Towards open CSCW systems

Towa ds Open CSCW Sys ems Leandm Na m * , Wol gang P inz b, Tom Rodden a Uni e si a Poli hica de Cdunya, Ba celona, Spain. GMD, kh106 Bi lingho en, 5202 S . Augus in. Ge many cCompu ing Depa men . Lancas ex Uni e si y. Lmcc s m LA1 4YR. U.K. Abs ac Applica ions designed o suppo k wo k o g oups will becoming inc easingly impo an o we dis ibu ed sys ems. This pape conside s he ole o dis ibu ed sys ems wi hin he de elopmen o coope a i e sys ems. In pa icula , we ocus on he need o p o ide Open CSCW sys ems and hei impac on dism'bu ed sys ems. The wo k cu en ly being unde oken in Open Dis ibu ed Sys ems (ODP) is used o highligh signi ican ends o u u e open CSCW sys ems. I will be shown ha he CSCW and ODP communi y sha e mu ual in e es s and ha e complemen a y aims and goals de eloped om me en pe spec i es. Wi hin he pape we p o ide a b ie in oduc ion o CSCW highligh ing he equi emen s CSCW places on dis ibu ed sys ems. Tk de elopmen o an en i onmen o suppo open CSCW sys ems is in oduced and b ie ly desc ibed. Finally, he ela ionships be ween equi emen s and models o Open CSCW sys ems and he Basic Re e ence Model o ODP a e discussed 1. In oduc ion Compu e Suppo o Coope a i e Wo k (CSCW) has apidly eme ged as an iden i iable esea ch a ea o e he las six yea s and has unde gone d ama ic g ow h in his ime. The esea ch unde aken by he CSCW communi y combines a wide aie y o disciplines each con ibu ing a di e en se o skills. Simila ly, he a ious sys ems which ha e eme ged ha e adop ed a mul iplici y o app oaches and echniques. Dis ibu ed sys ems play a cen al ole in many o hese sys ems and i is likely ha CSCW will p o ide a signi ican applica ion a ea o u u e dis ibu ed sys ems [ 11. The needs o CSCW sys ems will mos likely play a signi ican ole in shaping many ea u es o u u e dis ibu ed sys ems. I is he e o e impe a i e ha u u e dis ibu ed sys ems de elope s a e awa e o he equi e" o csCW sys ems. Many exis ing CSCW sys ems ha e ended o igno e he exis ence o o he sys ems and s yles o suppo . In he same way ha use isola ion limi ed he use ulness o pe sonal compu e s i impo an ha CSCW de elope s a oid a blinked ou look in he de elopmen o hei sys ems and a emp o de elop "open" CSCW sys ems. The dis ibu ed compu ing communi y ha e been examining he p o ision o open sys ems o some ime and much o his wo k is now e lec ed in he wo k o ODP [21. We belie e ha bo h he CSCW and ODP communi y sha e mu ual in e es s and ha e simila aims and goals which ha e eme ged om di e en pe spec i es. ODP S ZilNhh ion conside s he po abili y, in e wo king and dis ibu ion p oblems o dis ibu ed compu e sys ems. In con as , CSCW has a ocal poin on he use o compu e s o suppo g oupwo k which need o be open o bo h use s and o he sys ems. 2. CSCW Sys ems The e m CSCW was o iginally coined by G ei and Cashman in 1984 [3] as a sho hand way o e emng o he in e es s o a numbe o esea che s in ol ed in he use o compu em o suppo use g oups. The a ea has e ol ed o e he las i e yea s o combine he unde s anding o he na u e o g oup wo king wi h he enabling echnologies o compu e ne wo king, sys ems suppo and applica ions. I is now ecognised ha CSCW is inhe en ly a mul idisciplina y esea ch opic and equi es he applica ion o a numbe o disciplines including sociology, o ganisa ional science, psychology and compu e science. Reade s a e e e ed o [4,5.6] o a ma e comple e e iew o BCW esea ch. The wide a ie y o CSCW sys ems de eloped o da e e lec he many di e en iews o coope a ion which cu en ly exis wi hin CSCW. Two p incipal cha ac e is ics can be used o desc ibe CSCW sys ems:- 0-81862755-7/92 $03.00 8 1992 IEEE i) The o m o in e ac ion syppo ed CSCW sys ems a e p ima ily conce ned wi h suppo ing a numbe o use s mope am ' g oadd essa pa icula p oblem, o ange o p oblems. The na u e o his coope a ion can be dis inguished by he way in which he g oup membe s in e ac . People ei he in e ac and coape a e synch onously o asynch onouszy. Synch onous in e ac ion equi es he p esence o all coope a ing use s while asynch onous coope a ion occu s o e a longe ime pe iod and does no equi e he simul aneous in e ac ion o all use s. Synch onous sys ems a e cha ac e ised by desk op con e encing sys ems [7] such as Sha ed X [8]. The majo i y o Asynch onous sys em a e based 8 MuRd ei he message sys ems P,lOJ o compu e con e encing sys ems [ll]. ii) The geog aphical na u e o k syszem CSCW has adi ionally conside ed he case o geog aphically dis iiu ed g oups. Mo e ecen "mh has complemen ed his emphasis by conside ing he suppo o ace o ace (o CO-loca ed) mee ings. As a esul coope a i e sys ems a e o en conside ed as being ei he emo e o co-loca ed. In his classi idon he di ision be ween emo e and CO-loca ed is as much a logical concep as a physical measu e and is conceaned wi h he accessibili y o use s o each o he a he han hei physical p oximi y. CO-loca ed sys ems o en exploi pu pose buil mee ing moms such as he COLAB[12] a Xe ox PARC. Remo e sys ems include mo e sophis ica ed dis ibu ed applica ions such as mul imedia con dg sys ems 1131. SOmTiw DWe en Timea Same Place Di e en Places Figu e 1 The g oupwa e lmo space ma ix The wo cha ac e is ics o in e ac ion and geog aphical loca ion a e o en used as he basis o a simple classi ica ion space o CSCW sys ems ( igu e 1). This space allows he echnical cha ac e is ics o he a ious classes o sys em (o g oupwa e) wi hin CSCW o be ca ego ised and is o en e e ed o as he g oupwa e ime space ma ix [14]. 3. The need o open CSCW sys ems The cu en gene a ion o CSCW applica ions p o ide di eme models and mechanisms aimed a suppo ing ei he a pa icula ooope a i e ac i i y o class o ac i i ies. These applica ions a e o en unawa e o he exis ence o o he applica ions [la and p o ide ew mechanisms o wo king in conjunc ion wi h o he applica ions ( igu e 2). Thus, use s o a gi en CSCW applica ion a e p esen ed wi h apa icula in eqne a ia o cmpem i e wo k and can only wo k wi hin he coniines o ha closed wo ld. @?- Figu o 2. Independen CSCW applica ions The eali y o suppo ing coope a i e wo k is ha a wide ange o CSCW applica ions, each exhibi ing a dis inc i e model o coope a ion, need o wo k in unison. Consequen ially, he ole o he en i onmen in which CSCW sys ems exis becomes a c ucial ac o o he u u e success o CSCW applica ions. A cen al aim o such an en i onmen is o p ide inmpe abii i y be ween a a ie y o applica ions ensu ing ha CSCW applica ions can wo k in ha mony a he han in isola ion o each o he ( igu e 3). Flgu o 3. The ole o a CSCW en i onmen We see he p o ision o a CSCW en i onmen as a means o edising mo e "open" coope a i e sys ems. As CSCW applica ions become mo e widely a ailable, i will 5 become inc easingly necessa y o ocus on an open app oach. Open CSCW sys ems should aim o allow a mul iplici y o app oaches and pa adigms o coexis . A cen al aim o hese sys ems, and as a esul o a CSCW en i onmen , is o enable he coexis ence o : emo e/localcoope a ion. pe sonal/g oupwo king. synch ond-hus wo king. In addi ion, he p oblems o de eloping open CSCW sys ems a e compounded by he s ong in e - ela ionship be ween CSCW sys ems and he ac i i ies o he o ganisa ion in which hey exis . CSCW applica ions do no exis in isola ion bu a e an in eg al pa o he ac i i ies which ake place wi hin he O ganisa ion hey ~IE embedded. As a esul , coope a i e wo king needs o be conside ed in e ms o nume ous ela ed ac i i ies occu ing wi hin an o ganisa ional en i onmen . I is impo an ha a CSCW en i onmen allows hese ac i i ies o be in e - ela ed. Howe e i should be s essed ha we do no o esee he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems allowing a s anda d model o eik coape a ion o o ganisa ions. In con as , open CSCW sys ems will allow a g ea e di e si y o coope a ion echniques o wo k oge he . 4. Open CSCW sys ems equi emen s The iden i ica ion o a ange o equi emen s o a CSCW applica ion en i onmen p o ides he s a ing poin o he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems. The equi emen s1 p esen ed he e a e by DO means comple e bu a e in ended o illus a e equi emen s which a e cha ac e is ics and dis inc i e o CSCW sys ems. We belie e ha hese equi emen s will di ec ly impac u u e dis ibu ed sys ems. Suppo o In o ma ion Sha ing 'Ihe sha ing o in o ma ion is an essen ial p ecu so o coope a i e wo king. I is impo an ha pa ems o sha ing a e adop ed wi hin he en i onmen which enable e ec i e coope a ion o ake place. 'he en i onmen needs o p o ide a se o se ices which encou age he coope a i e sha ing o in o ma ion. These se ices should include: main aining a knowledge base o people, esou ces and on-going ac i i ies mechanisms o modelling o ganisa ions. 1 ~.ny o hese equi emm welc ei he in o med o con inned by m in e na ional de elopax wo kshop [19] held as pu1 o ECSCWPl. he eumd eu opun am c mce o CSCW. ad a ended by o e 40 de elope s. app op ia e access con ol mechanisms. (T adi ionally, oles ha e been used o signi y dm2wl access igh s o use s.) acili ies o mixed media in o ma i0 n. sec ices o k access and exchange o in onna ionbe weencscwandnan-csCW applica ionS Suppo o he dis ibu ion o in o ma ion ac oss an numbe o machines; including whe e applicable po iable pmod compl en. Smoo hin eg a ionandu iliza iono s anda d in o ma ion eposi o ies, o example, he X.500 di c opy senice [lq. Suppo o Communica ion Communica ion plays a i al ole in coope a ion and i is impo an ha his ole is e lec ed wi hin a CSCW en i onmen . Subsequen ially. a CSCW en i onmen will need o p o ide a ange o communica ion se ices which should include: suppo o a wide ange o media, including ele axandwhe eapplicablepape communica ion. The p o ision o many di e en ms o communica ion, including bo h eal- ime and asynch onous commlmica ion. Suppo o in e change ac oss communica ion media. T adi ionally communica ion suppo o CSCW sys ems has been p o ided by asynch onous OS1 communica ion s anda ds such as X.400. Howe e , e en hough hese p o ide a use ul basis hey don' allow a su icien ly di e se ange o communica ion s yles o many CSCW sys ems. Acco dingly mos CSCW applica ions adop and augmen hese basic se ices o hei own pu poses [9,10]. Suppo o Ac i i ies CSCW sys ems ha e a s ong ela ionship wi h he a ious o ganisa ional ac i i ies which hey suppo . I is essen ial ha a CSCW en i onmen p o ides mechanisms o ep esen ing he a ious ela ionships be ween hese ac i i ies. Addi ionally he en i onmen needs o p o ide a se o sea ices o allow he managemen o hese di e en ac i i ies wi hin he en i onmen . These se ices migh incl&- managing he membe ship o ac i i ies sha ing esou ces be€- ac i i ies 6 I scheduling ac i i ies and moni o ing he p og ess o mechanisms o nego ia ing he esponsibili y o mechanisms a nego ia ing he di ision o ac i i ies ac i i ies compe ence wi hin ac i i ies cOO dina iOcl o ac i ilies "e se ices need obep o idedinaneu almanne in o de o allow as wide a ange o CSCW sys ems as possible o be suppo ed by he n i onmen . No single model o coope a m ' isassdbu 'e & sa icesshould be p o ided o allow a ange o di em models o exis in unison. Suppo o Tuib abili y Coope a i e wo king is essen ially a dynamic ac i i y and consequen ially CSCW sys ems need be malleable and ailo able. As a esul , sys ems and he en i onmen suppo ing hem need o be ailo able bo h by de elope s and use s. This has wo impa an coasequence. i s ly, he en i onmen needs o p o i& a se o se ices akin o a de elope s oolki o enable his ailo abili y. A mo e impo an consequence. pe haps, is ha he adi ional di ide be ween use s and de elop becomes less clea wi h use s ha ing simila powe s and s a us as sys em de elope s. An in es iga ion o he limi s and bounds o his ailo abili y and possible no a ions, languages, o SeMCes o suppo his ailo abili y will be an impo an am o esea ch a u u e CSCW de ekqem. Suppo o T anqwency coope a i e ac i i ies a e ca ied ou by a "Dis ibu ed G oup": people who a e loca ed a possibly di e en places, employed a di e en o ganisa ions, wo king a di e en imes, using di e en use -g oup in e ace, ha ing sligh ly di e en goals, ha ing di e en unde s andings o he ac i i ies, language. compe ence, cul u e, e c. The CSCW en i onmen should p o ide some deg ee u nnnMe!nX o he coope a i e ac i i y and mal es he sys em look mo e complex. Signi ican dimensions include: o ganisa ional (o ganisa ional uwu encss), empo al (in eg a ion o synch onous und asynch onous), linguis ic. cul u al and physical uni s (dis ibu ed wo king) [17]. A numbe o di e en onns o anspa ency a e impo an o CSCW sys ems. T anspu ency Qo gunisu wn means ha ac i i ies need no dealing wi h he complexi y o he possibly di e en o ganisa ions in ol ed. In e qpnisa ional anspa ency o acili a e people uqembng - COO dina es, ohidesomedimensiO lS ha a eunnecessa y connec ionsshould/couldhide hecomplexi y o di e en ~d@e icula o eacben~) andin ex-cxgdaional( i ee~o o he ) policies. Som imes, in e ac ion is no possible due o incompa ibk policies (o cos oo high). T anspo cncy o ime deals wi h hc mode o wo k, synch onous o synch onous. Tbe esul o applying his anspa eacyis ha in e auial willbe indeQcnden o he mode Wa e using. T w~~@ iewme lns h8 appkahscan be m"i a no in he way usem iew da a This bansp wacy will no beusedin WYSIWYG ac i i ies. T Mspa cncy o ac i i y means ha a se4 o objec s coope a ins inaneac i i y needsno beawa e o o he un ela edob* s p esen in lE dis iiu ed al~LThese-objec s can be loca ed in adi i ea bca ion o in he same loca ion bu pa icipa ing in o he ac i i ies. This helps ac i i ies no o bedis u bed by o he UNela ed ac i i ies. This sec ion has highligh ed a numbe o equi emen s which a e cen al o he de elopmen o a CSCW en i onmen . In o de o u he in es iga e hese eQui emen s and o de elop mechanisms b which hese adop ed a model based app osch o hei wo k. The aim o he Mocca wo& is o iden i y and desc ibe a se o models which will ac as a e mce o u u e de elope s o a CSCW en i onmen . equi emen s can be me he MOCCA I p ojec has 5 Models o suppo open CSCW We a e cu en ly in he p ocess o iden i ying and de eloping a numbe o models which an? in ended o in o m he de elopmen o u u e open CSCW sys ems. The exp ess aim o hese is o de elop a se o ecommenda ions o cha ac e ising coope a i e sys ems. The se o models ha compose he en i onmen model will be used o de e mine he common unc ionali y equi ed (i.e. he se o u c ionslse ices p o ided) o suppo CSCW sys ems and allow in e ac ion ac oss a numbe o we en CSCW sys em. We ha e iden i ied i e models which we belie e a e impo an o he de elojnnen o ume open CSCW sys ems. The O ganidonal Model A cen al mo i a ion o he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems and he Mocca p ojec is he ealisa ion ha o ganisa ional con ex is c ucial o he success o CSCW sys ems. The aim o he o ganisa onal model is o make explici he sha ing o o ganisa ional esou ces. and open sys ems is e iewed. The ollowing sec ion b ie ly ela es how he models p oposed wi hin ou wo k ela es o he cunen wo k o he ODP communi y. policies and egula im. The model is consauc ed om a se o o ganisa ional objec s (e.g. esou ces, p ojez s, people. oles), o ganimional ela ions and ules. The In e -ac i i y Model The no ion o ac i i ies and oles suppo a a ie y o CSCW sys ems. A numbe o di e en echniques a e used o ep esen ac i i ies and oles wi hin di e en CSCW sys ems. Consequen ially, each sys ems has a di e en pe spec i e o bo h. Ra he han inding a common mechanisms o ep esen ing ac i i ies and oles he aim o he in e -ac i i y model is o allow he dependencies be ween di e en ac i i ies and oles o be ep esen ed wi hin he en i onmen The In o ma ion Model E ec i e sha ing o in o ma ion is cen al o coope a ion and he ole o in o ma ion wi hin coope a ion is c ucial. Howe e , each CSCW sys ems has a di e en pe cep ion o in o ma ion and sha ing. The Mocca in o ma ion model aims o allow in o ma ion used wi hin di e en CSCW sys ems o be ep esen ed ex emally and o be sha ed be ween sys ems. The model is exp essed in e ms o in o ma ion objec s, he ela ionships be ween hese objec s (e.g. composi ion, dependencies) and he access o hese objec s. The Communica wn Model Communica ion is an in eg al pa o coope a ion and he suppo and ep esen a ion o di e en pa e ns o communica ion is cen al o a numbe o di e en CSCW sys ems. In pa icula communica ion plays a i al ole in message based sys ems. The communica ion model aims o ep esen s communica ion in e ms o he communica o s, he in o ma ion objec s hey exchange, and he con ex wi hin which communica ion akes phce. The Use Expe ise Model The ep esen a ion o use s and use expe ise a e a cen al ea u e o coope a i e sys ems. The aim o he use expe ise model is o ep esem he use s expe ise o use by he en i onmen and o he sys ems. This models is exp essed in e ms o use ’s esponsibili y, which is imposed by he o ganisa ion and use ’s capabili ies. which desc ibes he use s indi idual SLiUs. I is hoped ha ou in es iga ion in o hese models will allow a g ea e ealisa on o wha he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems will en ail. As pa o his p ocess i is impo an ha p e ious expe ience on s anda disa ion 6. ODP and CSCW In he p e ious chap e s we discussed he need o open CSCW sys ems and he equi emen s which we belie e need o be me by bo h applica ions and an dis ibu ed sys ems suppo . The aim o open sys ems has been examined by many esea che s wi hin he dis ibu ed compu ing communi y pa icula ly in he con ex o ODP. This chap e b ie ly ela es open CSCW sys ems o he The ollowing sec ions in es iga e how he cu en iews o ODP mee he equi emen s o CSCW and how he wo k being unde aken in he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems ela es o ODP. I is impo an o emphasize ha ODP should no simply be ega ded as a amewo k o he de elopmen o open CSCW sys ems. I is ou belie ha he concep s and models being in es iga ed wi hin CSCW a e ele an o ODP and ha e a signi ican inpu o make in i s u u e de elopmen . Mo e gene al ema ks abou he ela ion o CSCW and ODP a e p esen ed in sec ion 6.2. on-going WWIC O ODP. 6.1 The impac o CSCW on ODP Ra he han dealing wi h he ull complexi y o dis ibu ed sys ems, ODP collside s sys ems om i e di e en iew- poin s (En e p ise. In o ma ion, Compu a ion, Enginee ing, and Technology Viewpoin ). Each iewpoin ep esen s a Me en se o abs ac ions o he o iginal sys em, ha is, a simpli ied iew. The ODP design ajec ay [ 181 p esc ibes ha he design ou line should s a wi h he selec ion o a iewpoin ha is mos applica ion. Fo CSCW applica ions his is ei hex he en e- o in ama ion iewpoin . Bu also he ODP- aspec s isibili y and anspa ency wi hin he compu a ion iewpoin a e o in e es cc he design and a chi ec u e o he conside ed En e p ise and I onna ion Viewpoin : Ac i i ies, Roles and Sha ing. The suppo o ac i i ies equi ed by CSCW sys ems highligh s aspec s which a e s ongly ela ed o he en e p ise iewpoin wi hin ODP. The cu en iew in ODP is ha en e p ise and in o ma ion modelling esul s in a se o equi emen s and es ic ions o he compu a ional model. This model is a s uc u ing o he unc ions iden i ied in he highe models, in e ms o compu a ional objec s. X I seems sensible gi en he mo e ac i e na u e o o ganisa ional componen s in CSCW sys ems ha he esul s o en e p ise modelling should be used o mm han simple inpu o he de elopmen o o he iewpoin s. The en e p ise iewpoin is he cen al u" o CSCW, in he same way ha he cOSnpu a iOnal iewpoin wi hin ODP p ides a cen al ocus o dis ibu ed sys ems. I is impo an o he managemen o open CSCW sys ems ha knowledge cen al o en eqnise modelling is supplied by an se ice. Pemaps, wi hin ume ODP sys ems aimed a suppo ing CSCW applica ions he o ganiza ional knowledge base Coslside ed in he Mocca en i onmen will be (Issocia ed o he ade , conmining o dic a ing among o he he ading policy. "%e ODP communi y should also be conscious o he p oblems ha he o ice p ocedll eEn o ma ion sys em de elope s had o deal wi h. These we e mainly he p oblems o being o igid and p ocedu al in he desc ip ion o o ganisa ional ac i i ies and in o ma ion low. Sys ems de eloped o en oqo he human ac o and he ac ha employees o en don' beha e as i is p esc ibed in he o ganisa ional handbook. (Some people a e con inced ha his is he only eason why la ge companies su i e.) In ac , he mode ig o o ganiza ional s uc u es and ac i i ies plays a sisni can ole in he CSCW con ex , The e o e, he a ious models o he desc ip ion o o ices p ocedu es as well as (g oup) ac i i ies 1161 de eloped in ha con ex a e a aluable sou ce o he de elopmen o in o ma ion and en e p ise models. The Comp c a ion Viewpoin : he aspec s: isibili y and anspa ency The concep o use ailo abili y is cen al o CSCW sys ems and as a esul a need exis s o sys em isibili y and anspa ency o he use . O cou se, his is mainly di ec ed owa ds CSCW applica ion de ekqe s, bu i also has a ele ance o he unde lying dis ibu ed sys em. Wi hin ODP hese concep s am e lec ed by he so called aspec s: isibili y and anspa ency. They play a cen al ole in he compu a ional iewpoin and become cen al in he discussion o dis ibu ion anspa ency. The decisions in ol ed in p o iding selec i e dis ibu ion anspa ency is impo an and ODP has conside ed he need o ully discuss he ad an ages and disad an agm o selec i e mqa ency. Howe e , wi h CSCW sys ems selec ion mechanisms shouldn' be p o ided only a applica on and de elape s. The use cen e ed iew o CSCW sys ems means ha he use should be allowed o selec hei equi ed anspa ency. I is impo an ha ODP in es iga e mechanisms o p o iding use ailo abili y o anspa ency and p o ides app op ia e p esen a ion echniques o allow hanqmmcy andi s aihing obedesc ibed o heuse . 6.2 The ela ion o CSCW and ODP ODP and CSCW ha e di e en aims and equi emen s, hey look a " eal wo ld" " di e en pe spec i es, and y o sol e di e en p oblems. As a esul , hey build di e en models o he " eal wo ld" ( ela ed, bu wi h di e en axonomies). One desc ibes all possible dis ibu ed sys ems, he o he desc ibes all possible choices a e made. 'Ihese choices will p esc ibe which o all possible sys ems will quali y as open. Bo h, ODP and CSCW choices a e compa ible, his implies ha bo h The nex s age will be o de me s anda ds o he unc ions, mechanisms, in o ma ion, e c. iden i ied in he model. Ou iew is ha all possible Open CSCW Sys ems can be collside ed as a suk o Open Dis ibu ed Sys ems, ha means ha speci ic en i onmen s anda ds will be a subse (o a specidisa ion) o speci ic ODP s andanls Ou app oach o open CSCW sys ems has been based on he de elopmen o an en i onmen o suppo a numbe o di e en CSCW sys ems. This app oach is simila o ha adop ed by he ODP communi y who ha e also exploi ed he de elopmen o an ODP en i onmen o desc ibe much o hei wo k. A sui able ODP con ex o he de elopmen o a CSCW en i onmen is shown in cscw Sys ems. In * o sa is@ he aims, in each case "Re - Models" will be in e - ela ed [151. ip 4. I OW "nm n I Figu o 4 ODP and CSCW En i onmen s The CSCW en i onmen is loca ed be ween he basic ODP en i onmen and CSCW applica ions. Howe e , e en applica ions which a e no ypically ega ded as CSCW applica ions, like documen p ocessing sys ems, migh use he CSCW en i onmen when hey a e used in a coope a i e con ex , In ha way a CSCW en i onmen augmen s ODP wi h CSCW speci ic unc ions and equi emen s. This means ha he ODP en i onmen will suppo all open CSCW Sys ems, bu open CSCW sys ems will be a subse o ODP sys ems. E en hough a se o simila i ies be ween ODP and he app oach owa ds open CSCW sys ems ha e been iden i ied, a di e ence ega ding he in en ion o ODP and he app oach o open CSCW should be men ioned. I is 9 he aim o ODP o mask dis ibu ion and o ob ain po abili y and in e wo king, i.e. o o e come he he e ogenei y be ween ha dwa e, ope a ing sys ems, ne wo ks, p og amming languages. s o age se ices, adminis a ion, and managemen . In con as he cen al aim o an open CSCW en i onmen is o o e come he e ogenei y be ween di e en classes o coope a i e applica ions. Howe e , he bo h o bese app oaches a e s ongly in e dep" and i is likely ha uaue wo k on bo h CSCW and ODP will mu ually in o m each o he . 7. Conclusions This pape has p esen ed a b ie in oduc ion in o CSCW and has examined he need o open CSCW sys ems as well as hei equi emen s. The Mocca p ojec was in oduced wi h i s aim o de elop an en i onmen which will suppo open CSCW sys ems. I was shown ha he expe iew and app oach o ODP can be a aluable ool in ealizing open CSCW sys ems in he u u e. Simila ly, he ODP s anda dhuh e o can bene i bo h om he expe ience o CSCW applica ion de elope s and he equi emen s which CSCW sys ems place upon hei dis ibu ed pla o m. The Mocca g oup will con inue i s wo k on a CSCW en i onmen . 'Ihe ume wo k will ocus an he de ails and in e ela ion o he models ou lined in his pape . The ODP wo k will be obse ed and included in o ou wo k whe e applicable. We a e looking o wa d o a e y in e es ing and exci ing decade o new dis ibu ed CSCW applica ions and we hope ha ou e o s owa ds open CSCW applica ions will be an icipa ed. Re e ences Rodden T., Blai G. " Diseibu ed Sys ems and CSCW: he p oblem o con ol". P oceedings o ECSCW91.25- 27 h Sep emk 1991, Ams e dam, Ne he lands. s anda d documen s on Open Dis ibu ed P ocessing Bannon L.. Schmid K." CSCW: Fou Cha ac e s in Sea ch o a con ex " In J.M. Bowas. S.D. Ben o d (Eds.) S udies in Compu e Suppo ed Coope a i e Wo k, No h-Holland. 1991. Ellis C.A.. Gibbe SJ., Rein G.L. " G oupwa e some issues and expgia es", CO" ACM Vol34, No 1, Janua y 1991. K ei el s T., San o H. (Jlds.) "G oup Suppo Sys ems". Sp inge 92. p inz W.. "Su ey o G oup Communica ion Models and Sys ems" In U. Pankoke Baba z (Ed.) Compu e Based G oup Con munica ion, he AMIGO Ac i i y Model, pp ISO/IEC JTCl/SC21 WD7 (N309-N315). ha s o 127-180, Ellis HOIIVOO~. 1989. [7] Lauwas J.C.. Lank LA. 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