What Is ELGG V.1.0?
Elgg is an open-source social networking platform. Originally developed by the Curverider company, Elgg v1.0 was the first version of the software. Released in 2008, the platform is now on version 1.8; development is currently in the hands of the nonprofit Elgg Foundation. Elgg is somewhat similar to other open-source platforms such as Drupal and Joomla but with a focus on social connectivity rather than on content.
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Elgg
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Elgg is a social media platform that supports networking, blogging, cross-site tagging and a variety of "widgets" that allow different functionality to be added. Unlike Facebook or other social networks, you need your own server to run Elgg. This means that you can essentially set up a social network unique to your organization. For example, Elgg can be used to furnish independent social networks for businesses, social groups or place of education.
Support for Other Open Services
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From version 1.0 onwards, Elgg has supported various other open-source tools, standards and definitions. These include OpenID and OAuth, both used to let you log into networked sites; Open Social (public specification for common application programming interfaces as well as hosting environments); and the Open Data Definition, a shared format for exporting and importing data in a social networking context.
Data Architeture
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Elgg's software has been designed to be flexible, with the possibility of expanding functionality through the use of small programs called widgets and plugins. These are not part of the main program but are developed separately to meet some specific requirement. Elgg's software has a modular structure, such that every part of the platform is a distinct entity. According to developer Marcus Povey: "...everything is an entity with metadata and relationships between them ... There is also the concept in Elgg 1 that pretty much everything is a plugin."
Other Features
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Other common social-networking features offered by Elgg include a messaging system, forum functionality so that users can engage in group discussions, and a "river of events" or timeline. Elgg 1.0 and later versions offer different ways to view the site, including a slimmed-down mobile view for use with mobile devices. You can give Elgg different "skins" to change the look and feel of the site.
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