Distributed System Integration Framework For Cscw Research And Realization

CSCW is a new and interdisciplinary research field, which studies how people accomplish one task cooperatively under a computer-supported environment. CSCW not only try to explain the cooperation and intercourse of people in terms of theory, but also wants to build a cooperative environment by available computer technology in order to raise the efficiency and quality of group work. CSCW has developed very fast after it was put forward. Many products and prototype systems such as conferencing system, co-compose system and workflow system have been developed and gained great social and economical profit. Along with its further evolution, CSCW would bring far-reaching influence to information technology.CSCW is a complex distributed system, involving various complicated aspects such as network protocol, multiple platforms, multiple programming languages and multimedia information management. CSCW has diverse structures, but normally all these structures can be divided into two types: centralized structure and distributed structure. Centralized structure is a simple and mature structure that has been used in a wide range of fields. The most commonly used centralized structure is based on Client/Server model. But it would be very difficult and take more time to construct a CSCW system if only traditional methods were used. In addition, the system would have other disadvantages such as platform dependency, poor scalability and lacking portability. In order to solve this problem, a new concept - middleware is introduced. Middleware, which locates between application layer and operating system, can effectively support the complicated CSCW system development.In this thesis, the author discusses the structure of centralized CSCW system, studies the structure and characteristic of middleware that supports synchronous CSCW system, puts forward a Client/Server based middleware -the Distributed Integrated Frame and realizes it both in client-end and server-end. All of these are supported by the ninth five-year scientific and technological key project and the Chinese 863 high technology program. The main research work includes:1. It discusses the concept of CSCW system and Client/Server model. It also argues the function and characteristic of middleware.2. It puts forward an Integrated Frame and describes its structure and function. This Integrated Frame provides a platform for developing client and server applications of Client/Server based CSCW systems and simplifies the...