consensus@cdp.UUCP (06/03/90)
The following is a reply to a comp.groupware topic that
has dropped off the bottom of my system.
The reply is from the Groupware SIG on America Online.
For more information, or to reply to an individual on America
Online, contact:
* Christopher Allen - Consensus Development
* P.O. Box 2836, Union City, CA 94587-7836
* AT&T: (415) 487-9206
* America Online: AFL MacDev
* AppleLink: D3516
* Internet: cdp!consensus@arisia.xerox.com
* UUCP: uunet!pyramid!cdp!consensus
:: reply to 'comp.groupware' topic "What is Groupware?" ::
:: TO: rando@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Randy Brumbaugh), ::
:: yam@nttmhs.ntt.jp (Toshihiko YAMAKAMI), sjaak@cs.kun.nl ::
:: (Sjaak Brinkkemper) ::
Subj: definitions?? 90-04-25 01:26:44 EDT
From: Shep T
Why is everyone so hung up on the exact definition of groupware?
Pretty much any software that has anything to do with more than one
user at a time could qualify, no?
Subj: Why Definitions? MIS! 90-04-25 16:46:32 EDT
From: AFL MacDev
I think the reason why we are trying to define Groupware better is
because MIS departments have been selling centrally-served
"multiuser" products for a while, but few experts qualify them as
Groupware. In fact, when developers try to sell corporation
groupware the response from MIS is typically "Well, we have been
doing this for years!"
Even electronic mail is on the line between multiuser and
groupware. It is not truely designed with the group process in
mind (instead it is designed to get data from user A to user B). It
is being used by people to facilitate the group process, but it was
not really designed for that purpose.
Chris Allen - AFL MacDev
Subj: You're absolutely right 90-04-26 02:54:13 EDT
From: Shep T
OK. I absolutely agree that there is a new phenomenon of software
that is designed specifically to facilitate group interaction.
"Groupware."
Not just software that allows multi-user access to the same data.
And not just software that "gets data from user A to user B". But
software that actually processes that data in some unique way that
is beneficial to the goal of the group.
Email that could sort messages in detailed ways would qualify,
then. Certainly, email that had any kind of "Consensus" qualities
would also qualify. (Software that took files and messages that
were elsewhere on the net and brought them to you just because the
software 'knew' you were likely to want to access them.)
Subj: Pointer to Newsletter 90-06-02 15:24:57 EDT
From: AFL MacDev
If you are interested in this subject take a look at the first
issue of "Applied Groupware" here in this forum. {And also now on
comp.groupware.}
Chris Allen - AFL MacDev