The evolution and popularity of the Internet and computing GRID has brought the cooperative computing research discipline to the Internet, for which we coined the term Cooperative Internet Computing (CIC). This conference brings together new and different approaches to CIC.The book contains the revised version of the 12 best papers presented at the conference, listed under four categories: theories and protocols of CIC, technologies and architecture of CIC, collaborative information retrieval, and CIC applications.This collection serves as a useful resource for those interested in the research and study of CIC.

The Second International Workshop on Cooperative Internet Computing (CIC2002) has brought together researchers, academics, and industry practitioners who are involved and interested in the development of advanced and emerging cooperative computing technologies. Cooperative computing is an important computing paradigm to enable different parties to work together towards a pre defined non-trivial goal. It encompasses important technological areas like computer supported cooperative work, workflow, computer assisted design and concurrent programming. As technologies continue to advance and evolve, there is an increasing need to research and develop new classes of middlewares and applications to leverage on the combined benefits of Internet and web to provide users and programmers with highly interactive and robust cooperative computing environment. It is the aim of this forum to promote close interactions and exchange of ideas among researchers, academics and practitioners on the state-of-the art researches in all of these exciting areas. We have partnered with Kluwer Acedamic Press this year to bring to you a book compilation of the papers that were presented at the CIC2002 workshop. The importance of the research area is reflected both in the quality and quantity of the submitted papers, where each paper was reviewed by at least three PC members. As a result, we were able to only accept 14 papers for full presentation at the workshop, while having to reject several excellent papers due to the limitations of the program schedule.

The evolution and popularity of the Internet and computing GRID has brought the cooperative computing research discipline to the Internet, for which we coined the term Cooperative Internet Computing (CIC). This conference brings together new and different approaches to CIC.The book contains the revised version of the 12 best papers presented at the conference, listed under four categories: theories and protocols of CIC, technologies and architecture of CIC, collaborative information retrieval, and CIC applications.This collection serves as a useful resource for those interested in the research and study of CIC.

An objective look at what Internet commerce can offer both the consumer and the provider. It covers three main areas of concern to business today: how to join the Internet revolution, how to manage it, and how to benefit from it. The book is primarily of interest as background reading for researchers and advanced level students in the following areas: electronic commerce, business studies, computer-mediated communication, management of information systems, project management, and organisational change. However, it will also be of interest to corporate managers involved in developing their companies'Internet-based strategies, and to anyone interested in how to buy or sell on the Net.

The Practical Handbook of Internet Computing analyzes a broad array of technologies and concerns related to the Internet, including corporate intranets. Fresh and insightful articles by recognized experts address the key challenges facing Internet users, designers, integrators, and policymakers. In addition to discussing major applications, it also covers the architectures, enabling technologies, software utilities, and engineering techniques that are necessary to conduct distributed computing and take advantage of Web-based services. The Handbook provides practical advice based upon experience, standards, and theory. It examines all aspects of Internet computing in wide-area and enterprise settings, ranging from innovative applications to systems and utilities, enabling technologies, and engineering and management. Content includes articles that explore the components that make Internet computing work, including storage, servers, and other systems and utilities. Additional articles examine the technologies and structures that support the Internet, such as directory services, agents, and policies. The volume also discusses the multidimensional aspects of Internet applications, including mobility, collaboration, and pervasive computing. It concludes with an examination of the Internet as a holistic entity, with considerations of privacy and law combined with technical content.

Scientists in different geographical locations conduct real-time experiments in a virtual shared workspace. E-commerce provides an emerging market for businesses large and small. E-mail, Servers, and Enterprise Resources Planning have revolutionized businesses on every level. People from all over the globe gather in chat rooms. The Internet is here to stay and Internet technologies and applications continue to grow and evolve. The Handbook of Internet Computing presents comprehensive coverage of all technical issues related to the Internet and its applications. It addresses hot topics such as Internet architectures, content-based multimedia retrieval on the Internet, Web-based collaboration, Web search engines, digital libraries, and more. Real-life examples illustrate the concepts so that technical, non-technical and business people can quickly grasp the fundamentals.