CollabWorx:

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Access control—a method of checking whether a user is allowed to use certain resources (e.g. use the whole system, or start just a limited set of applications).

Active shared objects—collaborative applications that are dependent on their context, for example an applet demonstrating some physical phenomenon embedded in the Web page in Web-based physics curriculum. Technology developed and patented by CollabWorx

API (Application Programming Interface)—a kit consisting of software libraries with detailed documentation that allows other people to implement or connect their application to our system.

Application sessions—a session in a CollabWorx Interactive context is a running application (e.g., whiteboard, videoconference) with multiple users.

Application sharing—the means by which an arbitrary application can be used simultaneously by more than one user; CollabWorx Interactive is a system that enables application sharing.

Authentication—a method of checking or confirming a user's personality. A username/password system or a Kerberos ticket are examples authentication methods.

Authoring system—a software system for creating content, e.g. a system for visual creation of web pages.

Avatar—an on-the-screen representation of a real person; can be a photo, a simple human figure, a 3D widget, etc.

DHTML (Dynamic HTML)—combination of JavaScript/VBScript and enhanced HTML allowing web developers to create dynamic ("living") web pages, either animated or interacting with user's actions.

Dynamic server selection—a feature that allows the user to switch between servers (communities) while working.

Floor control—a method of controlling who is currently in charge of a task. A simple example would be a shared browser in which only one person is able to change the Web pages. This person is said to have the floor control. This status can be passed on other people during a session (the grant master/become master operation) in TANGO Interactive.

Independent data views—this notion describes the situation where users can work on the same content but see it differently. For example, a person with a powerful computer may see a lecture as a set of audio, video and slides, while somebody with a slower computer or dial-up connection may only have access to audio and text version of the slides.

Intranet media—intranets are networks inside organizations. Important features of intranets include small size, little heterogeneity, and higher speed and reliability. Multimedia software designed for intranets offers higher quality than for other networks.

Multicast—an Internet technology for transmitting data simultaneously to many receivers without the need to replicate the data.

Multiple HTTP servers—allow users to get collaboration content from many places at the same time, or users of one community to get the data from the server nearest to their location.

Public/private message—message sent to everybody as opposed to a message sent only to one user.

RealSystem—a system for multimedia publishing and viewing, a brand of Progressive Networks, an Internet multimedia company.

Scripted web applications—applications that can be scripted, that is, controlled by the means of script languages, such as JavaScript. Some of the CollabWorx Interactive scripted applications are implemented entirely in JavaScript, i.e., they are shared interactive web pages.

Sessions in CollabWorx Interactive: basic concepts

Meeting room is created by a user loggin in to a CI Meeting Engine. Other users can join the meeting by logging in. Entries to Meeting Rooms are available as links on a Web page created by a CI Service Provider. The users of a Meeting Room have at their disposal a number of various applications they can use to communicate and work together.

Application is a collaborative tool used by the user to communicate with other users. A Chat or a Whiteboard are examples of CollabWorx Interactive application. TANGO Interactive system supports applications that are applets, JavaScript/DHTML Web page, or arbitrary modules that run outside of the browser. There can be any number of applications available for users of a meeting room. What is available for the meeting room users is defined by the Service Provider. Any number of these applications can be active
at the same time. An active application creates a session.

A session is created by a user starting an application module. Other users can join the session, or the user who started it can open the application for the users present in the meeting room. There can be any number of sessions in a Meeting Room. There can also be any number of users in any of the sessions. A user can participate in multiple sessions of the same application. For instance, user A can open a chat session with users B and C, and join an existing chat session with users C, D, and E.

Participant - a user who takes part in a session. Participant exchanges information with other participants using the application. Each participant can have only one application instance in a given
session. However, the user can concurrently participate in many application sessions. This includes multiple concurrent application sessions of the same type.

Master - a participant that has special privileges in the session. Master controls the state of the session, approves new session participants or starts applications for other participants. The user that started session becomes automatically the master of the session . The master status can be transferred to other users back and forth. This process is known as floor control.

Shared browser—a Web browser that allows many people to browse the content in a synchronous fashion (everybody sees the same page at the same time), and that automatically follows all links in shared fashion.

Server based/client based technologies—a client/server model divides tasks between the client (e.g., your web browser) and a server (e.g., a web server, or a CollabWorx Interactive Meeting Engine). The relative importance of the way the tasks are allocated to the client or the server varies with software system. CollabWorx Interactive is a client-based technology in the sense that its clients, web browsers, incorporate much of complexity and logic of the software.

Shared browser events—any type of event in a browser that can be captured, transmitted and displayed to other instances of the shared browser. Examples of shared browser events would be: change of current URL, entering information in a form, screen scrolling, layer stacking order, etc.

Software/hardware video playback—hardware video playback relies on dedicated hardware (custom video cards etc.); software playback works by means of software only (it implies there is no need to install additional equipment).

Streaming media—this term is used to describe multimedia streams (e.g. RealAudio, MS Media Server, Shoutcast, etc.) transmitted over the Internet and played on a client machine. Media files are large. In contrast to downloaded files, streaming media starts playing as soon as the first chunk of the audio/video data arrives, the rest coming later as a stream.

Synchronous/asynchronous—synchronous systems support a task at a given time, e.g. two people simultaneously editing a document. An asynchronous system does not place time constraints on its users. For example, e-mail is an asynchronous systems as users can read and write messages at a time they choose. Interactive Synchronous Distance Learning (ISDL) refers to a live interactive classroom held over the Internet/Intranet; asynchronous distance learning most often is used
to refer to curricula accessible on-line from a web browser.

Whiteboard—an application that allows users to collaboratively make simple or complex drawings.

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