At this level of development we assume that the whole system will consist of the following applications:
Chat application may be used to exchange textual information among participants. Chat provides on-line connections. Users can type text which is immediately sent to other participants. It appears on screens of all users which are connected to this particular chat session. One user may participate simultaneously in multiple chat sessions.
Java applet, Netscape
Chat can run only in collaborative mode. Number of chat session participants ranges from two to the number of users logged to the system. Multiple simultaneous sessions are possible.
No master user.
Whiteboard application behaves in similar way as chat, but instead of text messages drawings are exchanged between users. It uses the same paradigm of sessions.
In whiteboard each user has a window and a set of tools enabling him drawing pictures. These may contain features as pen, text, basic two dimensional shapes. As the result of collaborative work one picture is created. All participants of the session participate in the process of creating the drawing. Whiteboard will be most likely used with another collaboration application as chat or videoconferencing.
Java applet, Netscape
Whiteboard may run as well in single as in collaborative modes. In collaborative mode number of participants is not limited: it may range from two to number or users logged into the system. Whiteboard sessions are independent of any other collaborative sessions.
No master user.
The task of Visible Human application is to provide users with images and three-dimensional models of human body. It may be used in examining and describing casualties from the hypothetical crisis place. In collaborative mode one person point at various parts of human body and the other participants may see the same places.
Java applet, Netscape
The Visible Human application may run as well in single as in collaboration modes. In single mode the application gives a single user access to the information databases and provides him/her with appropriate models or images. In collaboration mode there is one user which serves as master. This user behave exactly like in single mode. The rest of the participants may observe the results in the same way as they appear on the screen of the master user.
Geographic Information System is a tool which may be used to visualize various kinds of geographic-related information. The visualization may be performed in two- or three-dimensional modes with some information in textual form. Various kinds of information may be visualized depending on the user demand. Main types of information are:
C++, Open Inventor library
java applets (2D ?)
Geographic Information System may run in single as well as in collaborative modes. In single mode there is one user operating the system. In collaborative mode there is one master user operating like in single mode and any number of other participants which may observe exactly the same results as the master user.
This system will be used to provide participants with real time video and audio communication.
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Video conferencing may run only in collaboration mode ???
video client ?
video libraries ?
The search system will be used to provide participants with access to the news data. The information source for the system will be ...... Participants will have possibility to search information by keywords, dates and so on.
Netscape, CGI, PL-SQL ?
The search system may run in single as well as collaborative modes. In single user mode it simply provides a user with access to the data. In collaborative mode it allows also to show the same results on other participants screens.
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