Adobe’s latest innovation is the Common Collaboration Model (CoCoMo), Adobe have been pushing the real-time multi-user aspect that has been the missing link in all their previous applications.

CoCoMo (”Common Collaboration Model”) is a Flex SDK and runtime framework that allows developers to quickly build multi-user real-time collaborative applications.

Built on top of Adobe Connect, CoCoMo allows developers to embed real-time collaboration applications such as screen sharing, whiteboarding and chatting into existing applications, removing the previous barriers in building realtime collaborative applications.

Features of CoCoMo include APIs for real time data messaging, real time audio and video, streaming, presence, permissions, and real-time file publishing and collaboration.

Making real-time collaboration possible
For developers, building RTC applications has traditionally been prohibitive from a cost, operational, and complexity standpoint. End users typically must install applications in order to participate in anything resembling real-time collaboration.

However, CoCoMo integrates seamlessly with Flash and Flex. Fully embracing Software as a Service, CoCoMo’s components allows developers to build collaborative applications completely on the client. These components expose a runtime model for realtime collaboration that is abstracted from server logic.

Permissions and security embedded into collaboration
Every component provided by CoCoMo has a built-in notion of authenticated identity, permissions, and security. Rights for components are manageable by application owners; for example, the teacher in a virtual classroom can “pass the baton” to allow a student to ask a question using VOIP, or the host of a seminar can demote a nuisance user in a chat to disable further interruption. All communication is authenticated with permission checks at the client and server, to prevent any unauthorised access.

Webinars made easy
CoCoMo works side by side with Adobe Connect software, meaning you can be conducting real time web conferencing with multiple people across multiple locations at a fraction of the cost of face-to-face meetings. However, you don’t need to be an Adobe Connect user to use CoCoMo.

As one of the most cost-effective mass communication tools, Adobe Connect enables engaging, collaborative meetings with just a web browser and the Adobe Flash® Player runtime.

While Adobe Connect is already a vital tool for businesses looking to communicate efficiently and effectively with staff in real time, without the hassles of travel time, booking rooms and having staff away from their desks, CoCoMo is designed to enhance Adobe Connect by allowing developers to embed features specific to their needs.

For example, developers will be able to add features like a poll pod, synchronised video playback and shared, interactive maps using CoCoMo. Internet giant Yahoo! maps is already a fan of CoCoMo, using it as the platform for interactive maps. Yahoo! maps and CoCoMo have created a system of real-time shared maps, with co-navigation, shared cursors, and annotation overlays, which can be viewed by a group of people simultaneously.

Results of the beta testing of CoCoMo earlier in the year are impressive. More than 70% of those in beta test phase have been using CoCoMo to develop collaborative applications to further enhance their business and business communication.

Mark Blair, Technical Director, Adobe Asia Pacific, says that the CoCoMo application can potentially save an organisation thousands of dollars per annum.

“Multi site organisations can now communicate with staff without having to bear the cost of travel time or down time,” Blair said. “For companies with dispersed sale forces, collaborative applications allow the organisation to brief staff on new products, key messages and client relationships. This can be undertaken on a daily basis if needed.

“CoCoMo has a unique feature of ‘shared model synchronisation’, meaning that developers can define whether conversations in chat rooms are stored, allowing people who may enter the chat room later to see the previous conversation,” Blair said.

“This is a great step forward for organisations whose communication may suffer from differing time zones, and for organisations with staff who are regularly out of the office.

“CoCoMo enables organisational communication to still exist in a dynamic and real sense at a greatly reduced cost as compared to face-to-face communication,” he said. As a collaborative tool, Blair says CoCoMo provides a solid foundation for improved organisational efficiency.

“CoCoMo users can change permissions dynamically during a session to improve communication and knowledge sharing amongst all the participants. What this means is that as the social settings demand, so to can the permission settings without any difficulty.”

Building blocks
From an architecture perspective, CoCoMo has been built specifically to enable development of applications without the need for substantial downloads. By integrating with a range of common Adobe software, including Connect, Flex and the free Flash player, the barriers to building RTC applications have been immediately removed.

Many uses of the CoCoMo SDK will be supported with a high-level set of “pod” components, such as Roster Lists, VOIP publishing UI, and Whiteboards. These components will allow simple assembly of rich applications with little low-level coding involved. For more customized or advanced use cases, CoCoMo will also support the creation of new components with a set of low-level, shared model components useful for communicating shared application state. All CoCoMo components support extension through inheritance and composition.

Blair says the responses to the beta testing have been strong. “The majority of commentary all been favourable to date, and developers appear to be excited about being able to develop and code applications that will sit alongside software like Flash and Flex,” he said.

“Essentially Adobe is giving developers all of the tools necessary to create applications that do most of the things that Connect does on their own terms and using on their own infrastructure.”

“CoCoMo has been designed as a tool to make developing RTC applications affordable for those who can’t afford a Flash RTC specialist, or a Flash Media Server.

“CoCoMo is fundamentally something which can sit along side existing Adobe products to enhance collaborative functionality,” he concluded.

Source: http://www.updateadobe.com/adobepluggedin/winter08/developers.htm

Filed under: Flex