Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We get asked a lot of questions about Zilino. The most common ones are answered below.

If your question is missing, just let us know. We'll keep expanding the FAQ as more questions come in. Thank you!

Last updated: September 7, 2008

What is Zilino?

Zilino is a web-based software application for group problem solving and decision making that helps people and organizations address challenging issues together. Among other things, Zilino provides tools and process support for online dialogue and deliberation. Our goal is to make e-participation more efficient, more convenient, and more fun!

Who is behind Zilino?

Zilino is brought to you by Intellitics, Inc., an early-stage startup based in San Jose, California.

How did you come up with the name?

The name Zilino is derived from the Latin cōnsilium, which—depending on which dictionary you prefer—can mean a number of things, for example deliberation, consultation, assembly, a considering together, counsel, resolution, plan, suggestion, advice, advisory board, judgment, or wisdom. Exactly the kind of things we want people to be able to do together on Zilino.

Do you have a blog?

The Zilino blog will be up within the next few weeks. In the meantime, please check out our company blog.

What does "alpha" mean?

As of August 2008, Zilino is in alpha mode. What that means is that we're still busy setting up the basics. With this prototype, we want to showcase a few of the key concepts behind Zilino to an early audience of interested alpha testers. It's a work in progress: some things may still look a bit incomplete or may not work properly yet. However, we do our best to maintain the same level of stability and uptime that you would expect from any other professional web application. As much as we can, we try to pro-actively communicate any upcoming interruptions or maintenance work.

Is Zilino open source?

No, Zilino is not open source software. However, we intend to play nice with the rest of the web, for example by supporting open standards (e.g. for data sharing or identity management).

Is Zilino a non-profit?

No, Zilino is a service offered by Intellitics, Inc., a for-profit startup.

How does Zilino make money?

Zilino charges organizations, businesses and governments for hosting larger e-participation projects. We will share more details over time.

How do I quit Zilino permanently? Can I delete my account?

Of course! At any point in time, should you decide you don't want to use Zilino any longer, we will honor your choice and remove you from the system. Eventually, there will be a simple "delete account" option on your personal settings page. For the time being, though, you would need to contact us via email to request that your account be deleted manually (which we'll do right away—no questions asked!).

What do you do with my personal data?

Zilino is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals who use our service. Please see our privacy policy to learn more. Please contact us if you have further questions concerning your privacy.

Which browsers does Zilino support?

We build Zilino following current web development standards. Zilino should work on all browsers that support these standards. If you experience any problems, please let us know. Thanks!

What kind of internet connection does Zilino require?

As with many of today's web applications, the faster your connection, the better usually your experience. However, we try to make Zilino work with average bandwidth as well.

What is e-participation?

E-participation means "the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for enabling and strengthening citizen participation in democratic decision-making processes." See our blog for a more complete quote of this working definition.

How can I participate in the pilot program?

Easy! Just follow our questionnaire and tell us a little bit about your organization and the e-participation project you have in mind. We will get in touch with you to figure out how Zilino can best support your initiative.

How can I submit feedback (e.g. bug reports, feature ideas or other suggestions)?

Just contact us. We value your input and will always consider it for future releases. We also offer a feedback form on every page on Zilino, making it very easy for you to get in touch with us right from within the application.

My question is not answered anywhere in the FAQ. Now what?

Again, just contact us. We'll keep expanding the FAQ as more questions come in. Thank you so much for your interest!