1. Which "collaborative technologies" do you know about?


bioinformatics
EDC at the L3DC Center
Swiki
teleconference
confocal microscopy


2. Which "collaborative technologies" have I used?


Swiki
bioinformatics


3. Discuss the strengths and weakness of the "collaborative technology" which do I know best?


Blast (a DNA sequence analyzer)
Strengths:
(1)This tool of analyzing DNA can be accessed freely for anyone who can get online
(2)It connected to vast resource of DNA sequencelibraries around the world
(3)It ability to analize huge amount of information in second releases human from months or years of labor
Weakness:
(1)Users have no control over the databases for these DNA sequence library, Therefore, shutdown of internet or one of the libraries will disable the whole system
(2)It does not provide a platform for a group of researcher to engage in an interactive participation and exchange of ideas on certain subject


4. Can you think of theories, conceptual framework, specification which would guide you in developing "collaborative technology"?

I think the theories brought up by the authors of "Transcending the Individual Human Mind-Creating Shared Understanding through Collaborative Design," ACM Transactions on Computer Human-Interaction, 7(1), pp. 84-113.
http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~l3d/systems/EDC/pdf/tochi99.pdf
provide valuabel conceptual and practical thoughts over this subject. By recognize the symmtry of ignorance, we can develope the technologies used in the platform and environment that can encourage the interactive involvement of shareholders with different academic and cultural background to exchange information and create new ideas.


5. Have you ever read a book (or books) about collaboration?


No, I haven't get chance to read such a book


6. Discuss the following statement: "collaborative technology will have little success in non-collaboratice environment".

Nowdays, with the complex problems and conveniece and effective communication through various means, it is hard to find the enviornment that can not be beneficial from collaboration of different resources. The non-collaborative enviornment existed in 17th or 18th centry, or may even exist in the romote regions in undeveloped countries. But in the modern society, I personally couldn't find any activities that can not be improved by collaboration. But I agree with the above statement in absolute sense that "collaborative technology will have little success in non-collaboratice environment". However, I do not agree with the implicit assumption of the statement that there are significant non-collaboratice environment existing in our current society. Therefore, I don't think the above statement provides a valuable insight to our subject.