however, was also available with Java Server Pages to run with Apache and Tomcat. In 2001, the code tree was forked, with the Tcl code base being maintained and refactored by one group of developers, while the product line was being re-written in [[Java EE]].{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

In 2002, [[Red Hat]] acquired ArsDigita and all of its assets.<ref name="0:2">{{Citation |last=Shankland |first=Stephen |date=11 February 2002 |title=Red Hat grabs last pieces of ArsDigita  |publisher=[[CNET]] |publication-place= |page= |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/red-hat-grabs-last-pieces-of-arsdigita/ |access-date=26 January 2024}}</ref> As a result of this, the Java version was renamed "Red Hat CCM", and official support for the Tcl version ceased. However, the Tcl version continued to be maintained by the OpenACS community.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===OpenACS===
{{Infobox software
| name                   = OpenACS
| logo                   = 
| license                = [[GNU General Public License]]
}}

The Open Architecture Community System provides:

* A set of applications, that can be used to deploy web sites that are strong on collaboration. Some of the applications are Workflow, [[Content management system|CMS]], Messaging, Bug/Issue tracker, [[e-commerce]], [[blog]]ger, [[Online chat|chat]] and forums.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
* An application development toolkit, that provides an extensive set of APIs and services to enable quick development of new applications. Features include permissioning, full internationalization, [[Ajax (programming)|Ajax]], form builder, object model, automated testing, subsites and a powerful package manager.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

OpenACS runs on [[AOLserver]] and [[NaviServer]] with either [[Oracle database|Oracle]] or [[PostgreSQL]] as its database.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Projects that were or are based on OpenACS include [https://openacs.org/projects/dotlrn/ dotLrn], dotFolio, dotCommunity, dotConsult, [https://www.project-open.com/ Project-Open], and [https://e-voice.org.uk/ Voice Online Communities].

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
*[[Web content management]]
*[[Solution stack]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* ACS may be downloaded from http://www.eveandersson.com/arsdigita/acs-repository/
* [http://openacs.org/ Official website]
* the philosophy behind the toolkit is explained at http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/community

{{Web frameworks}}

[[Category:Free software programmed in Tcl]]
[[Category:Free web development software]]
[[Category:Information technology management]]
[[Category:Publication management software]]
[[Category:Red Hat software]]