Cooperative view mechanisms in distributed multiuser hypermedia environments

Distributed multiuser hypermedia environments provide not only information sharing mechanisms but also user collaboration/communication facilities. The provision of integrated views of heterogeneous information resources is necessary to create common understanding among the users who are possibly distributed in terms of geography and time. However, requirements of customization must also be considered since such diverse users would want to personalize views of shared information. In order to integrate views considering requirements of flexible customization, we propose cooperative view mechanisms of Dexter-based hypermedia systems, introducing environmental objects and their participation relationships. The mechanisms instantiate deputies of hypermedia on screen using participation relationships of users, hypermedia components, and environments. The relationships are also used for the purpose of supporting awareness. Using a novel user collaboration facility, the relationships are visualized so that users can easily recognize other users and/or user groups having the same, slightly different, or very different views. Attributes of environment objects are discussed so that the mechanisms can be effectively utilized in computer-supported cooperative work settings such as distance presentations, virtual offices and virtual classrooms.