Collaborative software

is software designed to help people involved in a common task achieve their goals. Collaborative software is the basis for computer supported cooperative work.

Such software systems as email, calendaring, text chat, wiki belong in this category. It has been suggested that Metcalfe's law — the more people who use something, the more valuable it becomes — applies to such software.

is software designed to help people involved in a common task achieve their goals. Collaborative software is the basis for computer supported cooperative work.

Such software systems as email, calendaring, text chat, wiki belong in this category. It has been suggested that Metcalfe's law — the more people who use something, the more valuable it becomes — applies to such software.

* Web-based collaborative tools
* Software collaborative tools




Electronic communication tools

Electronic communication tools send messages, files, data, or documents between people and hence facilitate the sharing of information. Examples include:

* synchronous conferencing
* e-mail
* faxing
* voice mail
* Wikis
* Web publishing
* revision control

 Electronic conferencing tools


Electronic conferencing tools facilitate the sharing of information, but in a more interactive way. Examples include:

* Internet forums (also known as message boards or discussion boards) — a virtual discussion platform to facilitate and manage online text messages
* Online chat — a virtual discussion platform to facilitate and manage real-time text messages
* Instant Messaging
* Telephony — telephones allow users to interact
* Video conferencing — networked PCs share video and audio signals
* Data conferencing — networked PCs share a common whiteboard that each user can modify
* Application sharing — users can access a shared document or application from their respective computers simultaneously in real time
* Electronic meeting systems (EMS) — a conferencing system built into a room. The special purpose room will usually contain a large video projector interlinked with numerous PCs..

 Collaborative management tools

Collaborative management tools facilitate and manage group activities. Examples include:

* electronic calendars (also called time management software) — schedule events and automatically notify and remind group members
* project management systems — schedule, track, and chart the steps in a project as it is being completed
* workflow systems — collaborative management of tasks and documents within a knowledge-based business process
* knowledge management systems — collect, organize, manage, and share various forms of information
* prediction markets — let a group of people predict together the outcome of future events
* extranet systems (sometimes also known as 'project extranets') — collect, organize, manage and share information associated with the delivery of a project (eg: the construction of a building)
* hosted intranet systems (such as Hyperoffice,Hotoffice or Intranets.com) — collect, organize, manage and share information associated with the delivery of a project (eg: the construction of a building)
* social software systems — organize social relations of groups
* online spreadsheets — collaborate and share structured data and information

Collaborative software can be either web based (such as Cool Conference Live, UseModWiki, Scoop or Commonware), , or desktop systems (such as CVS or RCS).