- Email: [email protected]
EUTECO 88: European teleinformatics conference 1988
257
COST-11 ter N e w s
EUTECO 88: European Teleinformatics Conference 1988 R. S P E T H
2. Topical Areas
C E C DG XIlI, 200 Rue de la Loi, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
2.1. Computer Mediated Human Communication (17 papers) I. Overview The Conference, held in Vienna, April 1988, which was organized by a COST-11 ter concerted action, gave an overview about R + D in the teleinformatics area in Europe. A total of 91 papers were presented of which 13 were of a more general nature (overview papers for certain areas with a view on future R + D, presented in plenary sessions). About half of all papers originated from COST-11 ter projects and working groups. It was interesting to see that, according to the immense progress in OSI standardization during the last years, R + D in teleinformatics is moving more and more towards the investigation of new distributed applications and supporting general communication concepts. Such work at the fore-front of standardization has nevertheless high importance for the standardization arena as it may provide early consolidated input for new work items. The Conference was attended by approximately 270 people of which about 25% came from industry.
There was a lot of interest in this topic centered around contributions from the COST-11 ter project A M I G O (Advanced Messaging in Groups) and from the ALVEY project COSMOS (Configurable Message Systems). Papers from University of Milano (Tools in the Language/Action Perspective) and from University of M a d r i d / U n i v e r s i t y of Troms~5 (Cooperating Intelligent Agents) showed interesting R + D evolution paths.
2.2. Security Issues in Distributed Systems (8papers) Beside papers from the COST-11 ter project OSIS and S E C U R I T Y (related mainly to general network security concepts with emphasis on authentication and digital signature mechanisms) there were e.g. reports on the E U R E K A project OASIS and the security approach in DELTA-4, and ESPRIT project.
2.3. Human Factors in Teleinformatics (8 papers) Beside papers from the two COST-11 ter projects in this area there were papers from Copenhagen University (Learnability of Mail-Interfaces) and from ICL (Cooperative Interface Styles).
2.4. High-Speed Wide Area Networks (7 papers).
North-Holland Computer N e t w o r k s a n d ISDN Systems 16 (1988/89) 257-259
The COST-11 ter experiment on Local Area Network connection via Satellites (SATINE) was contrasted to various high-speed application-off-
0169-7552/89/$3.50 © 1989, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
258
C O S T - I I ter N e w s
ented reports (e.g. Image Transmission/University of Bordeaux, Application Architecture for Broadband ISDN/BERKOM-Berlin, Remote Sensing Applications/University of Tromsi5 and a C O S I N E report on High-Bandwidth Services).
2.5. Architectures, Operating Systems and Management in Distributed Systems (12 papers) This session gave an interesting overview of R + D in this area. In addition to 3 papers from the COST-11 ter M A N D I S project (Management of Distributed Systems) a set of reports on important R + D activities in Europa were given: from the ALVEY project ANSA, from an ESPRIT project (Object-oriented Architecture for Concurrent Systems) and from several national projects as e.g. by G M D (Distributed Office Applications), by SEPT (Object Management in Distributed Systems) and by IRISA (the Distributed Operating System G O T H I C ) .
2.6. Formal Description Techiques for Distributed Systems (11 papers) European R + D in this area manifested itself through a variety of papers relating to validation, verification, specification and design issues of communication services and protocols. The COST-11 ter project on F D T presented a paper with consolidated views of 12 participating organizations (Framework for Taxonomy) 2. 7. Distributed Databases~Knowledge Bases (10 papers)
Beside several papers from the COST-11 ter project DAISY (Distribution Aspects of Information System) there were, for example, papers on language aspects of multi-databases ( G M D ) databases in Open Networks (University of East Anglia), Prolog-extensions for multi-databases feature (University of Vienna) and aspects of distributed knowledge bases ( d a t a - m o d e l / G M D and knowledge communication/University of Madrid).
In summary: The reports and the related discussions showed that the COST-11 ter activities formed in some way a focal point for R + D cooperation in teleinformatics at European level. By this, R + D in this area is not just a sum of several distinct projects but really a "concerted" action.
3. Papers from the Plenary (13 papers)
Invited speakers gave their view on " w h a t has been achieved and what should be done" in telematic R + D. Topics adddressed were, for example, - OSI Network: Problems and Future Trends; - System Integration Issues of Forthcoming OSI Services; - Distributed Operating Systems - Future Direction; - F D T s for Distributed Systems - Status and Perspectives; - Synergies in Industrial and Academic R + D in Teleinformatics; - Issues in Linked Knowledge Bases; -Future Communication Supported Working Environment. (A summary on COST-11 ter work, a report on ESPRIT and on ESPRIT Basic Research have also been given.) In general all speakers saw a need for continued R + D in the area of networks and for distributed systems in particular. Several research directions were presented (e.g. work on advanced formal techniques, distributed operating systems, distribution aspects in knowledge bases etc.). In addition, it is interesting to note that much attention was given to the question of user integration with respect to forthcoming more anonymous networking and also to the question of secure and trustable procedures in such working environments.
4. The Panel "Future Research in Teleinformatics"
2.8. Additional Papers There were, for example, an overview paper on COSINE, a study on the usage of Conferencing Services for SMEs in Sweden and an overview paper on a "Library"-network in the UK.
The panel, chaired by A. Ki~ndig ( E T H Ziirich) combined representatives for different directions of teleinformatic R + D. The discussion on future work provocatively stimulated by the chairman's question "Which type of R + D would you do
C O S T - 1 1 ter N e w s
during the next years if you would have 2MECU at your disposal", reinforced basically the impression from the reports of the invited speakers: Beside specific research directions as e.g. on FDTs, distributed data and knowledge bases, the integration of advanced application-oriented research with advanced network oriented development (e.g. broadband channels) etc., the role of the human user in distributed working environments and consequences for related technical approaches were considered to be of paramount importance for future work. This will include issues as human interfaces concepts for networking, authorization and authentication concepts, trusted procedures, responsibility concepts, personalization of services, etc. Such issues will fit well into the fastly emerging research field on "computer-supported cooperative work", a field where there is a lot of research already underway in the U.S.
259
seems to be obvious that there is a need for a wide range of future R + D work. There should be work dealing with developments related to networking in the more traditional sense, i.e. to provide early input for the construction and operation of OSI-based network infrastructures. Such R + D should keep close connections to evolving standardization work. Another type of work should for example address basic research issues in the area of distributed systems and applications aiming at the definition of general concepts, models, algorithms, etc. A challenge for R + D in this area could be a widening of the scope of work towards bridging gaps to other science domains (e.g. knowledge bases, cognitive sciences, scientific computing and the like).
6. Publication of the Conference Proceedings 5. Conclusions From the presentations and discussions during the parallel sessions, the plenary and the panel it
The proceedings of the Conference (about 1200 pages) are published by North-Holland, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., P.O. Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
COST-11 ter N e w s
EUTECO 88: European Teleinformatics Conference 1988 R. S P E T H
2. Topical Areas
C E C DG XIlI, 200 Rue de la Loi, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
2.1. Computer Mediated Human Communication (17 papers) I. Overview The Conference, held in Vienna, April 1988, which was organized by a COST-11 ter concerted action, gave an overview about R + D in the teleinformatics area in Europe. A total of 91 papers were presented of which 13 were of a more general nature (overview papers for certain areas with a view on future R + D, presented in plenary sessions). About half of all papers originated from COST-11 ter projects and working groups. It was interesting to see that, according to the immense progress in OSI standardization during the last years, R + D in teleinformatics is moving more and more towards the investigation of new distributed applications and supporting general communication concepts. Such work at the fore-front of standardization has nevertheless high importance for the standardization arena as it may provide early consolidated input for new work items. The Conference was attended by approximately 270 people of which about 25% came from industry.
There was a lot of interest in this topic centered around contributions from the COST-11 ter project A M I G O (Advanced Messaging in Groups) and from the ALVEY project COSMOS (Configurable Message Systems). Papers from University of Milano (Tools in the Language/Action Perspective) and from University of M a d r i d / U n i v e r s i t y of Troms~5 (Cooperating Intelligent Agents) showed interesting R + D evolution paths.
2.2. Security Issues in Distributed Systems (8papers) Beside papers from the COST-11 ter project OSIS and S E C U R I T Y (related mainly to general network security concepts with emphasis on authentication and digital signature mechanisms) there were e.g. reports on the E U R E K A project OASIS and the security approach in DELTA-4, and ESPRIT project.
2.3. Human Factors in Teleinformatics (8 papers) Beside papers from the two COST-11 ter projects in this area there were papers from Copenhagen University (Learnability of Mail-Interfaces) and from ICL (Cooperative Interface Styles).
2.4. High-Speed Wide Area Networks (7 papers).
North-Holland Computer N e t w o r k s a n d ISDN Systems 16 (1988/89) 257-259
The COST-11 ter experiment on Local Area Network connection via Satellites (SATINE) was contrasted to various high-speed application-off-
0169-7552/89/$3.50 © 1989, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V. (North-Holland)
258
C O S T - I I ter N e w s
ented reports (e.g. Image Transmission/University of Bordeaux, Application Architecture for Broadband ISDN/BERKOM-Berlin, Remote Sensing Applications/University of Tromsi5 and a C O S I N E report on High-Bandwidth Services).
2.5. Architectures, Operating Systems and Management in Distributed Systems (12 papers) This session gave an interesting overview of R + D in this area. In addition to 3 papers from the COST-11 ter M A N D I S project (Management of Distributed Systems) a set of reports on important R + D activities in Europa were given: from the ALVEY project ANSA, from an ESPRIT project (Object-oriented Architecture for Concurrent Systems) and from several national projects as e.g. by G M D (Distributed Office Applications), by SEPT (Object Management in Distributed Systems) and by IRISA (the Distributed Operating System G O T H I C ) .
2.6. Formal Description Techiques for Distributed Systems (11 papers) European R + D in this area manifested itself through a variety of papers relating to validation, verification, specification and design issues of communication services and protocols. The COST-11 ter project on F D T presented a paper with consolidated views of 12 participating organizations (Framework for Taxonomy) 2. 7. Distributed Databases~Knowledge Bases (10 papers)
Beside several papers from the COST-11 ter project DAISY (Distribution Aspects of Information System) there were, for example, papers on language aspects of multi-databases ( G M D ) databases in Open Networks (University of East Anglia), Prolog-extensions for multi-databases feature (University of Vienna) and aspects of distributed knowledge bases ( d a t a - m o d e l / G M D and knowledge communication/University of Madrid).
In summary: The reports and the related discussions showed that the COST-11 ter activities formed in some way a focal point for R + D cooperation in teleinformatics at European level. By this, R + D in this area is not just a sum of several distinct projects but really a "concerted" action.
3. Papers from the Plenary (13 papers)
Invited speakers gave their view on " w h a t has been achieved and what should be done" in telematic R + D. Topics adddressed were, for example, - OSI Network: Problems and Future Trends; - System Integration Issues of Forthcoming OSI Services; - Distributed Operating Systems - Future Direction; - F D T s for Distributed Systems - Status and Perspectives; - Synergies in Industrial and Academic R + D in Teleinformatics; - Issues in Linked Knowledge Bases; -Future Communication Supported Working Environment. (A summary on COST-11 ter work, a report on ESPRIT and on ESPRIT Basic Research have also been given.) In general all speakers saw a need for continued R + D in the area of networks and for distributed systems in particular. Several research directions were presented (e.g. work on advanced formal techniques, distributed operating systems, distribution aspects in knowledge bases etc.). In addition, it is interesting to note that much attention was given to the question of user integration with respect to forthcoming more anonymous networking and also to the question of secure and trustable procedures in such working environments.
4. The Panel "Future Research in Teleinformatics"
2.8. Additional Papers There were, for example, an overview paper on COSINE, a study on the usage of Conferencing Services for SMEs in Sweden and an overview paper on a "Library"-network in the UK.
The panel, chaired by A. Ki~ndig ( E T H Ziirich) combined representatives for different directions of teleinformatic R + D. The discussion on future work provocatively stimulated by the chairman's question "Which type of R + D would you do
C O S T - 1 1 ter N e w s
during the next years if you would have 2MECU at your disposal", reinforced basically the impression from the reports of the invited speakers: Beside specific research directions as e.g. on FDTs, distributed data and knowledge bases, the integration of advanced application-oriented research with advanced network oriented development (e.g. broadband channels) etc., the role of the human user in distributed working environments and consequences for related technical approaches were considered to be of paramount importance for future work. This will include issues as human interfaces concepts for networking, authorization and authentication concepts, trusted procedures, responsibility concepts, personalization of services, etc. Such issues will fit well into the fastly emerging research field on "computer-supported cooperative work", a field where there is a lot of research already underway in the U.S.
259
seems to be obvious that there is a need for a wide range of future R + D work. There should be work dealing with developments related to networking in the more traditional sense, i.e. to provide early input for the construction and operation of OSI-based network infrastructures. Such R + D should keep close connections to evolving standardization work. Another type of work should for example address basic research issues in the area of distributed systems and applications aiming at the definition of general concepts, models, algorithms, etc. A challenge for R + D in this area could be a widening of the scope of work towards bridging gaps to other science domains (e.g. knowledge bases, cognitive sciences, scientific computing and the like).
6. Publication of the Conference Proceedings 5. Conclusions From the presentations and discussions during the parallel sessions, the plenary and the panel it
The proceedings of the Conference (about 1200 pages) are published by North-Holland, Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., P.O. Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.