Filling HTML forms simultaneously: CoWeb — architecture and functionality

CoWeb is a system to support simultaneous work in the World Wide Web. CoWeb enables two or more users at remote locations to work with the same HTML document. For example, input fields can be filled collaboratively, and pointers and stretching rectangles can be used to highlight particular parts of images. An additional chatting channel can be used to talk about the document. CoWeb transforms the individual elements of the HTML language into Java applets, so that any existing HTML document can be used via CoWeb. All additional functionality for simultaneous cooperation is integrated through applets, i.e. by reading WWW documents. Thus, no modification of the document, the server or the WWW client is necessary — as long as the latter is Java-compatible.