Abstract: From the Publisher: With this powerful book/CD-ROM package and integrated Web site, you'll get a complete how-to guide to building an online education system. Experts McCormack and Jones explore the principles behind online education and help you to determine what type of system will work best for your situation. They then present a number of different system models, as well as the insight, advice, and tools you need to adapt them to your needs. Step-by-step, they take you through all phases of a project, from analyzing your resources and designing and implementing your site, to evaluating its effectiveness, as well as managing, modifying, and updating it.

Abstract: A web browser control allows application program developers to incorporate web browser functionality into application programs. The web browser control exposes web browsing functionality to application programs through an application program interface. This interface comprises member functions, events and properties. The member functions provide high level services such as Navigate to a URL, go forward or backward in a navigation stack, or refresh the display of an HTML page. The events are notification messages that the control sends to a host application to notify the application about actions that have taken place or are about to take place. The properties provide status information about an instance of a control. A host application can create several instances of the web browser control and communicate with them through the interface on each instance.

Abstract: A method and system which utilize a graphical user interface to identify potential participants in a teleconference, specify a user-controlled dial-up/hang-up order, and monitor the status of participants to the teleconference. The method and system receive conference commands from a World Wide Web (WWW) browser and translate the conference commands into commands that control a telephone bridge.

Abstract: Maintenance of web applications is a difficult and error-prone task because many design decisions are not directly accessible at run time, but rather embedded in file-based resources. In this paper we introduce the WebComposition system addressing this problem. This system is based on a fine-grained object-oriented web application model, and maintains access to it throughout the lifecycle for management and maintenance activities. Modifications of the model are made effective in the web by incrementally mapping the model to file-based resources.

Abstract: The Web as a new phenomenon in the information landscape of the university is being used to support course instruction In most cases, however, the Web is used in support of a traditional model of university instruction and much of the potential of the Web is lost An innovative model of Web-based university instruction is presented that more fully expresses and uses the power of the Web in opening up the interaction between student and knowledge The model is a generic 6-point process that involves a new approach to university teaching and learning

Abstract: A Web-based system and method for enabling an operator to access and display HTML-encoded documents located on the WWW. The system comprises one or more Internet information servers, an Internet access terminal, and an audio-visual monitor. The Internet information servers store a plurality of HTML-encoded documents at a plurality of storage locations specified by a plurality of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The Internet access terminal is operably connected to the infrastructure of the Internet and embodies a GUI-based Internet browser program, supporting the TCP/IP networking protocol. The Internet access terminal includes a bar code symbol reader for reading bar code symbols. The bar code symbol reader is programmed for reading bar code symbols encoded with URLs specifying the location of HTML-encoded documents on the WWW, and producing data representative of each encoded URL. In response to reading a URL-encoded bar code symbol on the pages of a printed WWW-site guide, the bar code symbol reader produces data representative of the URL, and the produced data is transmitted to the Internet access terminal. Thereupon, the GUI-based Internet browser program automatically accesses the HTML-encoded document specified by the URLusing the TCP/IP networking protocol, and the Internet access terminal automatically displays the accessed HTML-encoded document on the audio-visual monitor for viewing.

Abstract: Many promising Web applications could benefit from a payment mechanism for small amounts (micro-payments). Payment by credit cards, which is the common method for on-line consumer purchasing, involve substantial per-transaction fee and delay, and are therefore inappropriate for micro-payments. We present MiniPay, a simple system for supporting micro-payments. MiniPay features low cost, negligible delay, natural user interface, scalable design, support for multiple currencies, and high security — including non-repudiation, overspending prevention, and protection against denial of service. MiniPay is currently being piloted with several potential providers.

Abstract: We have developed a method for analysis and design of web-based information systems (WBISs), and tools to support the method, WebArchitect and PilotBoat The method and the tools focus on architectures and functions of web sites, rather than on appearance of each web resource (page), such as graphics and layouts Our goal is to efficiently develop WBISs that best support particular business processes at least maintenance cost Our method consists of two approaches, static and dynamic We use the entity relation (E-R) approach for the statis aspects of WBISs, and use scenario approach for the dynamic aspects The E-R analysis and design, based on relationship management methodology (RMM) developed by Isakowitz et al, defines what are entities and how they are related The scenario analysis defines how web resources are accessed, used, and changed by whom The method also defines attributes of each web resource, which are used in maintaining the resource WebArchitect enables designers and maintainers to directly manipulate meta-level links between web resources that are represented in a hierarchical manner PilotBoat is a web client that navigates and lets users collaborate through web sites We have applied our approaches to the WWW6 proceedings site

Abstract: This paper discusses the problems of developing adaptive self-explaining interfaces for advanced World-Wide Web (WWW) applications. Two kinds of adaptation are considered: incremental learning and incremental interfaces. The key problem for these kinds of adaptation is to decide which interface features should be explained or enabled next. We analyze possible ways to implement incremental learning and incremental interfaces on the WWW and suggest a “user as student” approach. With this approach, the order of learning or enabling of interface features is determined by adaptive sequencing, a popular intelligent tutoring technology, which is based on the pedagogical model of the interface and user knowledge about it. We describe in detail how this approach was implemented in the InterBook system, a shell for developing Web-based adaptive electronic textbooks.

Abstract: Potential benefits in re-engineering higher education using Internet-based programs appear promising (Hicks 1997, Geoghegan 1996). The objective of this paper is to report the outcomes of a web-based teaching program trial involving 550 undergraduate business students. The program, called TopClass , provides for private email, public conference discussions, easy and consistent delivery of resources and progress testing via the WWW. Prior Internet experience was very low. Students reported the program provided increased support for their learning, improved access and interactivity. 94% of students felt it would have a positive impact on their grade and 72% would like many or all aspects of the program used in other subjects. Academics seeking to utilise web-based teaching technology to enhance the teaching and learning environment would find these results helpful.

Abstract: As organizations rush to embrace the World Wide Web as their primary application infrastructure, they should not bypass the benefit of hypermedia support. The Web's infrastructure can serve as an interface to all interactive applications and, over time, will become the graphical user interface model for new applications. Ubiquitous hypermedia support should become the jewel of the Web environment. Through Web integration, hypermedia could become an integral part of every interactive application. With the proper tools to support hypermedia in Web application development, it will become second nature for developers and individual authors to provide supplemental links and hypermedia navigation. However, as organizations adopt the Web as their primary application infrastructure, designers may use Java and other tools to recreate current application functionality, and not take advantage of the Web's hypermedia-augmented infrastructure. If users, designers, MIS departments and organizations don't demand hypermedia support, hypermedia may get lost in the frenzy of Web integration.

Abstract: The dissemination of critical information and the synchronization of coordinated activities are critical problems in geographically separated, large-scale, software development. While these problems are not insurmountable, their solutions have varying trade-offs in terms of time, cost and effectiveness. Our previous studies have shown that the inspection interval is typically lengthened because of schedule conflicts among inspectors which delay the (usually) required inspection collection meeting. We present and justify a solution using an intranet web that is both timely in its dissemination of information and effective in its coordination of distributed inspectors. First, exploiting a naturally occurring experiment (reported here), we conclude that the asynchronous collection of inspection results is at least as effective as the synchronous collection of those results. Second, exploiting the information dissemination qualities and the on-demand nature of information retrieval of the web, and the platform independence of browsers, we built an inexpensive tool that integrates seamlessly into the current development process. By seamless we mean an identical paper flow that results in an almost identical inspection process. The acceptance of the inspection tool has been excellent. The cost savings just from the reduction in paper work This work is supported in part by a National Science Fotmdation Faculty Early Career Development Award, CCR-9501354. Permission to make digitnbhnrd copies of all or pert of this material for pcrsonnl or chtssroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage, the copyright notice, the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copyright is by permission of the ACM, Inc. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires specific pcnnission and/or fee ICSE 97 Boston MA LJSA Copyright I997 ACM O-89791-914-9/97/05 ..$3.50 14 M. W. Wade Quality Management Group Lucent Technologies Inc Naperville, IL 60566 michaelwwade@lucent .com and the time savings from the reduction in distribution interval of the inspection package (sometimes involving international mailings) have been substantial. These savings together with the seamless integration into the existing environment are the major factors for this acceptance. From our viewpoint as experimentalists, the acceptance came too readily. Therefore we lost our op portunity to explore this tool using a series of controlled experiments to isolate the underlying factors or its effectiveness. Nevertheless, by using historical data we can show that the new process is less expensive in terms of cost and at least as effective in terms of quality (defect detection effectiveness).

Abstract: Marketing on the Web represents a radical departure from the traditional thinking. Traditional mass marketing channels broadcast information from as single source to mass audience. The relationship represents a one-to-many communications model where the entire audience is treated the same way. This article explores the forces contributing to the transformation of buyer behavior when buyers use the Web for making purchase decisions. These forces include trends in the marketplace, where products are becoming more complex and plentiful.

Abstract: A method of enabling persistent access by a Web server to files stored in a distributed file system of a distributed computing environment that includes a security service. A session manager is used to perform a proxy login to the security service on behalf of the Web server. Persistent operation of the session manager is ensured by periodically spawning new instances of the session manager process. Each new instance preferably initializes itself against a binding file. A prior instance of the session manager is maintained in an active state for at least a period of time during which the new instance of the session manager initializes itself. Upon receipt of a given transaction request from a Web client to the Web server, a determination is made regarding whether a new instance of the session manager process has been spawned while the Web server was otherwise idle. If so, the Web server is re-bound to the new instance of the session manager process so that the new instance of the session manager process can respond to the transaction request.

Abstract: Access to on-line information via the Web is exploding. Index and retrieval engines already start to integrate a huge variety of heterogeneous repositories. However, the heterogeneity issue remains, both in terms of the search formats and the formats of the result pages. In this paper we focus on html-based search and result presentations. We discuss our experience in the design, the development and the maintenance of wrappers (in the context of the Knowledge Broker project). We outline different ways to write wrappers, illustrate some of the lessons learned, and conclude by describing a semi-automatic approach for an efficient wrapping of Web-based information repositories. Throughout the paper, we give illustrating examples for hands-on readers.

Abstract: We describe the design and implementation of a distributed computer-based system for the management of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The goal of the system is to support the normal activities of the physicians and patients involved in the care of diabetes by providing them with a set of automated services ranging from data collection and transmission to data analysis and decision support. The system is highly integrated with current practices in the management of diabetes, and it uses Internet technology to achieve high availability and ease of use. In particular, the user interaction takes place through dynamically generated World Wide Web pages, so that all the system's functions share an intuitive graphic user interface.

Abstract: A Data Warehouse (DWH) contains a large amount of aggregated data, collected from the various operational, enterprise-wide data sources. The DWH will be logical modeled as a virtual n-dimensional data-cube. Analyses against this n-dim data-cube allow the decision makers (e.g. executives, middle management, controllers, etc.) to view their enterprise in various different ways. This paper describes our ongoing "WWW-EIS-DWH" research project of the development of a simple to use Executive Information System (EIS), which is complete embedded in the Web, res. an enterprise-wide network (Intranet), and based on a multidimensional modeled Data Warehouse. To accomplish our goals we implemented a generic R-OLAP (relational Online Analytical Processing) engine to extract the raw data from the given multidimensional DWH and create the virtual multidimensional OLAP data cubes. The "Information Server" (IS) is responsible for the visualization of the retrieved OLAP data cubes in an easy understandable manner. Our user interface uses commonly used Web technology like Java, JavaScript, HTML 3.2.

Abstract: A method fo add a Web-based interface to a command-line driven system is presented. Without programming, Javamatic can generate a graphical user interface, then invokes commands in the legacy system transparently to the user. The user interface (UI) is automatically generated as a Java applet or stand-alone interface from a high-level description of the application, which is UI independent, using a set of UI mapping rules. The application is wrapped with an interface serverl thus multiple clients can use the legacy application through the Web.

Abstract: Web users frequently get lost because applications have a model of navigation that is different from what they are used to. These differences cause confusion. To overcome the problem, designers have to adapt familiar design rules to the Web. This paper discusses some of these problems and how to avoid them in designing Web applications and Web sites. It is based on observations during usability testing, design, and writing projects. The focus is on applications, with which users perform actions, rather than informational sites, which exist to inform. (There is a lot of overlap—for example, the task of signing up for a mailing list while at an information site. The guidelines in this paper can apply to any type of site.)

Abstract: The wide accessibility and low cost of virtual real- ity (VR) on the World Wide Web with the advent of the Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) and VRML interpreters makes it ideal for use in providing cost-effective training for operators in selected complex technical environments. This paper presents SEDA-VRML, a VR-based learn-by- doing system developed for the training of maintenance work- ers in the troubleshooting and inspection of power transform- ers at Hydro-Quebec that is accessible from a Web browser. SEIDA-VRML is a prototype application of a reuse-driven de- sign incorporating VRML, Java and an expert system within a user interface system (UIS) architecture. The paper describes the functionality and design principles of SEDA-VRML, with key implementation results, to show how SEDA-VRML's de- sign can indeed answer to the limitations of VRML to act as a cost-effective alternative to traditional operator training sys- t.ems for operator training in VR, as well as a basis for the rapid development of future operator training systems.

Abstract: This paper describes a compositional modeling system called CDME (Collaborative Device Modeling Environment) for constructing domain theories of physical systems, composing models of devices, and simulating their behavior. We have implemented the system with the goal of encouraging sharing as well as the collaborative construction of knowledge bases describing physical domains. To maximize the chance of sharing and reuse of knowledge, CDME is implemented as a collection of network services on the World Wide Web. Knowledge is represented at three distinct levels: the physical, ontological, and logical. We describe the levels of representation, and how the system enables knowledge sharing at each level.

Abstract: The general interest in the World Wide Web (WWW) as a medium for sharing and distributing textual and graphic information has brought about an increasing number of instruction-oriented web sites and web-based instructional pages. These range from offering supplemental (or even duplicate) instructional materials to students on campus to providing opportunities for off-campus individuals to complete courses via WWW. This chapter briefly discusses the design of web-based instruction from an HCI perspective, raising issues which instructors and designers need to consider in the design of web-based instruction, and suggesting ways in which instructors and designers can build optimal web instructional sites and pages.

Abstract: Caching plays a vital role in the performance of any large-scale distributed system and, as the variety and number of Web applications grows, is becoming an increasingly important research topic within the Web community. Existing caching mechanisms are largely transparent to their users and cater for resources which are primarily read-only, offering little support for customisable or complex caching strategies. In this paper we examine the deficiencies in these mechanisms with regard to applications with requirements for shared access to data where clients may require a variety of consistency guarantees. We present “open” caching within an object-oriented framework, an approach to solving these problems which, instead of offering caching transparency makes the caching mechanism highly visible allowing great flexibility in caching choices. Our implementation is built upon the W3Objects infrastructure and allows clients to make caching decisions for individual resources with minimal impact upon other resources which do not support our mechanisms.

Abstract: This paper addresses the problems related to multipoint distribution of Web documents over Internet. We present a multicast Web application which allows the sharing of Web resources among a group of people by using the MBONE technology. We describe a general-purposed light-weight reliable multicast transport protocol (LRMP) which is an important building block of the application. We will also discuss other technical issues related to the design of such applications, such as caching, Web browser interface, and embedded objects.

Abstract: The Web frequently suffers from failures which affect the performance and consistency of applications run over it. An important fault-tolerance technique is the use of atomic actions (atomic transactions) for controlling operations on services. Atomic actions guarantee the consistency of applications despite concurrent accesses and failures. Techniques for implementing transactions on distributed objects are well-known: in order to become “transaction aware”, an object requires facilities for concurrency control, persistence, and the ability to participate in a commit protocol. While it is possible to make server-side applications transactional, browsers typically do not possess such facilities, a situation which is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the browser will not normally be able to take part in transactional applications. The paper presents a design and implementation of a scheme that does permit non-transactional browsers to participate in transactional applications, thereby providing much needed end-to-end transactional guarantees.

Abstract: The DataWeb project seeks to facilitate the querying and browsing of multimedia databases over a wide spectrum of networks and media. We developed an intelligent query facility that builds on the access paradigms supported by current hypertext-style Web applications and on decision support systems. This facility generalizes the basic navigation and abstraction mechanisms of these applications to make them extensible and scalable.