Collaborative Service

What are Collaborative Services

Social and Collaborative Services
Social network services allow people to come together online around shared interests or causes. For example, some sites provide dating services where users will post their personal profiles, location, age, gender, etc, and are able to search for a partner. Other shared goals or interests include business networking, emotionally supportive phone counselling, social event meetups or recreational hobbies.

The more specific term collaborative software applies to cooperative work systems and is usually narrowly applied to software that enables work functions. Distinctions between usage of the terms "social" and "collaborative" is in the applications not the tools, although there are some tools that are only rarely used for work collaboration.

Communication and Interactive Applications
The tools used in social software applications include communication tools (see our Blog / Podcasts, Vidcasts & Photofeeds / Streaming Audio & Media / Text To Speech / Video Commerce / Web Conference & Web Seminar / Webcasting Services) and interaction tools. Communication tools typically handle the capturing, storing, and presentation of communication, usually written but increasingly including audio and video also. Interaction tools handle mediated interactions between a pair or group of users. They differ from communication tools in their focus on establishing and maintaining a connection among users, facilitating the mechanics of conversation and talk.

Communication tools are generally asynchronous, interaction tools synchronous (phone, Net phone, video chat) or near-synchronous (Instant Messaging, text chat).

Interaction Applications

Instant Messaging
An instant messaging application or client allows one perosn to communicate with another person over a network in relative privacy. Popular clients include Windows Live Messenger, Trillian, Skype and Google Talk. One can add clients / customers / work colleges to a contact list or buddy list, by entering their email address or messenger ID. If they are online, their name will be listed as available for chat. Clicking on their name will activate a chat window with space to write to the other person, as well as read their reply.

Chat Rooms
Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and other online chat technologies allow users to join chat rooms and communicate with many people at once, publicly. Users may join a pre-existing chat room or create a chat room about any topic. Once inside, you may type messages that everyone else in the room can read, as well as respond to messages from others. Often there is a steady stream of people entering and leaving. Whether you are in another person's chat room, or one you've created yourself, you are generally free to invite others online to join you. When others accept the invitation, they are taken to the room containing the other members, similar to the way conference calling works with phones. This facilitates both one-to-one (communication) and many-to-many (interaction).

Bulletin Board System (BBS)
Bulletin Boards are similar to an Instant Messenger where registered visitors can post questions and answers. In this system questions are displayed as newest first, slowly moving down the list as new questions appear above it. This type of forum does not have a visible moderator as in the Standard Forum, but moderators do exist, occasionally helping with questions and responding personally to registered visitors.

Standard Internet Forums
Originally modelled after the real-world paradigm of electronic bulletin boards of the world before the Internet was born, Internet forums allow users to post a "topic" for others to review. Other users can view the topic and post their own comments in a linear fashion, one after the other. Most forums are public, allowing anybody to sign up at any time. A few are private, gated communities where new members must pay a small fee to join.

Forums can contain many different categories in a hierarchy according to topics and subtopics. Other features include the ability to post images or files or the ability to quote another user's post with special formatting in ones post. Forums often grow in popularity until they can boast several thousand members posting replies to tens of thousands of topics continuously.

There are various standards and claimants for the market leaders of each software category. Various add-ons, including translation and spelling correction software, may sometimes be available, depending on the expertise of the operators of the Forum. In some industry areas, these Forums have there own commercially successful achievements: free and paid hardcopy magazines, professional and amateurish sites.

Forums can be useful for anyone doing business online, both in terms of reading the content and actively participating in the discussions.

Reading a forum's archives can be a good way to obtain a basic knowledge about a topic, and it also provides a historical perspective on trends and opinions.

Participation, whether as a member, moderator, or owner, can help one achieve recognition within a business community, and may even generate highly-qualified business leads.

Guestbooks
Guestbooks are logging systems that allow visitors of a web site to leave a public comment or question which can be answered at the web sites convenience. Generally, they do not require the visitor to create a user account, as it is an informal method of dropping off a quick message or question.

Often, e-mail addresses, the visitor's site's URLs and IP addresses are collected, and sometimes published. A guestbook is not intended to be a place for discussion. Due to this, a guestbook is different from a Bulletin Board (which is more or less real time communication), or The Standard Forum (which is intended to be a location for discussions).

Some newer guestbooks include a map that visually displays the visitors' geographic locations. Such guestbooks are sometimes referred to as guestmaps.

Imageboards
Imageboards could be most simply described as a bulletin board focused on pictures instead of text posts; they share many of the same structures, including separate forums for separate topics, as well as similar audiences. However, imageboards are much more transitory with content on some boards (especially high-traffic ones) lasting as little as 10 minutes. Imageboards are also different from online galleries (see our Picture Gallery Services) in that most of the works posted are not made by the poster, but instead are taken from other online sources such as galleries, other imageboards, and edited pictures.

Shoutbox
In their simplest form, shoutboxes are simply lists of short messages, possibly with information about their authors. The page may be automatically refreshed after a certain interval, or polled dynamically in order to keep new messages visible. Older posts are often deleted after a certain number of messages have been written in order to preserve space on the server.

Shoutboxes are usually maintained in a manner similar to that of more complex boards, with moderators that can delete posts and ban usernames or IP addresses. Occasionally, features such as impostor identification, flood control, and profanity filters may be included.

For the most part, shoutboxes are embedded into a page with inline frames or JavaScript. Many Internet forum and blog software packages can be modified to add shoutboxes in sidebars and on web site pages.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Collaborative Services

The use of Instant Messaging over the Internet can eliminate costly long distance phone charges. It can reduce the need to leave your desk or office to get a question answered and many companies rely on it to stay in contact with their customers / clients and work force.

Instant Messaging can improve the support experience and allow for ‘instant’ communication between clients / customers / work colleagues, this can save time and money as you can resolve questions and problems immediately. Sometimes the Instant Messaging network will remain up and running when other communications fail or are out of order. Instant Messaging can provide a link amongst dispersed workgroups and ad hoc contacts are made more productive by the ability to quickly add other team members to the workgroup. Files can be transferred through your Instant Messaging programs, cameras connected to computers can be used to view images of the people in a Instant Messaging conversation. Unfortunately Instant Messaging can produce negative behaviour within users like gossiping or bullying that would not take place in a normal face-to-face conversation.

Un monitored or poorly monitored Instant Messaging conversations can produce spam messages or DoS (Denial of Service) attacks. Many Instant Messaging clients hide behind an anonymous user name that cannot be easily tracked, if the Instant Messenger's name is not associated with a legitimate email address a user can send communications pretending to be someone's he or she is not. Like many online software applications, Instant Messaging clients can be vulnerable to buffer overflows and other flaws that can be exploited.

In well-monitored chat rooms you can meet people from around the world who share your interests in a safe and non-harassing environment. You can communicate directly with people you might not otherwise be in touch with like teachers, community leaders, or experts. Unfortunately because some people feel totally anonymous in chat rooms, they believe they can act any way they want and you could become involved in risk-taking activities.

The main advantage of bulletin boards is the fact that they are so public. Because of their accessibility, they give users the opportunity to get information from a huge number of sources, each with the possibility of a unique, original, and even global perspective. There are several disadvantages to electronic bulletin boards as well. Since they are so public and often unedited, they are almost like an open invitation for troublemakers whose sole intention seems to be to stir things up.

The proliferation of unwanted ads (also known as spamming) is another problem for Bulletin Boards. Some have board hosts whose sole job is to keep the peace and weed out irritating posts and threads. Also, most electronic bulletin boards do not keep an archive of each thread and post so some may disappear for ever as new threads are started.

An imageboard is an online bulletin board system that revolves around the posting of images, popular imageboards can be hit with bandwidth consumption reaching up to eighteen terabytes per month and beyond.

The major benefits to a Standard Forum are allowing your clients / customers / work colleagues to get educational information from your site. You can increase traffic through repeat visitors and gain more creditability. You can capture email address and details of posters allowing you to build relationships with visitors. The downside to having a forum is they involve a tremendous amount of work to get them started. Nobody likes to post on an empty forum so you have to actively promote it and create lots of topics for discussion yourself, if these topics are interesting then you should get a few replies. You have to do this self posting on a continuous basis, sometimes for weeks but most likely for months before a steady flow of topics and replies are posted by your forum members.

The advantage of using a remote service like a Guestbook is the upkeep maintenance required is minimal and generally consist of reviewing the entries, also your bandwidth and disk quota in not affected. Unfortunately there are a few disadvantages, remotely hosted Guestbooks are supported by advertising and these can cause visitors to be drawn away from your site. The configuration of remote guestbooks is usually very limited with features provided by the Guestbook provider; this could mean your guestbook may not match your sites design theme. Most importantly these services have proven to be highly vulnerable to the slowdown of Internet Advertising; as a result, quite a few have disappeared or become fee driven.

Like most dynamic content, shoutboxes must interface with a database, and they query the database every time a page is requested. Additionally, a shoutbox may be loaded from a simple file. Unlike most dynamic content, however, shoutboxes are generally placed on every page of a web site, so they tend to cause disproportionate strain on databases. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that shoutboxes do not use too many database resources. (Caching systems like memcached can be used to mitigate this to some extent, or an alternative implementation such as storing all messages in system-wide shared memory rather than a database may be used).

What we do for you

Design Web Studio will install and configure all the necessary software on your web site and personal computer (any hardware required is the client's responsibility and we will inform you of such before you purchase the software). We will also provide any training required for these applications.

The Products

Windows Live Messenger (Instant Messaging)
Microsoft's instant messaging (IM) service, which provides text messaging, voice calling and file sharing. Windows Live Messenger combines the previous MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger clients into one system under the Windows Live umbrella. Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger users can instant message with each other.

Trillian (Instant Messaging)
Trillian is an Internet software tool that simplifies your chat as well as your desktop and system resources by letting you simultaneously connect with the five most popular chat clients on the Web: Yahoo Messenger, MSN Messenger, ICQ, mIRC, and AIM. By importing your passwords, buddy lists, various client preferences, and other chat specifics into it's own simple interface, Trillian acts as a single hub for all your chat traffic.

Skype (Instant Messaging)
An Internet phone service (VoIP) from Skype Technologies, S.A. Skype is softphone based and all PC-to-PC calls to and from Skype subscribers are free. SkypeOut lets users dial a regular telephone for a per-minute charge. If Skype cannot make a direct connection from one user to the other, it may elicit one of it's users who has the Skype application loaded to become a supernode and relay the call.

Addon Chat (Chat Room)
AddonChat is a full featured, real-time Java Chat Software application that embeds seamlessly into your web site. Adding a chat room sets your site apart, giving visitors the opportunity to interact with you and each other — turning your site into a true online community. Because addonChat is hosted by us, you won't pay extra bandwidth or hosting fees. AddonChat continues to lead the industry in providing full featured, easy to use Java Chat Software.

Addon Chat is available in three versions. The professional edition provides powerful administrative functions, and the ability to brand and customise your chat room to seamlessly match your web site. The Professional PLUS edition offers all features of our Professional edition and adds site database integration, enhanced customisation options, detailed logs and much more. Finally the Enterprise edition includes all features of our Professional PLUS edition and adds moderated events, firewall friendly chats, the ability to add your own avatars, room history and much more.

Community Video Chat (Chat Room)
Community Video Chat is a feature-rich, multi-user real time video / audio / text flash application that will enable all possible ways to communicate for your site users. It supports text messages with all text formatting tools available in other FlashComs applications such as, moderator options, custom skins, message history, a blacklist and much more. Flexible video window positioning - as separate windows over the chat area or within the designated "video dock" - allows seeing all chat room users at the same time in smaller windows or in enlarged individual windows.

Community Chat (Chat Room)
Community Chat is a feature-rich, multi-room cross-platform web chat application. Combining the power of flash technology and many years experience in web based communication solutions. Community Chat can be installed to any web server both under UNIX or Windows platforms and it does not require any additional software. Being integrated with your web site, Community Chat will become the centre of live communications on your site.

Site Messenger (Instant Messaging)
FlashComs Site Messenger is the most effective way to establish web communication between your web site users. Being similar in functionality to Instant Messengers like ICQ, MSN or AIM, Site Messenger is still a very light application and does not require any additional software to be installed. Site Messenger is fully integrated with any web site and user database. Site Messenger will enhance the true community feel through real time instant messaging.

eMeeting Dating (Chat Room)
eMeeting Dating is specifically designed for the online dating / community web site, eMeeting Dating now includes support for userplanes, integrated chat room and video chat applications which is great news for you because you can now offer your web site members web cam and video chat at no extra cost to yourself. eMeeting Dating also includes extra dating and community web site templates, improved performance issues for slower servers, bug fixes and more.

ABChat (Chat Room)
ABChat is a full featured chat room on your web site which can be installed in just a few minutes. Simple HTML code will be place on your web site or web page. Once the code is put on your web site the chat room is ready to use. You may configure your chat room in many ways.

Campfire (Chat Room)
Campfire is a web-based group chat tool that lets you set up password-protected chat rooms in just seconds. Invite a client, colleague, or vendor to chat, collaborate, and make decisions. Campfire is available in four versions, Starter, Basic, Plus and Premium.

Shoutbox (Shoutbox)
Individually adaptable to the design of your web site with no programming knowledge required. A comfortable administration surface with multiple processing, Shoutbox includes a mailing list, support of emoticons, design protection functions and various configuration possibilities.

MiniBox (Shoutbox)
Planet MiniBox shakes off everything you've known about a shoutbox and brings it up to speed with an Instant Messaging client. Simply, you can give your visitors the thrills of real-time chat and Instant tabbed private messaging - embedded right into your site or blog - without the need for anything besides their browser. That means no Java, no Flash, no extra fuss for your visitors.

Shoutbox Live (Shoutbox)
Shoutbox Live can be placed on your blog or web site. Your visitors can then easily post comments on it. They can also use the shoutbox to chat with you and other visitors at the same time. Shoutbox is a great interactive add-on that makes your visitors come back for more!

TinBag (Chat Room)
Tinbag provides online software for the one-man-band or blogger wanting a simple way to earn money from providing help and advice. The idea is to allow experts to set up a site on Tinbag and let people ask questions for a fee. TinBag do not insist on credit card numbers and there are no multi-tiered plans to confuse you. At the end of each month you are simply charged 20% of the money you made through Tinbag. If you didn't make any money it doesn't cost you anything.

YellBox (Shoutbox)
YellBox offers instant feedback from visitors you would not normally hear from and allows your visitors to communicate or help each other, this generates a greater sense of community and will keep your visitors coming back to your site. YellBox works with any web site - No need for any PHP or MySQL on your side, no programming knowledge needed - Just include a snippet of HTML code in your page. YellBox is easily customisable - easily change the size, colours and fonts of your YellBox. You can ban IP addresses and stop problem users from posting on your YellBox also add a swear filter - Customisable 'bad word' list to stop users swearing if you choose.

Zoho Chat (Chat Room)
Blog owners, web site owners or support staff can embed Zoho Chat in their site / blog to communicate with their users. Project teams can make decisions faster by collaborating using Zoho Chat. Email communication is offline whereas chat communication is online and help in making decision is faster. Any one can conduct public chat debate on topics using Zoho Chat.

WINDOWS LIVE MESSENGER COSTS £100
TRILLIAN COSTS £100
SKYPE COSTS £100
ADDON CHAT (Professional) COSTS £140
ADDON CHAT (Professional PLUS) COSTS £160
ADDON CHAT (Enterprise) COSTS £190
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (25 Licences) COSTS £190
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (50 Licences) COSTS £235
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (100 Licences) COSTS £275
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (250 Licences) COSTS £350
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (500 Licences) COSTS £450
COMMUNITY VIDEO CHAT (Unlimited Licences) COSTS £600
COMMUNITY CHAT (25 Licences) COSTS £190
COMMUNITY CHAT (50 Licences) COSTS £235
COMMUNITY CHAT (100 Licences) COSTS £275
COMMUNITY CHAT (250 Licences) COSTS £350
COMMUNITY CHAT (500 Licences) COSTS £450
COMMUNITY CHAT (Unlimited Licences) COSTS £600
SITE MESSENGER (50 Licences) COSTS £190
SITE MESSENGER (100 Licences) COSTS £250
SITE MESSENGER (250 Licences) COSTS £300
SITE MESSENGER (500 Licences) COSTS £400
SITE MESSENGER (Unlimited Licences) COSTS £545
eMEETING DATING COSTS £120
ABCHAT COSTS £50
CAMPFIRE STARTER COSTS (4 Licences) £50
CAMPFIRE BASIC COSTS (12 Licences) £56
CAMPFIRE PLUS COSTS (25 Licences) £62
CAMPFIRE PREMIUM COSTS (60 Licences) £75
SHOUTBOX COSTS £50
MINIBOX (20 Licences) COSTS £50
SHOUTBOX LIVE COSTS £50
TINBAG COSTS £100
YELLBOX COSTS £50
ZOHO CHAT COSTS £50
THE STANDARD FORUM COSTS £150
BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM COSTS £100
GUESTBOOK COSTS £25