Integrating XML and CORBA to support collaborative writing using off-the-shelf editing software

In this paper, collaborative writing is modeled as a workflow application comprising a number of activities. Each activity is assigned to a co-author to edit certain part(s) of the shared document. The order of editing is governed by a workflow schedule, which can be modified during execution. To enable concurrent editing, a data definition scheme is proposed whereby documents are transformed into the XML format for internal storage. Effectively, a hierarchical structure is superimposed on each document, allowing it to be broken down into a number of independent parts. These parts may then be separately edited in parallel. Unlike other approaches, the system supports the use of off-the-shelf editor software. Users can thus adapt to the system easily and existing documents can also be re-used rapidly. A prototype has been built which supports collaborative editing of Microsoft WordTM documents.