Collaborative Tools Networking Concepts

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Collaborative Tools Networking Concepts

• D.A. Clements

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Just a thought
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Topics

• Instant Messaging
• Wikis
• SharePoint
• Google Docs
• Project Management Software
• Workflow Software

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Instant Messaging (IM)

• Designed primarily for 11 synchronous (in real
  time) chat
• Initially made popular by AOL Instant Messenger
  and ICQ
• Popular services on the public Internet include
• AOL Instant Messenger
• Microsoft Windows Live Messenger
• Yahoo Messenger
• MSN Messenger
• Google Talk
• Damaka
• Gadu-Gadu
• Qnext
• Skype
• .NET Messenger Service
• Jabber
• iChat
• ICQ
• Currently NOT based on open Internet standards
  / protocols
• Unfortunately not easy to interoperate with
  different clients
• AOL stymied early attempts at sharing between
  systems

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IMs Initial Reception

• Users loved it
• Many Net Admins hated it tried to block it
• It entered the organization unapproved
• Viewed as a time waster personal use
• Many slipped in using port 80 (HTTP)
• To get around attempts to block
• Offered some cool service opportunities
• Help desks
• MGH3rd-floor iSchool IT office IMs 4th floor
  lab staff
• Call center staff
• Sales and support staffs

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IM User Base
Source Wikipedia
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Standard for Instant Messaging

• There have been several attempts
• SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
• SIMPLE (SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence
  Leveraging Extensions)
• APEX (Application Exchange)
• Prim (Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol)
• Jabber Open XML-based XMPP (Extensible
  Messaging and Presence Protocol)
• OMA's (Open Mobile Alliance) IMPS (Instant
  Messaging and Presence Service)
• Most attempts at a standard for the major IM
  providers (AOL, Yahoo! and Microsoft) have failed
• Each continues to use its own proprietary protocol

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A Break in the Works

• 10/2005 Microsoft and Yahoo! Announced
• By summer 2006 they would interoperate using
  SIP/SIMPLE
• 12/2005 AOL and Google partnership deal
• Google Talk users could talk with AIM and ICQ
  users provided they have an identity at AOL
• Multiprotocol IM Clients
• Reduce the need for independent clients
• Gaim multiple platforms
• Free under the GNU General Public License
• Trillian Windows application
• Created by Cerulean Studios
• Miranda Windows application

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Windows Live Messenger
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Wikis

• Piece of server software that allows users to
  freely create and edit Web page content using any
  Web browser
• Supports hyperlinks
• Simple syntax for creating new pages and
  crosslinks between internal pages on the fly
• Allows the organization of contributions to be
  edited in addition to the content itself

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Wiki Industry
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SharePoint
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Windows SharePoint Services (WSS)

• Offers collaboration and document management
  functionality by means of web portals
• Organize a site around a shared task
• Employ calendars, document libraries, task lists,
  discussion boards, sub-sites
• Provides a centralized repository for shared
  documents
• Browser-based management and administration

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Windows SharePoint Services (WSS)

• Allows creation of Document libraries can be
  shared for collaborative editing
• Provides access control and revision control for
  documents
• Includes a collection of web parts
• Called web widgets
• Can be embedded into web page
• Provide a certain functionality
• Like a pegboard where you can put widgets
  anywhere you want them
• Each collaborator has to wait until document is
  free

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Google Docs

• Types of shared docs
• Calendaring
• Spreadsheets
• Word Processing
• Model
• You go to docs rather than docs coming to you
• Work on only doc rather than multiple
  copies/multiple versions coexisting

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Project Management Software

• Project management
• Critical support discipline
• Prominent in inception phase
• Include monitoring and controlling projects
• Projects constrained by
• Schedule
• Resources
• Project risks

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Microsoft Project
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Resource Assignment
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Resource Monitoring Leveling
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Calendar View
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PERT Chart (Network Chart)
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Monitoring Progress
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Workflow Software

• Define the workflow tasks
• Automated routing and tracking of
  work-in-progress through the entire development
  process
• Event messaging (email maybe) so that managers
  are alerted to changes
• Encourages collaborative environment
• Facilitates the organization, control and
  production process

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End papers

• What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy
  challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end
  there are no certain answers.
• Martina Horner, President of Radcliffe College