bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping office work to office technology
Authors: Sasso William C. , Kim Sung K.
Published: June 2007

While several procedures designed to facilitate office analysis have achieved success with respect to describing what happens in the office, they have contributed far less with respect to prescribing how computer-based technologies can support the office. Here we present TEMO (TEchnological Mapping of Office-work), a procedure which aids the analyst in determining the feasibility of supporting a given office task and suggests which specific software packages might improve performance of that task. In order to illustrate the procedure's application, we present a case in which TEMO is applied, in step-by-step fashion, in order to assess the feasibility of automating a simple set of tasks and to assist in the selection of an appropriate software package. Directions of continuing work in the procedure's extension, enhancement, and evaluation are also described.
Providing intelligent assistance in distributed office environments
Authors: Nirenburg Sergei , Lesser Victor
Published: June 2007

We argue that a task-centered, an agent-centered and a cognition-oriented perspective are all needed for providing intelligent assistance in distributed office environments. We present the architecture for a system called OFFICE that combines these three perspectives. We illustrate this architecture through an example.
A new approach to modeling office documents
Authors: Wang Jason T. , Ng Peter A. , Mhlanga Fortune S.
Published: June 2007

This paper describes a data model that adopts a very natural view of modeling office documents. A document in the model is represented in a semi-structured form, called a frame instance. Different frame instances can be grouped into a folder. The paper presents an informal description of the algebraic language for retrieving frame instances from the folders. The proposed data model has been implemented into a personal document processing system. Some implementation techniques and the current status of the system are also reported.
A mathematical framework to implement statistical databases
Authors: Costa Miro
Published: June 2007

The objective of this paper is to define a mathematical framework for statistical Databases (SDB) and to show how it can be implemented. Matrix algebra is used as a tool in the representation of statistical databases. The matrix algebra operations are considered the building blocks for the implementation of inference control methods. The rigor of this approach can be very beneficial for further studies on this topic. The implementation of Inference Control Methods for SDBs can be greatly simplified if this approach is used. Inference Control methods release aggregate information from a SDB about large subsets of records in a form that attempts to protect individual privacy. The implementation of specific Inference Control Methods (ICM) will be presented in a future publication. Several examples of typical operations on SDBs are presented in the text. SAS/IML was used to implement the ideas proposed here. The samples were prepared and tested using a personal computer (486 IBM/PC compatible) and a mainframe (IBM 4381) available at CSU, Chico.
On the Partitioning of Function in Distributed Collaboration Systems
Authors: Menges John , Jeffay Kevin
Published: June 2007

A large number of experimental (and a few commercial) distributed synchronous collaboration support systems have been developed to date for the UNIX
4
/X environment. These systems typically fall into one of two categories: toolkits for collaborative application development, and shared window systems. Collaboration toolkits usually focus on supporting the development of collaboration-aware applications, and shared window systems are typically in tended to make existing single-user (collaboration-unaware) applications available to multiple users concurrently. The two types of systems are usually developed and used independently; that is, integrated systems with the capabilities of both types of systems are rare.This field of research is now mature enough that we can identify the major components of such systems and the functions they typically provide. In this paper we analyze a typical partitioning of function among the usual set of components, and suggest changes that can be made to this partitioning to improve the characteristics of future collaborative support systems. In the process, we find that our re-distribution of function makes it easier to develop integrated systems supporting both collaboration-aware and collaboration-unaware applications.
A proposed structured collaboration architecture—derived from Scrutiny project
Authors: Gintell John W. , McKenney Roland F.
Published: June 2007

This position paper describes a proposed architecture for a family of collaborative applications where the collaboration is governed by a definable process. The architecture is derived from lessons learned and generalizations made from a recently completed three year project to build and use Scrutiny, a distributed CSCW system for performing software inspection and review.
An infrastructure for cooperative applications based on conventional database transactions
Authors: Ritter N.
Published: June 2007

'Computer-Supported Cooperative Work' (CSCW) is a young, interdisciplinary research area considering applications with strong demands on multiple fields of computer technology, e.g., distributed systems and networks, or multi-media systems. In this paper, we will be focusing on the information-sharing aspect and the corresponding activity-control aspect. Employing database systems for the management of shared data means dealing with conventional transactions. Crucial issues of the classical transaction concept are the isolated execution and the underlying notion of consistency. Whereas consistency support is necessary for any multi-user application, strict isolation seems to contradict the cooperation issue (release of preliminary data). As a consequence, the transaction concept plays a key role due to consistency management, but cooperation control must be supported by additional facilities. Therefore, we exploit the classical transaction as the basic operational unit in the infrastructure we propose for cooperative applications. Transactions are well suited for the execution of the elementary actions into which the work of a cooperating user can be decomposed. Beside these elementary actions, further types of activities can be observed in cooperative work arrangements. In order to give a comprehensive activity support, our infrastructure provides several abstractional layers: classical transactions, version manipulations, tool invocations, workflow executions and explicit cooperation control actions. Multiple possibilities of interplay between these layers make this infrastructure feasible to different classes of cooperative applications.
Business process reengineering
Authors: Barothy Thomas , Peterhans Markus , Bauknecht Kurt
Published: June 2007

This paper provides an overview of published articles on Business Process Reengineering (BPR). Therefore it reports on an extensive literature review which identified BPR articles published in respected MIS outlets and/or written by three key proponents in the field. Besides manual examination of leading MIS journals and proceedings, the study incorporated a query in the ABI Inform Global reference database locating 552 items. The resulting 17 BPR articles are analyzed according to research approach and content. The analysis gives first insights into the development and state of BPR as a new research field. Based on this analysis we assess BPR and propose suggestions for further research.
User participation in information systems development techniques and tools
Authors: Guevara-Plaza A. , Aguayo-Maldonado A. , Falgueras-Cano J. , Triguero-Ruiz F.
Published: June 2007

This work attempts to give a new direction to the analysis and design of Business Information Systems by substituting traditional techniques with more participatory techniques based on cooperation. In order to attain this objective, a review of organisational structures is suggested, as well as the use of cooperative methodology for the development of Information Systems. Equally, we propose the design and implementation of a set of cooperative tools which are characterised by an interface that allows end-user participation in the new phases of system creation.
Audit commission fifth triennial survey
Authors: Mills Allan , Richards Tom , Kappelman Leon
Published: June 2007

In October 1994 the Audit Commission published it's fifth triennial survey on the extent of computer fraud and abuse. Entitled "Opportunity makes a thief - an analysis of computer abuse". It makes disturbing reading. The survey was compiled from over 1000 responses to 5500 questionnaires distributed to a broad range of organizations covering both the public and private sectors. The Audit Commission is a British commission which is responsible for the statutory external audit of local authorities and water authorities in England and Wales.
What is the shape of information?
Authors: Dillon Andrew
Published: June 2007

At Indiana, we are currently investigating several aspects of electronic document usage that relate to the organization of information in digital environments. This work is collectively referred to under the heading: the perception of shape in information. The aim of this research is to identify aspects of presentation that afford users with a sense of location and order in electronic space, and to transfer these findings to developers of digital library applications. As well as empirical research, SLIS is involved in the development of a number of practical projects involving the campus libraries utilizing sociotechnical approaches to design (e.g., Eason, 1988), but it is the research component of our efforts that will be emphasized here.A unified perspective for this work is provided by the TIMS framework (Dillon, 1994) which is derived from studies of user interaction with electronic and paper documents. The framework is intended to be an approximate representation of the human cognition and behaviour central to the reading or information usage process.The framework focuses attention on all aspects of hypermedia design that are likely to impact the user - from an understanding of their tasks to low level ergonomic issues of screen design and typography. In particular, current research is focusing on aspects of the Information Model component, with emphasis on the issues of navigation, salience and structure in WWW environments, and the use of dynamics to enhance usability. Finally, the present work is being related to broader issues of technology acceptance, through the application of Davis et al's (1989) Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in the context of WWW applications. In the present document, a snapshot of this research is presented; the reader should note however that this work is part of the broader research program on digital library usability ongoing here in Indiana.
Organizational learning with flexible workflow management systems
Authors: Hermann Thomas , Just-Hahn Katharina
Published: June 2007

The research activities on which the following hypotheses are based are concerned with the social implications of workflow management systems (wms) and with the question of how the necessary extent of autonomy of workers can still be guaranteed under the conditions of wms [Herrmann, 95]. We have learnt that the ability of workers for autonomy and improvisation cannot evolve if wms are not adaptable. If wms are adapted by workers, it might be sensible that the result of the adaptation is stored for further application. Consequently, the organization of business processes is changed if their workflow models are adapted. We understand that this is a specific version of organizational learning, because more than one member of an organization as well as the coordination between them is affected. The adaptation of a wms includes organizational learning under three perspectives:• before a suggested adaptation has reached a state of maturity and is accepted by the members of an organization, a process of learning is required• people must be trained to carry out their tasks in accordance with the adaptation - this requires another kind of learning• the experience with those two aspects above can be used to facilitate the next process of adaptation - this is a kind of organizational learning on a meta-level.We focus on the first perspective. Since nearly every adaptation affects other cooperators the necessity for negotiation between them is obvious. We realized that the course of negotiation can be understood as a process of
organizational learning
. Where as, the adapted workflow model can be considered as a kind of
organizational memory
.
Promoting the organization-wide learning of application software
Authors: Linton Frank
Published: June 2007

This paper describes the characteristics of a system designed to promote one sort of organizational learning (Senge, 1990), in particular, to enhance the organization-wide learning of application software (note 1). The system presented here will (1) capture evolving expertise from a community of practice (Lave & Wenger 1991), (2) support less-skilled members of the community in acquiring that expertise, and (3) serve as an organizational memory for the expertise it captures. One version of the system has been partially implemented for a software engineering environment (Linton, 1990).In many workplaces … mastery is in short supply and what is required is a kind of collaborative bootstrapping of expertise. (Eales & Welch, 1995, p. 100)The main goal of the design is to continuously improve the performance of application users by providing individualized coaching based on the automated comparison of user logs to expert models. The system discussed here would be suitable for situations in which the following assumptions are true:(1) People who hold similar jobs and perform similar tasks have similar software usage patterns, e.g., managers use spreadsheet financial functions when preparing budgets, researchers use multiple views of the text when preparing journal articles, and salespeople use standard request forms when making travel arrangements.(2) Some people systematically make better use of their applications than others.(3) Everyone benefits when employees become optimal users of their application software (note 2).The fundamental requirement of the envisioned system is the capability to log the software usage patterns of a large number of individuals. Networked PC computing has recently made this logging requirement practical.
Payment systems for hypermedia information systems
Authors: Bakhtiari S. , Safavi-Naini R. , Gonzalez R. , Beadle H. W. Peter
Published: June 2007

Before the transition of the Internet from being primarily an academic and research vehicle to a commercial one can occur, suitable electronic payment systems must be deployed. Currently a variety of different schemes are proposed featuring varying degrees of security. Internet environment requires support for both micro and macro payment systems. It is unlikely that any one scheme can satisfy the requirements of all the intended applications. This paper gives a brief evaluation of the major categories of payment schemes in the context low cost payments for a hypermedia information system.
Multisignature algorithms for ISO 9796
Authors: Russell Selwyn
Published: June 2007

Digital multisignatures improve security of digital signatures and reduce fraud by collusion. ISO 9796 is specified for a single signer only. This letter explains how multisignatures may be incorporated, including alterations to the key generation algorithms.
How to implement ISDNs without user observability---Someremarks
Authors: Pfitzmann Andreas
Published: June 2007

In present day communication networks, the network operator or an intruder could easily observe when, how much and with whom the users communicate (traffic analysis), even if the users employ end-to-end encryption. With the increasing use of ISDNs, this becomes a severe threat.Therefore, we summarize basic concepts to keep the recipient and sender or at least their relationship unobservable, consider some possible implementations and necessary hierarchical extensions, and propose and evaluate some suitable performance and reliability enhancements.
Monitoring database performance—a control issue
Authors: Guynes Carl S.
Published: June 2007

This paper attempts to examine the major control and performance issues associated with database management systems. Monitoring and evaluation of database systems is necessary in order to maintain effective security, audit, and control in a computer-based environment. A database system must perform at a level that is acceptable to both database users and the database administration team. The database system is expected to perform many different functions for the organization. It is one of the database administator's jobs to determine what performance expectations are realistic and how to control the performance of the database. If a database system is to be effective, it must meet the expectations of the user community.
Computer crimes and the current legislation
Authors: Shahabuddin Syed
Published: June 2007

Computers are becoming more affordable and, therefore, more accessible. This accessibility provides a unique opportunity for potential criminals to commit computer crimes. These crimes could and do cause serious problems for businesses and the society. Therefore, securing computer data should be the top priority of the society. Many security measures along with good legislation could go a long way to help secure the data. Many states have passed legislation to help prevent computer crimes. In addition, there are many hardware and software available to help secure the computer data. All these measures are discussed in this paper.
DES key crunching for safer cypher keys
Authors: Grant Lynn
Published: June 2007

Providing passwords or cipher keys that are easy to remember but hard to guess has long been a problem. Message authentication techniques used by the banking industry can be harnessed to provide such keys. These techniques combine the bit-shuffling properties of the Data Encryption Standard with the error-propagation properties of cipher block chaining. The result is an algorithm that takes a long, but easily remembered, string of characters, such as a snippet of verse or a familiar jingle, and transforms it into a key. The transformed key is highly sensitive to any changes in the input string.
Communication security in a distributed network
Authors: Wright Marie A.
Published: June 2007

In order for a distributed network to function securely, the integrity of the data transmitted over the communication links must be maintained. The use of either link encryption or end-to-end encryption will help to maintain the integrity of transmitted data, although there are differences in the level of security which they provide. This paper begins with an analysis of link encryption and end-to-end encryption. Five communication security goals are then described which concern the protection of transmitted data through the use of these encryption techniques.
Multiplication of large integers by the use of modular arithmetic
Authors: Guinier Daniel
Published: June 2007

Computing the long multiplication in fixed-radix representation
is described first which suggests the use of two mixed solutions: first the sequentialisation of Karatsuba's algorithm by its extension to hexa and octo-mul then their judicious combination plus Implementation in Occam 2 language.
Computing the long multiplication in modular representation
. Including the principles of modular arithmetic and the
Chinese remainder
theorem, with efficient methods, is given in detail, together with their implementation for
transformation from integer fixed-radix to modular and back again
. Choice for modulil are made to compute the Inverse modulo efficiently without a need for the Euclid's algorithm.

Montgomery's method for
"Computing the long multiplication without trial division"

for avoiding time consuming integer-modular-integer conversions at each multiplication-square step is described. It is possible to apply such a method to the exponentiation process currently used in Cryptography because It is interesting to use it only in the case where several multiplications are done in modulo N.
Cryptographic applications for computing asymmetric keys
may use the present implementations to advantage.
Software transfer & integrity
Authors: Davis Russell
Published: June 2007

Software corruption is of primary concern for those who must transfer code between machines. This paper examines the benefits of good software design and the distribution of source code. The dialogue concludes with a sample software development activity using the described controls.
Developing a computer security charter
Authors: Steinberg Tad
Published: June 2007

The establishment of a charter is one of the most important elements in developing and maintaining a successful Computer Security program within an organization. This article will present guidelines that the Computer Security practitioner can follow to create a new charter or improve an existing one.
High assurance composite systems
Authors: Fellows Jonathan
Published: June 2007

This paper describes a possible architecture for an MLS-secure distributed system based on a client/server model of interaction between components, and argues that a system with such an architecture can meet high levels of assurance using the same models and practices of existing stand-alone systems. The scope of the paper is limited to the label-based Mandatory Access Control Policy described in the U.S. Department of Defense Trusted Computer Security Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) [DOD85], along with a number of supporting policies needed to support the mandatory policy. Mandatory policy enforcement was chosen as the topic for this paper in the belief that demonstration of composite trusted systems should proceed first with simple policies, and then later be extended to include other policies such as discretionary controls and availability.
Translation among WYSIWYG word processors in Chameleon
Authors: Mamrak Sandra A. , Joseph Craig L.
Published: June 2007

There is a need for widespread exchange of electronic documents in domains as diverse as book publishing, automated offices, factories, and research laboratories. The broad variety of data representations, particularly data created by wysiwyg word processors, is an obstacle to this exchange. This paper describes how the Chameleon translation-generation system accommodates this class of electronic documents. A comparison to an existing commercial product, with similar functionality, is also presented.
Two-&-Two, a high level system for retrieving pairs of documents
Authors: Wiesner Stephen J.
Published: June 2007

This paper describes the design and operation of Two-&-Two, a program for finding pairs of documents which form a bridge between two inputs. Two-&-Two is built on top of Finder, a retrieval system based on relevance feedback that operates on the massively parallel Connection Machine System.
A natural language interface to a multiple databased office information system
Authors: Desai Bipin C. , Pollock Richard J. , Vincent Philip J.
Published: June 2007

As an organization grows through mergers and acquisitions and through the integration of independently designed information sub-systems, it could find itself faced with a collection of databases implemented on heterogeneous database management systems. This paper presents a system to provide integrated access to multiple, independently designed databases through a portable natural language front-end and a multiple database access system back-end.The overall system is divided into a natural language interface (NLI) front-end and a multiple database access system (MDAS) back-end. The MDAS integrates the various conceptual views into a single global external schema. In a prototype of the overall system, the NLI will accept a natural language query and produce a relational calculus query expression over a global external schema. The MDAS will construct the response to the query by accessing the separate constituent databases through the local database management systems (DBMS's).
D.S.P.P.: a data security pipe protocol for PC's,large scale systems or networks
Authors: Guinier Daniel
Published: June 2007

D.S.P.P.: Data Security Pipe Protocol is an original asymetric cryptographic time dependent public auto-key protocol applied to data security. This protocol has been designed for secrecy in data files or end-to-end data communications and to solve problems involving intruders in networks or locally and also to avoid cheating by contractors ... in other words to answer the question:
Is it possible for Michael and François to communicate in perfect security without cheating each other and without interference from a 'third party' in the network ...even they are total strangers...?
with respect with conviviality and simplicity for use !According to theoretical considerations on the most efficient methods of computing in multi-precision modular arithmetic, we use Mersenne primes of 521, 607 and potentially 1279 binary digits and a random generator of very large period claimed to be O (10
174
) which presents good statistical proprieties and recently developed by Guinier D. (1986). Auto-public keys are single because they are message-signature-day-time-dependent and change their values at each computer tick I This protocol is applied to digital signatures, notarification, data integrity and confidentiality. The actual implementation in structured Fortran 77 works on a personal computer PC/AT and could be used as well on large scale systems as on networks. Encryption-decryption rate on PC's is O (1000 characters per second) and public or communication keys are generated from 3 seconds to some minutes depending on the key length in use (127, 521, 607 or 1279-bit).
A model for electronic documents
Authors: Koo Richard
Published: June 2007

A model for electronic documents is proposed. This model has two components: a directed acyclic graph structure and a set of constraints. These two components are used to describe the relationships among the data of documents. This model is more general than models previously proposed.
Proposal for a “C virus” database
Authors: Guinier D.
Published: June 2007

The need for a better knowledge of Self-Reproducing Programs (SRP's)
alias "viruses"
, Worms, Trojan horses and other destructive things leads us to propose the establishment of a special database relative to them as suggested in the paper entitled
"Biological versus Computer Viruses, A better understanding for a better defense".
Such a
C-VIRUS
database will be useful to notify, describe and store
new or known entities
in a standard format and will help to discover the means of countering new risks?
An interface for the acquisition and display of office procedures
Authors: Mahling D. E. , Croft W. B.
Published: June 2007

A central problem in the design of intelligent office systems is the acquisition of knowledge about office procedures. In this paper we describe a graphical interface for the acquisition and display of office procedures from a goal- and plan-based perspective. The DACRON interface is based on a model of the office workers' view of work. DACRON supports the acquisition of plan knowledge by providing graphical representations of domain entities from the users' point of view. It allows the display and view of office procedures graphically. An experimental usability study, involving more than twenty subjects, shows that DACRON can be used to acquire plan knowledge and give relevant advice.
A set-to-set linking strategy for hypertext systems
Authors: Hara Y. , Kasahara Y.
Published: June 2007

This paper proposes a set-to-set linking model with the purpose of improving the trade-off between link organizing/updating costs and link utilization benefits. This model is based on a value-document linking structure in a multi-facet schema, that is, a schema-instance linking structure which helps to decrease the total number of links. It provides a series of traversing operations to create dynamically the related document set step-by-step in accord with certain specified values. A prototype fine arts encyclopedia demonstrates the usefulness of this linking strategy.
PENDS: an approach to modeling and retrieving “pending” information
Authors: Subramanian R.
Published: June 2007

Recently there has been tremendous interest in temporal data modeling. The scope of most proposed temporal models has been restricted to historical, or past data. We believe that a complete temporal database must deal with historical data as well as data relating to the future (pending data). In this paper we expand the previous work on temporal modeling by introducing the 'pending' dimension. We also specify a (pending) query and update language, which is an extension of the GORDAS ER query language. We use an inventory management environment and show that our model and query language can handle complex pending situations.
Shared hardware: a novel technology for computer support of face to face meetings
Authors: Halonen D. , Horton M. , Kass R. , Scott P.
Published: June 2007

This paper describes the Capture Lab, a computer supported meeting room in use at the EDS Center for Machine Intelligence since late 1987. Most computer supported meeting environments implement a
simple hardware
approach, where a single computer controlled by a trained technician or facilitator is used, or else adopt a
groupware
approach, where each user has a personal machine and special-purpose software is used to support group activities. In contrast, the Capture Lab implements a
shared hardware
approach, in which each meeting participant has a personal computer, but can easily access a shared public computer as well. We discuss the advantages and limitations of this approach, based on our observations of how the room is used, and compare it to the simple hardware and groupware approaches.
Commune: a shared drawing surface
Authors: Bly S. A. , Minneman S. L.
Published: June 2007

Careful observation of small-group design sessions suggests that the process of creating, referring to, and using drawings may be as important to the design process as the drawings themselves. Based on studies of the uses of drawing spaces. Commune was developed to allow designers working remotely to share a drawing surface and to engage in many of the interactions available in conventional face-to-face situations. The design of Commune makes marks and 2-dimensional cursor gestures visible simultaneously to all users, allows rapid transitions among drawing, writing, and gesturing, and provides a shared space with actions from multiple users occurring simultaneously. These capabilities support natural uses of the drawing surface during the interaction: the ability to interact on each other's marks, to emphasize talk with marks and gestures, to reference previous illustrations and concepts, and to interweave talk and drawing actions fluidly
.
An object-oriented data model for distributed office applications
Authors: Bertino E. , Negri M. , Pelagatti G. , Sbattella L.
Published: June 2007

The object-oriented paradigm is becoming very popular for database applications and several object-oriented DBMSs have been developed. A basic notion in this paradigm is the inheritance hierarchy that allows the users to define objects and the associated operations starting from already defined objects. However, in database applications the inheritance hierarchy must provide a conceptual modeling function, in addition to the re-usability function. Another important requirement is to provide support for data distribution in (possibly) heterogeneous environments. This means that object implementation may differ depending on the object location. This paper presents a model that decouples these two aspects, modeling vs implementation, by using the concept of abstract and implementation classes. An abstract class specifies properties and methods for a set of similar objects, like in other object-oriented data models. An abstract class is however independent of the object implementation and location. An implementation class defines the implementation of an abstract class. In our model an abstract class may have several implementations. This allows the user to provide different implementations for the same set of objects, without requiring the objects to change class.
Office documents on a database kernel—filing, retrieval, and archiving
Authors: Zabback P. , Paul H. B. , Deppisch U.
Published: June 2007

One of the main component of integrated office systems is the large central filing system. It efficiently stores, retrieves and searches office documents containing text, images, graphics, data and voice. We propose to implement a filing system on top of the Darmstadt database system (DASDBS), which is designed as a data management kernel for both standard and non-standard applications. This paper investigates the choice of appropriate storage structures for the filing system objects and the realization of the system by using the kernel. Furthermore we discuss the efficient retrieval support of office objects by signatures and introduce a new archival approach by using storage media like optical disks.
The impact of electronic mail on managerial and organizational communications
Authors: Sumner Mary
Published: June 2007

The primary objectives of this study were to determine how an electronic mail system was being used by manager and professionals in a business setting and to describe its cognitive, affective and behavioral impacts. The organizational impacts reported by the respondents were compared with research-based evidence reported by experts in an earlier study by Kerr and Hiltz. The results showed that electronic mail was used extensively to displace phone calls and memos particularly for “organizing” activities, such as scheduling events, asking questions, and providing feedback. The experiences of the users showed that electronic mail reduced lag times in distributing information, created more flexible working hours, and provided lateral linkages throughout the organization. More pervasive social impacts of electronic mail, such as changes in social structure, expansion in group size, and increase in span of control, were not experienced to a marked degree.
Disaligning macro, meso and micro due process: a case study of office automation in Quebec colleges
Authors: Blanchard Francois , Cambrosio Alberto
Published: June 2007

By drawing on recent studies of computing in the interactionist tradition, and more particularly on the notion of due process, the paper presents a case study of the introduction of office automation in Quebec colleges. Failures to reach negotiated agreements about conflicting representations of ongoing work processes in software systems are categorized by actors as problems of “fitting”, i.e. of achieving a satisfactory balance between needs and technology. Representations of what constitutes an “appropriate fit” are accompanied by representations of the appropriate organizational level at which a “good fit” may be attained. In our study, this has resulted in the displacement over time of the locus of software design. The disalignment of levels of work organization appears to be a central part of the work of achieving a temporary closure of the due process problem and should be taken into account when attempting to provide computational solutions to this problem.
Playing the language-games of design and use-on skill and participation
Authors: Ehn Pelle
Published: June 2007

This paper deals with computers and cooperative work. Focus in not on applications for cooperative work, but on the cooperative process of designing such and other computer applications. Focus is on the role of skill and participation in design as a creative and communicative process.

The paper suggests a need to go beyond the Cartesian philosophical assumptions of rationalistic reasoning as epistemology and dualism as ontology, so strongly embedded in traditional design methods.

There are many philosophical candidates for such a reinterpretation. In this paper I have chosen to elaborate on language-games and the ordinary language philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein. Hence, focus is on the shift in design from language as description towards language as action.

Some consequences of such a shift is illustrated with reflections on examples from UTOPIA (a research and development project for skill enhancing computer based tools for graphic workers), and with design ideas on an application simulator from a new research programme on Cooperative Design and Communication.
Automatic generation of hypertext knowledge bases
Authors: Hahn Udo , Reimer Ulrich
Published: June 2007

A model of knowledge-based text condensation is presented which has been implemented as part of the text analysis system TOPIC. The condensation process transforms the text representation structures resulting from the text parse into a more abstract thematic description of what the text is about, filtering out irrelevant knowledge structures and preserving only the most salient concepts. The topical structure of a text, finally, is represented in a hierarchical text graph which supports variable degrees of abstraction for text summarization as well as content-oriented retrieval of text knowledge. Due to their non-linear organization, text graphs share a lot of similarities with hypertexts. Their contribution to this field incorporates a methodology for the automatic generation of hypertexts from given full-text files, a close coupling of basic hypertext notions (links, nodes) to the formal specifications of a frame representation model, and conceptual navigation and filtering facilities which allow a user-defined level of information granularity when accessing hypertext knowledge bases.
Employing voice back channels of facilitate audio document retrieval
Authors: Schmandt Chris
Published: June 2007

Human listeners use voice
back channels
to indicate their comprehension of a talker's remarks. This paper describes an attempt to build a user interface capable of employing these back channel responses for flow control purposes while presenting a variety of audio information to a listener. Acoustic evidence based on
duration
and
prosody
(rhythm and melody) of listeners' utterances is employed as a means of discriminating responses by discourse function without using word recognition. Such an interface has been applied to three tasks: speech synthesis of driving directions, speech synthesis of electronic mail, and retrieval of recorded voice messages.
An application oriented approach to view updates
Authors: Klein Johannes , Reuter Andreas
Published: June 2007

Views are an indispensable mechanism for providing flexible database access in a workstation environment. On the other hand, views created from more than one base relation have complex and in some cases contradicting update semantics. In this paper we suggest to distinguish between object types as the units for data manipulation and views as the data structures materializing these objects. Hence, the same view can represent different object types, and depending on which of them the user is granted access, we can infer simple and coherent semantics, even for complex view definitions.
An object oriented system implementing KNOs
Authors: Casais Eduardo
Published: June 2007

We discuss a distributed object-oriented system written in LISP that implements KNOs (KNowledge acquisition, dissemination and manipulation Objects). The system emphasizes advanced features like object autonomy, mobility and dynamic inheritance. The objects are active, independent entities that can travel in a local area network and protect themselves from external aggressions. A dynamic inheritance mechanism enables them to modify their behaviour during their lifetime. We give a description of our system, illustrate its functionality with selected examples, and discuss its advantages for software development and Office Information Systems.
Object management system concepts
Authors: Zdonik Stanley B.
Published: June 2007

An office database should be a “total” information resource in that it should be capable of storing data of many arbitrary types. Users of such a system should be able to store conveniently their documents and graphics objects in the same logical storage space as their more traditional records-oriented data.

This paper presents a data model that can be used to describe more effectively the objects that occur naturally in the office environment. This model exploits some of the richer semantics of office objects such as the containment of one object within another (e.g., reports contain chapters) and the version histories of objects and their constituent parts. This model forms the basis for our experimental object management system which is used to support the creation of new office application programs.
An architecture for object management in OIS
Authors: Ahlsén Matts , Björnerstedt Anders , Britts Stefan , Hultén Christer , Söderlund Lars
Published: June 2007

The design of a prototype for an application development environment in OIS (Office Information Systems), OPAL, is outlined. OPAL is based on an object management approach.

The paper starts with a short discussion on object oriented systems and some important related concepts including Modularity, Instantiation, Property Inheritance and Subclassing, Active Objects and finally OIS-Modeling Tools.

The authors' effort in this direction, OPAL, is based on the PACKET concept, which is the principal data and action structuring device. Programs, data including large data bases, meta-data as well as system defined components are all represented as objects which in turn are implemented as packets. Since all components in the system are considered as objects, it is possible to manage them all in a uniform way which in turn simplifies the system tremendously.
Modeling the office structure
Authors: Aiello Luigia , Nardi Daniele , Panti Maurizio
Published: June 2007

A structural description formalism for the construction of office models is proposed. In this formalism an office is represented in terms of interacting agents. Each agent is characterized by a structural component and a specification of the office functions he is enabled to perform.

The advantages of our approach to office modeling are generality and flexibility. In fact, the formalism allows to model various kinds of office organizations and to reflect changes and updates in the office structure.

The model is intended to be the basis for the construction of an integrated Office Information System and of an Office Expert System which is a tool for decision making in the domain of office organization.
Software for interactive on-line conferences
Authors: Sarin Sunil K. , Greif Irene
Published: June 2007

A layered architecture for the implementation of real-time conferences is presented. In a real-time conference a group of users each at his or her own workstation, share identical views of on-line application information. The users cooperate in a problem solving task by interactively modifying or editing the shared view or the underlying information, and can use a voice communication channel for discussion and negotiation.

The lower layer in this architecture, named Ensemble, supports the sharing of arbitrary application-defined objects among the participants of a conference, and the manipulation of these objects via one or more application-defined groups of commands called activities. Ensemble provides generic facilities for sharing objects and activities, and for dynamically adding and removing participants in a conference; these can be used in constructing real-time conferencing systems for many different applications. An example is presented of how the Ensemble functions can be used to implement a shared bitmap with independent participant cursors.

The relation between this layered architecture and the ISO Open Systems Interconnection reference model is discussed. In particular, it is argued that Ensemble represents a plausible first step toward a Session-layer protocol for “multi-endpoint connections”, a neglected area of communication protocol development.
OTTER - An information retrieval system for office automation
Authors: Sacco Giovanni Maria
Published: June 2007

Design choices and most important features of an information retrieval system for office automation are described. The office environment is shown to be quite different from the traditional bibliographic search environment for which well-established information retrieval techniques exist. Therefore, the system offers facilities to model the semantics of portions of text (for example numeric data), to acquire a certain amount of user knowledge, and to support repetitive interactions.

All pertinent documents are presented to the user, with the system ordering them in inverse estimated relevance order. It is shown that no single estimator can accurately estimate document relevance, because intended user access patterns are different. Consequently, knowledge on how the user wants to access data is acquired, and the appropriate estimators are used in each case.
Form document management system SPECDOQ its architecture and implementation
Authors: Kitagawa Hiroyuki , Gotoh Makiko , Misaki Sohei , Azuma Motoei
Published: June 2007

Architecture and implementation of a form document management system SPECDOQ are presented. The system automates or semi-automates manipulation of conventional form documents combining alphanumeric and Kanji/Kana character strings, texts, and graphics. SPECDOQ features uniform management of the document database in terms of unnormalized relations, named nested tables. Complicated manipulation of form documents can be accomplished by combinations of abstract, algebraic operations on the nested tables. The system also features graphics-based user friendly manipulation of external form documents on the screen. Architectural key concepts in SPECDOQ and their implementation are explained. Some system-user interaction examples and early experiences on SPECDOQ field use are also given in this paper.
Towards an integrated environment for accessing external databases
Authors: Heimbigner Dennis
Published: June 2007

Diverse is a system that is designed to provide sophisticated access to external database systems. The requirements for such a system are outlined and the Diverse architecture is proposed for meeting those requirements. The Diverse system is built upon a relational database system for storing data and a knowledge base for interpreting procedural information. Diverse is intended to be an integrated environment consisting of a directory of information about the operation and semantics of external databases and media, a syntax-directed database translator, and a dialogue system for mechanizing routine operations.
An object-oriented Office Document Architecture model for processing and interchange of documents
Authors: Horak W. , Krönert G.
Published: June 2007

The office document architecture model provides for the description of the internal structures and correlations in documents independently of applications. The Technical Committee TC 2 of the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) is currently developing the standards Office Document Architecture (ODA) and Office Document Interchange Formats (ODIF). It is in close liaison with ISO/TC97/SC18/ WG3, which has the same working target, and with the CCITT Commission VIII, which is standardizing the Teletex and Facsimile Group 4 Mixed Mode Of Operation. The ODA model is for a comprehensive description of documents and is a basis for interchange formats, that support not only reproduction, but also editing and formatting of documents at the receiving end.