Redesigning CSCW-systems for network computing experience from the HotCon project

The emphasis in CSCW research is currently shifting towards the integration of different existing tools into comprehensive CSCW-systems and the interoperation of proprietary CSCW systems. A suitable basis for this integration is provided by concepts from network computing. Comprehensive integration can be achieved by means of the standardisation of components which are to be offered in a totally networked global computer environment. This can cut costs considerably due to the resulting high degree of reusability and opens up the possibility of developing a new quality of distributed systems. Most of today's CSCW-systems are constructed according to the traditional client/server paradigm. The migration of these systems towards network computing usually requires a redesign of their architecture. Key features of application architectures for network computing and possibilities to migrate existing software are discussed in this paper. The reported experience is based on the HotCon system, a hotline and consulting environment developed at the Fraunhofer ISST.