Realization of Distributed Cooperative Work Environment and Its Application to Virtual Offices

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In recent years, networked workstations became ubiquitous because of the downsizing of computers. Such networked computers make it possible to realize novel computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) systems, which provide new ways of collaborative work. The objectives of this research project include the realization of advanced CSCW systems using well-established technologies of databases. We performed the research in the following three directions.1) Conventional CSCW systems utilize video facilities. We utilize non-video facilities as well as video-based facilities.2) Simulation of the real world would be a useful way to realize a CSCW system. We not only use real world concepts and metaphors but also explore the possibilities of realizing such collaborative environments that allow us to do the things which we cannot do in the real world.3) Database functions including the ones allowing for reuse of information should be effectively utilized.Our major results include :1) We introduced concepts such as an object deputy model, a collaborative environment model and action view mechanisms based on the concept of database views.2) In order to manage interference problem in the sharing of hypermedia documents, concepts such as environment awareness and observability and controllability of users and tasks are introduced.3) To realize advanced mechanisms of collaborative work, we extended certain functions of active databases and workflow representations. In particular, privacy issues of active mechanisms, dynamic changes of CSCW environments, extension of IDEF0 model, which is one of the major methods to represent workflows are discussed4) We developed a prototype of hypermedia system having environment awareness mechanisms and personalization facilities.5) We discussed applications to 3D collaborative environments and collaborative retrieval of WWW pages and prototyped specific functions.