Tailorability is generally regarded as a key property of groupware systems due to the dynamics and diversity of cooperative work. This article investigates the use of software components as a generic architectural concept for designing tailorable groupware applications. First, the issues raised by this approach are discussed. The results of a first exploratory experiment led us to concentrate on the support of distributed tailorable CSCW applications. We discuss the question of an appropriate component model and develop requirements for a platform for the flexible deployment of distributed component-based applications. As a consequence of these reflections, we have developed the FLEXIBEANS component model and the EVOLVE platform whose design principles are described. Furthermore, an application example using the approach to design a tailorable distributed coordination tool is given. Finally, we summarize and propose venues of further research. 1. Introduction Computer systems enter m...

Tailorability is generally regarded as a key property of groupware systems due to the dynamics and differentiation of cooperative work. This article investigates the use of software components as a generic architectural concept for designing tailorable groupware applications. First, the issues raised by this approach are discussed in the context of an exploratory experiment during which component-based tailorability was applied to a real tailoring problem in the POLITeam project. The experiment's results led us to concentrate on questions concerning the support of distributed CSCW applications. As a consequence, we have developed the EVOLVE platform whose design concepts are described. Furthermore, a concrete example for the application of the approach to the design of a tailorable distributed coordination tool is given. We discuss related work, summarize the current state of the component-based tailorability approach and propose venues of further research. 1. Introduction While only...

A simple algebraic model is proposed fr measuring the relative complexity of programming systems. The appropriateness of this model is illustrated by its use as a framework for the statement and proof of results dealing with coding-independent limitations on the relative complexity of basic algebras.

Abstract-State Machines have been introduced as “a computation model that is more powerful and more universal than standard computation models”, by Yuri Gurevich in 1985 ([Gur85]). ASM gained much attention as a specification method, in particular for the description of the semantics of programming languages, communication protocols, distributed algorithms, etc. Gurevich proved recently that a sequential algorithm must only meet a few, liberal requirements, to be representable as an ASM. We re-formulate Gurevich’s requirements for sequential algorithms, as well as the semantics of ASM-programs and the proof of his main theorem. A couple of examples support and explain intuition and motivation of ASM.