A framework for the realization of cooperative systems

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Abstract
It is now timely to build upon output of research worldwide into Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) so that new forms of computing infrastructure can be provided to facilitate cooperative working. Three new technologies can collectively provide means of addressing this requirement; they are (a) multi-media information systems, (b) high performance networks and (c) intelligent autonomous agents. Multi-media information technology is now available to provide rich communication facilities including text, image, sound and video in both synchronous and asynchronous modes. Thus, computer -based systems can combine many of the media commonly used for communication and can transmit the results over a very wide distances, High performance networks enable multi-media communication to take place over wide areas. This is particularly important for essential international user links. The richness of the communication cannot be the only criterion used because the problem of "information overload" is only too well understood by users. Thus the application of knowledge-based systems to the construction of autonomous support agents has an important role to play . These again act on behalf of users to manage the communications by, for example, altering messages or assisting with the organisation of group exchanges. This paper details a system that will allow each of these technologies to be incorporated in to a framework such that a cooperative system can be built in a flexible and highly configurable manner and be responsive to the needs of the cooperative group.

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