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Enhancing Communication: Tools & Solutions for Modern Interaction

Explore diverse communication tools like email, instant messaging, web forums, video conferencing, voice over IP, and collaborative text editing to streamline interactions in a digital world. Learn about different platforms, benefits, and solution approaches.

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Enhancing Communication: Tools & Solutions for Modern Interaction

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  1. Available Communication Tools Lutz Suhrbier (suhrbier@inf.fu-berlin.de) AG Netzbasierte Informationssysteme (http://nbi.inf.fu-berlin.de) FU Berlin, FB Mathematik und Informatik, Institut für Informatik 23/01/2007 Kew, EDIT WP5 Modellers Workshop

  2. Overview • Communication tools • Scenarios and Requirements • Solution approaches • Benefits and „Visions“ 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  3. Email • „Classic“ message exchange method for • Storing, composing sending and receiving messages • Arbitrary file attachments • Transport protocol: SMTP • Message storage/retrieval either • client side (POP3) or • server side (IMAP) • Message retrieval using MUA: • Mozilla Thunderbird -> • MS Outlook 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  4. Mailing Lists and Newsgroups • Mailling Lists • Collection of e-mail adresses • Used to send messages to multiple recipients • Messages received by a closed group of list subscribers • Newsgroups • Internet/Intranet message repository (archive of e-mails) • Used to discuss specific topics • message are organised into threads • Arranged into hierachies, making it simpler to find related groups e.g • sci.* for scientific or comp.* for computer • Functionally similar to web forums • Usually managed with modern mail clients 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  5. Instant Messaging eg. ICQ, AIM, MSN conversation only between two persons requires a client, manages a contact list Chat Room eg. IRC requires a server and clients on each machine several rooms each with a specific topic usually moderated Chats • Real time conversation between persons (usually text based) • Two types 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  6. Web Forums Special website for discussions and user generated content „Modern“ version of newsgroups Composed of several user generated threads with specific topics each Threads archived on server for further reading and editing Many platforms provide additional syntax for • adding media • formatting content Usually moderated and managed 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  7. Voice over IP • Routing of voice conversations through IP-based networks • Requires fast internet connection • Skype • Easy to use • Max. 5 subscribers per conference • Very good voice-quality • Provides direct file exchange • Website integration through anchors • skype:user1?call (Call to user1) • skype:user1?chat (Chat with user1) • skype:user1?add (add user1 to your contacts) • skype:user1;user2?call (conference with user1 and user2) • skype:user1;user2?sendfile (send file to user1 and user2) • Teamspeak • Requires a server • Conferences up to 32 persons • bad voice-quality in comparision to Skype • No web integration 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  8. Video Conferencing • Multimedia calls between multiple locations • Video, voice, other data (optional), application sharing • Additional hardware required • Camera, microphone, headset, speakers • High bandwith for each endpoint in both directions required • Several different platforms and standards • e.g. H.323, H.320, T.120, H.239, SIP • Popular Clients • Netmeeting (in WinXP MSN Exchange, no further development) • Skype (ab V2.0) • CuSeeMe • OpenH323 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  9. Shared Storage • Storage space on an internet accessible server • Up- and dowload of arbitrary files from anywhere via • Web interface • FTP • WebDAV (HTTP) • Supported e.g. by Windows XP (network ressource), Linux, Mac? • Limited Version control support with Subversion • Access control for users and groups • Space is often offered for free, but limited 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  10. Newsfeeds • Modern form of a „newsletter“ • Read frequently updated content from • websites, blogs, forums • Users receive content updates from multiple sites without checking • Usually delivered in HTML format • Supported by most popular browsers or email clients like • Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird, Internet Explorer, … • Commonly used protocols: • RSS (RDF) • Atom (XML) • Commonly used icon: 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  11. Blogs • User generated, journal style Website • Periodically updated with new content • text, images, links to other blogs, medias and websites • Medium illustrating specific topics or persons • Event announcement • Web diaries • Simple syntax and usability • User defined design by templates 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  12. Collaborative Text Editing • Software for collaborative writing with multiple authors • Authors work on a single document • Simultaneously • Sequentially • Cooperating authors may be unknown (e.g. Wikipedia) • Current software support • Version control • User specific text-highlighting • Im/Export of common document formats (only some) • Some freeware examples: • MoonEdit (Linux, Windows, FreeBSD) • Gobby • Google Docs & Spreadsheets (Writely, a web based AJAX application) • Eclipse Communication Framework 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  13. Groupware • Software for planning and supporting distributed group work • Collaborative editing of data or documents • Provides simultaneous work on exchanged files • What You See Is What I See (WYSIWIS) • Personal Information Manager (PIM) • (Group-)Calendar, contact/project management, notebook, newsboard, … • Data synchronisation (e.g. palm sync) • Communication (e.g. Mail, Instant Messenger, VoIP) • Integrates several communication tools • Several architectures and products • Lotus Notes, Groupwise, MS Exchange, MS-Sharepoint, BSCW (commercial) • Kolab, OpenGroupware.org, Open-XChange, exchange4Linux (freeware) 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  14. Some Scenarios for Communication Tools • Cyber Share-point • A tool for sharing potentially large taxonomic documents • Without the need for email (or ad hoc ftp sites). • Should be accessible to inexperienced users. • Be password protected as well as offering user (editing) rights. • Image Server • An imagining repository tool: • To upload and download images (e.g. SEMs, micrographs, photos etc.) • Annotate images (e.g. as text) • Mark the images (e.g. arrows, circles etc.) • Groupware / Management Tools • Projects can be managed via a calender / planner in order to: • Plan online meetings/conferences • Organise field trips • Overall coordination of projects • ticket/bug system to manage tasks for user/taxonomists. 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  15. Some Scenarios for Communication Tools II • Internet telephony Conferencing and Video Conferencing • Use available Voice over IP (VoIP) software tools such as Skype, … • Content management system • A CMS could be very useful to have a website for groups to: • setup their own little website about the organism, members, contact etc. • run a forum to debate about images, characters, taxa, distribution • run the calendar • have a comments system for anything, e.g. images • have a maintained software base for the site • Cyber Smart Doc • A working document (e.g. check list) that is edited by group users. Features of such a working document could be: • Simple text editor with a MSWord-look and feel • Track changes mode Syntax dictionary with a built-in syntax “spell-checker” • Provide “controlled vocabulary” (e.g. Gazetter, species status etc.). • Synchronisation option for off-line documents 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  16. Cyber Platform Requirements • Document Management • Up/Download of any kind of (large) documents • Role Based Access Rights Management • Secrecy (e.g. publication of new species) • Document versioning • Document annotation • Text, Tags, RDF, … ? • Image marking (e.g. arrows, circles pointing at or surrounding interesting details) • Project Coordination • Community, group or project related support of • Address Books • Seemless integration of Voice over IP contacts • Calendars • Online planning of meetings, conferences, field trips (Google Maps Mashup) • Task management • Ticket/Bug system (e.g organising field trips) 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  17. Cyber Platform Requirements II • Content Management • Easy-to-use setup of community, group, project or user specific websites • Integration of • Document management facilities • Project coordination facilities • Cooperate editing of documents • Import/Export of different document standards • PDF, Word, XML, taxomic manuscripts, monographies,… • Bibliographic support (e.g. scientific publications) • Interface to document management facilities • Support for discussions, comments on any kind of content or document • Workflow Integration (Cyber Smart Doc) • Integration into the sketched WP6-Workflow • Implementation of interfaces to • Repositories, data warehouses, markup engines, analyser etc. • Development of special, external? editing tools (e.g Greuter tables) 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  18. Solution Approaches • First approach: • Evaluating software platforms incorporating basic requirements like • Document management • Project coordination • Content management • Possible platform types: • Content Management Systems • Wikis • Mashups (web desktops) 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  19. Content Management Systems • Web platforms for the publishing of documents and other media • Support collaborative work on the same content • Special type is a Web Content Management System • Enables management of a large number of websites • Content strictly separated from design • No programming experience needed (generally) • Document versioning support • Upgrades to extend existing functionality • Multi-user and access rights management support • Some examples: • Drupal, Joomla, Typo3, OpenCms, Plone, eZpublish 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  20. Wikis • Web platforms providing content authoring and management facilities • Collection of articles dynamically rendered as HTML-pages • Much simpler to handle than content management systems or Webpages • Simplified hypertext generation through simplified markup • Browser integrated editing (also WYSIWYG) • Article versioning (Any article state recoverable) • Initially, wikis were platforms for open community content editing • disregarding authentication and access control • Modern wikis support • Fine granular and role based access control • Document management facilities • Plugins providing the integration of other communication tools into the authoring process • Cooperate document editing and print export • Scientific publications, reports etc. • Examples • TikiWiki, TWiki, UniWakka, JSPWiki, MediaWiki, XWiki 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  21. Mashups • (Re-)combination of content from at least one source • Results in a new content aggregation • Combines different types of web content creating a new web experience • Text, images, videos, … • Content is sourced from other web sites using public interfaces or APIs • Web services, Newsfeeds (RSS,Atom), JavaScript • Popular mashup sources are the APIs of • eBay, Amazon, Google, Windows Live or Yahoo. • Term is often used in the context of Web 2.0 • Combined with asynchronous web concepts (AJAX), mashups lead to the development of a new generation of web portals („web desktops", "webOS") • integrating several content sources into web applications • the look-and-feel of an ordinary pc-desktop • Examples (currently beta!): • eyeOs(GPL), Netvibes.com, Pageflages.de, YouOS.com, Windows Live 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  22. Solution Approaches • Self-evident: • Most requirements are (more or less) supported or can be integrated via plugins by popular CMS, Wiki or „Web desktop“ platforms • Missing facilities can be implemented on one‘s own initiative due to the open source character of these platforms • Problem: • What about the integration of the work flow components ? • What about security skills for these components (Access rights) ? • What about comfortable user management/registration (Single-Sign-On) ? • First approach: • Integration of all components into the selected platform • Very inflexible • High burden to select the „right“ platform 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  23. Open workflow component service architecture (OWCSA) • Components provide their functionality as web services • Definition of common interfaces for general tasks (WSDL) • document storage, validation, • Definition of special interfaces for specific tasks • Existing functionality can be connected implementing „wrapper“ services • Service protection provided by combining the features of • Single-Sign-On user authentication framework (SAML) • Role based access rights management (XACML) • Secure communication (Web Service Security) • All these services were accessible from • Communication Tools platform • Any other external application or platform 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  24. OWCSA: Benefits • For service providers: • Keep control over their data collections • Finally enforce the policies defining data access rights • e.g. controls read/write access for users, roles on specific data or functions • Needn‘t to care about user registration issues • But, self-determines its level of trust in authentication authorities • Pave the way for secure online editing of data collections • For developers: • General, stable interfaces for service provider access • Allows platform-wide development and maintenance of provider access libraries • Stable platform API‘s providing implementation of community-wide service provider applications • Developers of various groups, projects or communities can work together • Higher productivity, less expensive than single solutions • Leads to a stable and tested basic platform functionality • Freedom to develop specific or platform external applications 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  25. OWCSA: The User‘s „Vision“ • Only need a web browser and internet access • Logon once at their taxonomic portal web desktop • Portal provides look-and-feel of commonly known pc desktops • Individual user interface • Comfortable configuration for inexperienced users • Several individual „sessions“ may loaded/saved for users, groups, projects etc. • Provides integration and configuration of taxonomic community applications (e.g.) • Taxonomic web editor, validator, databases • Groupware functions, document management, news tracker etc. • Access right management for provided content • Single-Sign-On prevents additional login procedures 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  26. Thanks for your attendance ! 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  27. Web Services • Support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network: • API‘s accessible over a network • Executed on a remote system hosting the requested service • Service oriented architecture (message-oriented, loose coupling) • Transport using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) • Transport methods: HTTP, SMTP • Interfaces described by WSDL (Web Services Description Language) 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  28. Web Service Programming Support • Perl: • SOAP:Lite http://www.soaplite.com/ • Php: • Included in php5 • Python: • Python Webservices http://pywebsvcs.sourceforge.net/ • Ruby: • Included in ruby • Java: • Apache Axis http://ws.apache.org/axis/ • Included in java 6.0 • C#: • Included in ASP.net • C++: • Windows: • C++ Library for SOAP Client 3.6 http://www.sqldata.com/soapclient/soapclient30.htm • Linux: • GSoap http://sourceforge.net/projects/gsoap2 • C: • CSoap http://sourceforge.net/projects/csoap/ 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  29. Single Sign On Federation Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  30. SSO: Identity Provider vs Service Provider initiated Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  31. WS-Security with SAML Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  32. SSO with SAML and XACML Integration Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  33. Identity Provider initiated SSO Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

  34. Service Provider initiated SSO Source: SAML V2.0 Technical Overview, Working Draft 10, 9 October 2006 23/01/2007 EDIT WP 5 & 6 Modellers workshop, Kew

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