The central aspect of the new version is the easy access to content in BSCW from anywhere. Starting with version 5.0, BSCW offers two additional access methods besides the familiar comfortable web-based user interface, the mobile user interface and the desktop widgets. Access to BSCW, whether being on the road and in the office, becomes even more efficient.
Mobile user
interface
The user interface for
mobile access has been completely rebuilt from scratch, focusing on support
of advanced state-of-the-art smart phones (including iPhone and
Android). The mobile user may now easily access all content stored in
the system – folders, documents, appointments etc. The mobile portal
provides access to the different domains of the system and includes a
search feature. Besides navigation of content, the mobile user interface also
includes additional details on various objects: a details view reveals meta data
of an object and allows editing details. Users may even add content,
invite users to shared workspaces or contact people from within their
personal address book while being on the road (see 7.2 Mobile Device Interface).
BSCW Desktop Widgets
The new
desktop widgets enable direct access to relevant information in shared
workspaces from a user’s PC or Mac and are easily installed using the
web-based user interface of the system. In order to provide instant access
to shared information, some of the known “helpers” from the personal portal page
have been ported and adapted to the use in a desktop context. Once installed,
the desktop widgets are available as a constant companion on the user’s
desktop and may even start automatically when the system boots. Using the
desktop widgets, users may for example easily search the system, receive
notifications about recent changes or simply browse the contents of the shared
workspaces. The Navigator widget additionally offers an easy-to-use
upload mechanism via drag & drop (see 7.1 Desktop Widgets).
Further changes and
enhancements
Revision of the personal
address book: The personal address book has been revised in order to not
only contain registered users but also “simple” contacts. Thus, users may now
create and edit contacts in their personal address books. For a simplified
usage, users and contacts are treated very much alike in the address book.
Additionally, contacts referring to a user may be compared with
the details contained in this user’s personal profile (including a merge/replace
feature). Of course, the personal address book still serves as a source for
quick selection of members for shared workspaces, appointments etc.
Furthermore, synchronization of the personal address book with Outlook
contacts is now available. (see 5.2 Address
book)
Extended archiving
features: The archiving feature has been fundamentally changed including
background processing of very large archives. In order to minimize loss of
information when importing and exporting the contents of shared workspaces, the
archives now include additional metadata and thereby allow a more comprehensive
backup and restore of shared data – opening up the possibility to move
workspaces from one BSCW server to another (see 13.1 Archiving objects).
Various
improvements and changes: Improved pop-up action menus; edit query and redo
search now as action shortcuts; permanent hiding of search results not of
interest (see 3.7.1 Special actions in search folders);
automatic locking of text and HTML documents while being processed with built-in
editor (see 8.1.1 Creating and editing text
documents ff.); file upload using the drag and drop uploader works also
without Java for recent versions of Firefox and Chrome; some actions
concerning communities were dropped, especially the invitation of
member groups to communities (see 11.6
Inviting
communities to member groups and vice versa).