A simple wrap of TeamSpace software
TeamSpace software is an outcome of the Interactive Workspaces project in Stanford University. It is targeted on facilitating co-located users their home page gives more detailed information. http://iwork.stanford.edu/. The software has become an open source project on sourceforge http://sourceforge.net/projects/iros/
The software package (TSTools) here gives a set of wrapper interfaces (in Java) of TeamSpace applications (MulitBrowse and PointRight), providing an abstract and simple means of controlling starting and shutdown these applications. With TStools, one can program with individual criteria to decide when to start and close the TeamSpace applications at will. Such criteria can be mapped to user’s context, e.g., when meeting situation is determined, everyone’s mouse could automatically be extended to a local public screen, and drop files to it. These basic functions have been the core part of TeamSpace software, however, some features are lacking in the current TeamSpace software package (as it is by now), e.g, the connection does not close even if the communication session has ended, e.g., the user leaves the local environment.
The TSTools helps to wrap these existing functions as software components easily integratable and accessible by any other applications. It also helps the understanding of programmers and users by viewing these applications as standalone services without bothering the overhead of the underlying configurations of such applications.
To give a quick hands-on experience of the TSTools, the components (as well as the running examples) have been packed (together with the TeamSpace software) into two packages: the server part and the client part. You can download them from the links below.
To run the server: unpack the server package, and click the shortcut “Teamspace”.
To run the client: unpack the client/tool package, and run the “run.bat” with the IP address/Host name of the TeamSpace server. E.g., run 202.96.117.118. A simple GUI (as an example application) allows you to start and end a quick access to the specified shared screen (TeamSpace server).
The GUI can be easily replaced with other automatic logic e.g., the awareness of local shared screen etc, and more sophisticated decision-making can be deployed as well to handle more complex user contextual status.
The distribution (together with the TeamSpace software):
Server package: TeamSpace Server (With JRE 1.4, No JVM, Zipped, Self_Extract EXE)
Client package: TSTools (With JRE 1.4 Boundled, No JVM, Zipped, Self_Extract EXE)
Wei Li
2005/3/24