Groupware reflects a change in emphasis from using the computer to solve problems to using the computer to facilitate human interaction. This article describes categories and examples of groupware and discusses some underlying research and development issues. GROVE, a novel group editor, is explained in some detail as a salient groupware example

/pdf/groupware-some-issues-and-experiences-3o63d5bi23.pdf

Groupware: some issues and experiences

An automated communications system operates to transfer data, metadata and methods from a provider computer to a consumer computer through a communications network. The transferred information controls the communications relationship, including responses by the consumer computer, updating of information, and processes for future communications. Information which changes in the provider computer is automatically updated in the consumer computer through the communications system in order to maintain continuity of the relationship. Transfer of metadata and methods permits intelligent processing of information by the consumer computer and combined control by the provider and consumer of the types and content of information subsequently transferred. Object oriented processing is used for storage and transfer of information. The use of metadata and methods further allows for automating may of the actions underlying the communications, including communication acknowledgements and archiving of information. Service objects and partner servers provide specialized data, metadata, and methods to providers and consumers to automate many common communications services and transactions useful to both providers and consumers. A combination of the provider and consumer programs and databases allows for additional functionality, including coordination of multiple users for a single database.

Computer-based communication system and method using metadata defining a control-structure

This tutorial paper explores the mechanics of protecting computer-stored information from unauthorized use or modification. It concentrates on those architectural structures-whether hardware or software-that are necessary to support information protection. The paper develops in three main sections. Section I describes desired functions, design principles, and examples of elementary protection and authentication mechanisms. Any reader familiar with computers should find the first section to be reasonably accessible. Section II requires some familiarity with descriptor-based computer architecture. It examines in depth the principles of modern protection architectures and the relation between capability systems and access control list systems, and ends with a brief analysts of protected subsystems and protected objects. The reader who is dismayed by either the prerequisites or the level of detail in the second section may wish to skip to Section III, which reviews the state of the art and current research projects and provides suggestions for further reading.

/pdf/the-protection-of-information-in-computer-systems-2qepizoiqp.pdf

The protection of information in computer systems

An intelligent automated assistant system engages with the user in an integrated, conversational manner using natural language dialog, and invokes external services when appropriate to obtain information or perform various actions. The system can be implemented using any of a number of different platforms, such as the web, email, smartphone, and the like, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the system is based on sets of interrelated domains and tasks, and employs additional functionally powered by external services with which the system can interact.

Intelligent Automated Assistant

UNIX is a general-purpose, multi-user, interactive operating system for the Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11/40 and 11/45 computers. It offers a number of features seldom found even in a larger operating systems, including: (1) a hierarchical file system incorporating demountable volumes; (2) compatible file, device, and inter-process I/O; (3) the ability to initiate asynchronous processes; (4) system command language selectable on a per-user basis; and (5) over 100 subsystems including a dozen languages. This paper discusses the nature and implementation of the file system and of the user command interface.

/pdf/the-unix-time-sharing-system-2anajv6bmm.pdf

The UNIX time-sharing system

Computer teleconferencing allows individuals scattered near and far to collaborate in writing a paper, negotiate over a budget spreadsheet, or cooperate in debugging a program. Our project focuses on applications that bring subject matter into a meeting, not on applications-such as voting or brainstorming tools-that aid the meeting process itself. We attempt both to support single-user applications running in the shared environment, and to provide a base for developing inherently shared applications.

MMConf: an infrastructure for building shared multimedia applications

TENEX is a new time sharing system implemented on a DEC PDP-10 augmented by special paging hardware developed at BBN. This report specifies a set of goals which are important for any time sharing system. It describes how the TENEX design and implementation achieve these goals. These include specifications for a powerful multiprocess large memory virtual machine, intimate terminal interaction, comprehensive uniform file and I/O capabilities, and clean flexible system structure. Although the implementation described here required some compromise to achieve a system operational within six months of hardware checkout, TENEX has met its major goals and provided reliable service at several sites and through the ARPA network.

http://bluehawk.monmouth.edu/rclayton/web-pages/f03-438/tenex.pdf

TENEX, a paged time sharing system for the PDP - 10

Diamond: A Multimedia Message System Built on a Distributed Architecture.

Diamond: A multimedia message system built on a distributed architecture

This paper discusses techniques for selecting and synchronizing sequence numbers such that no errors will occur if certain network characteristics can be bounded and if adequate data error detection measures are taken. The discussion specifically focuses on the protocol described by Cerf and Kahn, (1) but the ideas are applicable to other similar protocols.

Raymond S. Tomlinson

Papers

MMConf: an infrastructure for building shared multimedia applications

TENEX, a paged time sharing system for the PDP - 10

Diamond: A Multimedia Message System Built on a Distributed Architecture.

Diamond: A multimedia message system built on a distributed architecture

Selecting sequence numbers