Supporting Collaboration in Heterogeneous Environments.

Author List: KREBS, ALLAN M.; DOROHONCEANU, BOGDAN; MARSIC, IVAN;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2004, Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 199-227.
Heterogeneous sharing in synchronous collaboration is important with the proliferation of diverse computing environments, such as wearable computers and handheld devices. We present here a data-centric design for synchronous collaboration of users with heterogeneous computing platforms. Our approach allows clients with different capabilities to share different subsets of data in order to conserve communication bandwidth. We have built a robust middleware consisting of a distributed repository of shared data objects and a client-server-based infrastructure. Using the middleware, we have developed a framework for building collaborative applications for clients with different display and processing capabilities. We discuss the design and implementation of our middleware and framework and evaluate them by building four complex sample applications that demonstrate scalability, good performance, and high degree of code reusability.
Keywords: collaboration; heterogeneity; information systems; middleware; mobile devices
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#180 0.367 multiple elements process environments complex integrated interdependencies design different developing integration order approach dialogue framework capabilities settings building focus distinct
#215 0.147 data classification statistical regression mining models neural methods using analysis techniques performance predictive networks accuracy method variables prediction problem measure
#231 0.115 information management data processing systems corporate article communications organization control distributed department capacity departments major user hardware cost applications expansion
#245 0.084 knowledge sharing contribution practice electronic expertise individuals repositories management technical repository knowledge-sharing shared contributors novelty features peripheral share benefit seekers
#160 0.076 mobile telecommunications devices wireless application computing physical voice phones purchases ubiquitous applications conceptualization secure pervasive differential usability increasing local location
#296 0.064 collaboration support collaborative facilitation gss process processes technology group organizations engineering groupware facilitators use work tool address practitioners focused develop