DOI: 10.3217/jucs-025-07-0733

Authors: Namik Delilovic, Hermann Maurer

Abstract: When studying a web page, the common problem is that users notice a mistake, or feel that some vital information is missing, or do not understand some explanation or wording. The possibly supplied list of frequently asked questions and answers is often not helpful, and trying to contact the web administration can be quite frustrating. In this note, we discuss methods that make it easier for users to send and receive meaningful feedback from a web server when needed. The problem is that the system has to be easy to use, yet must avoid misuse by a possible attacker and that the server administration gets valuable feedback, yet is not overwhelmed by the requests. After studying and experimenting with various techniques, we report on a solution that allows users to send feedback or ask questions, yet remain anonymous if desired, and also protects the web server by filtering feedback and questions using language recognition techniques. We propose and report on an implementation that makes such feedback mechanisms available to users whenever they feel the need for it.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-021-06-0777

Authors: Paloma Cáceres, Almudena Sierra-Alonso, Carlos Cuesta, Belén Vela, José Cavero

Abstract: Many organizations and public administrations are currently working to open their data for the general use, in the context of the Linked Open Data (LOD) initiative. This emphasizes the need to publish available data in a structured format, so that they can be accessed and externally processed in order to maximize their utility for citizens. This also poses a general challenge in the area of information technologies, as it requires being able to integrate data from heterogeneous distributed sources, provided in a compatible format. We consider the specific domain of public transport networks, where the information has obviously a public interest. The processing of these data can be used for a wide variety of applications: route planning systems are a classic example. However, most of the existing approaches in this domain fail to provide specific means to deal with accessibility data, i.e. the information which is relevant for people with special mobility needs, especially when it is obtained from different transit networks. In this context, the LD approach is particularly useful, due to the complexity of those relationships and their inherently graph-oriented nature. In this work we describe the process we use to define this information and to make it available in the context of the CoMobility project. First, we define a conceptual model, supported by the main reference data models in the transport domain: Transmodel and IFOPT, and emphasizing the role of accessibility. We transform it into an ontology, in order to combine data from diverse sources; and then such concrete data are captured using the schema defined by this ontology. In this context, we use actual data from the public bus network in the City of Madrid. Afterwards we are able to define and build new mobility services, e.g. to automatically decide if a certain bus route is accessible or not, considering any potential transfers in this route. Finally, we are able to publish the obtained information, albeit partially, preserving the LOD spirit.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-020-15-2068

Authors: Basit Shahzad, Esam Alwagait

Abstract: Twitter has gained phenomenal popularity over time, especially in Saudi Arabia, where it enjoys unmatched usage and is considered highly attractive. Tweets are now an important source of trend-setting and marketing along with their conventional use for information exchange. Recently, Saudi Arabia changed its working days so that weekends are Friday and Saturday instead of Thursday and Friday. To identify the impact of such a change on the usage of social networks, five detailed experiments are conducted. Time-stamped data for selected individuals are retrieved from Twitter and analyzed accordingly to observe usage behavior. Moreover, the results of these experiments are compared with results obtained last year, before the weekend was changed.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-020-10-1511

Authors: Esam Alwagait, Basit Shahzad

Abstract: The increase in Twitter's popularity has been phenomenal over time. Tweets are now not only a means of status update and one-on-one communication, but they are also widely used for trend setting and marketing. The probability that the user will see a Tweet when he was offline at the time it was tweeted is very low. In order to increase the Tweet impact, it is important to determine the number of individuals online so that maximum number of users see the Tweets. This research focuses on identifying the individual users from Saudi Arabia based on the parameters already set for the conduct of this study. The time-stamped data for 1000 selected individuals is retrieved from Twitter and is analyzed accordingly. The number of online users is observed by recording the "last seen" status. The retrieval of data is based on a number of experiments that was run at same time on all days of the week to reduce the inconsistent patterns. The data is then analyzed to see the time slots where the online user percentage is higher as compared to other time slots. The results of the study are focused to identify and recommend the timings when the Tweets are better valued and the impact is considerable.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-019-12-1736

Authors: Miloš Ljubojević, Vojkan Vasković, Dušan Starčević

Abstract: Internet video advertising is a sensitive application regarding the quality of the multimedia content, efficiency of displayed advertisement and user's attention. Therefore, video advertising have to be described with respect to Quality of Experience (QoE). Important issue represents trade-off between the Quality of Experience and ad efficiency. The analysis of payment which takes into account the duration of video ad is one of the aspects in this research. This paper analyzes influences of the format of the video ad to user's attention in order to achieve optimum ratio between the efficiency of the ad and QoE. We investigated impact of the position of the video ad in video content, ad duration and transition effects in merging video contents to the user's attention and ad efficiency. The model for estimation of QoE, taking into account improvement efficiency of video ad, was presented and metrics which are necessary for the evaluation of the QoE are introduced. The results show that it is possible to design video ad to achieve optimal ratio between the efficiency of ad and QoE. The improvement of the efficiency of an ad may be achieved while retaining the maximum QoE at the same time.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-017-04-0532

Authors: Johannes Müller, Alexander Stocker

Abstract: Siemens is well known for ambitious efforts in knowledge management, providing a series of innovative tools and applications within the intranet. References@BT is such a web-based application with currently more than 7,300 registered users from more than 70 countries. Its goal is to support the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best-practices globally within the Building Technologies division. Launched in 2005, References@BT features structured knowledge references, discussion forums, and a basic social networking service. In response to use demand, a new microblogging service, tightly integrated into References@BT, was implemented in March 2009. More than 500 authors have created around 2,600 microblog postings since then. Following a brief introduction into the community platform References@BT, we comprehensively describe the motivation, experiences and advantages for an organization in providing internal microblogging services. We provide detailed microblog usage statistics, analyzing the top ten users regarding postings and followers as well as the top ten topics. In doing so, we aim to shed light on microblogging usage and adoption within a globally distributed organization.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-016-19-2756

Authors: Joshua Scotton, Sabine Moebs, Jennifer Mcmanis, Alexandra Cristea

Abstract: Personalization is desirable, but writing the adaptation behaviour description to go with it is taxing. Even more challenging is the application of multiple adaptation strategies over the same static content. This paper focuses on recent work on strategy modularisation and merger development in the authoring process of adaptive hypermedia. The reason for the modularisation of strategies is to break a complex adaptation decision into a number of simpler ones, which may be reused more easily and applied in different orders. The rationale for strategy merger is to be able to apply multiple adaptation strategies over the same content — a challenge which is not yet fully addressed in current adaptive hypermedia systems. To demonstrate the proposed method we present an example case study and sample strategies written in the LAG adaptation language. The case study is based on a recently proposed model for Quality of Experience in e-learning. This model exposes the complex interaction between a number of factors affecting QoE and hence presents a good candidate for the application of a strategy merger, as well as modularisation. We have then evaluated this approach via structured questionnaires used with a number of design experts of hypermedia content creation, especially in the domain of education. This allows us to draw generic conclusions for both our own further research, as well as for the community at large, interested in the area of reuse and modularisation of adaptation.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-015-08-1589

Authors: Junseok Hwang, Youngjin Lee, Seunghyun Kim

Abstract: Weblogs have received attention as new, personalized media. Yet, only few of them attract public attention and become successful. This study explores weblog success factors in three categories: content creation, content features and content diffusion. During the process of content creation in weblogs, we argue that weblog service providers (WSPs) support bloggers’ resource collection. We also presume that the volume or the quality of posts in weblogs could be matter to gain visitors’ attention when weblog content (i.e., post) is generated. During the process of content diffusion, we assume that use of blogging technologies (BTs) such as trackback or RSS would enhance content-sharing activities between weblogs. Based on the data from a sample of Korean individual weblogs, our analysis indicates that weblog success (in terms of the number of unique visitors per week) is related to the WSP’s support level for content creation as well as content features.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-014-17-2799

Authors: Maurice Hendrix, Alexandra Cristea

Abstract: At present a large amount of research exists into the design and implementation of adaptive systems. However, not many target the complex task of authoring in such systems, or their evaluation. In order to tackle these problems, we have looked into the causes of the complexity. Manual annotation has proven to be a bottleneck for authoring of adaptive hypermedia. One such solution is the reuse of automatically generated metadata. In our previous work we have proposed the integration of the generic Adaptive Hypermedia authoring environment, MOT (My Online Teacher), and a semantic desktop environment, indexed by Beagle++. A prototype, Sesame2MOT Enricher v1, was built based upon this integration approach and evaluated. After the initial evaluations, a web-based prototype was built (web-based Sesame2MOT Enricher v2 application) and integrated in MOT v2, conforming with the findings of the first set of evaluations. This new prototype underwent another evaluation. This paper thus does a synthesis of the approach in general, the initial prototype, with its first evaluations, the improved prototype and the first results from the most recent evaluation round, following the next implementation cycle of the spiral model [Boehm, 88].

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-014-04-0557

Authors: Astrid Dickinger, Steffen Zorn

Abstract: Due to a shift in the marketing focus from mass to micro markets, the importance of one-to-one communication in advertising has increased. Interactive media provide possible answers to this shift. However, missing standards in payment models for interactive media are a hurdle in the further development. The paper reviews interactive advertising payment models. Furthermore, it adapts the popular FCB grid as a tool for both advertisers and publishers or broadcasters to examine effective interactive payment models.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-014-04-0546

Authors: Christian Safran, Frank Kappe

Abstract: User generated content published via weblogs (also known as blogs) has gained importance in the last years, and the number of globally available weblogs increases. However, a large fraction of these show low publishing activity and are rarely read. This paper is a quantitative analysis of success factors in a community of over 15.000 weblogs, hosted by a local Austrian newspaper. We looked at publishing activity by content type, community activity and writing style. Also, the interconnectedness of the community was analyzed.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-013-09-1234

Authors: Muhammad Afzal, Narayanan Kulathuramaiyer, Hermann Maurer

Abstract: We are approaching an era where research materials will be stored more and more as digital resources on the World Wide Web. This of course will enable easier access to online publications. As the number of electronic publications expands, it will, however, become a challenge for individuals to find related or relevant papers. Related papers could be papers written by the same team of authors or by one of the authors, or even papers that deal with the same topic but were written by other authors. This, of course, raises the issue of linking to papers forward in time, or as we call it "links into the future". To be concrete, while reading a paper written in the year 1980, it would be nice to know if the same author has written another related paper in 1990’s or if the same author has written a paper earlier, all this without making an explicit search. Based on the ascertained interest of a person reading a particular paper from a digital repository, an auto-suggestion facility could be useful to indicate papers in the same area, category and subject that might potentially be of interest to the reader. One is typically interested in finding related papers by the same author or by one of the authors of a paper. This feature can be implemented in two ways. The first is by creating links from this paper to all the relevant papers and updating it periodically for new papers appearing on the World Wide Web. Another way is by going through the references of all papers appearing on the WWW. Based on the references, one can create mutual links to the papers that are referred to.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-013-07-0948

Authors: Maximiliano Paredes, Pedro Sánchez-Villalón, Manuel Ortega Cantero, J. Velázquez-Iturbide

Abstract: Writing applications are currently designed for desktop personal computers. Mobile devices like PDAs or smart phones are increasingly being used for mobile applications such as access to information sources or local work on the device, but they are seldom used for collaborative tasks. Here we present AULA and AWLA, two applications that put mobile devices and collaborative educational environments together inside and outside the classroom. They are designed under the paradigm of collaborative composition writing in language learning courses, in particular English as a Foreign Language (EFL).

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-013-02-0209

Authors: Cesar Sanín, Edward Szczerbicki, Carlos Toro

Abstract: Collecting, distributing and sharing knowledge in a knowledge-explicit way is a significant task for any company. However, collecting decisional knowledge in the form of formal decision events as the fingerprints of a company is an utmost advance. Such decisional fingerprint is called decisional DNA. Set of experience knowledge structure can assist on accomplishing this purpose. In addition, Ontology-based technology applied to set of experience knowledge structure would facilitate distributing and sharing companies' decisional DNA. Such possibility would assist in the development of an e-decisional community, which will support decision-makers on their overwhelming job. The purpose of this paper is to explain the development of .an OWL decisional Ontology built upon set of experience, which would make decisional DNA, that is, explicit knowledge of formal decision events, a useful element in multiple systems and technologies, as well as in the construction of the e-decisional community.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-013-02-0135

Authors: Hidekazu Kubota, Satoshi Nomura, Yasuyuki Sumi, Toyoaki Nishida

Abstract: We present a concept and implementation of a computational support for spatial memory management and describe its temporal evolution. Our essential idea is to use an immersible globe that consists of a global space and a conical space, thereby providing arbitrary memory space for humans. We developed a sustainable knowledge globe (SKG) for constructing a memory space, and proposed a system called Contents Garden to expand the SKG into immersive space. We carried out the user study of SKG to evaluate its effectiveness. We also proposed and discussed three perceptual operations on Contents Garden to improve the operativity of the SKG.

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DOI: 10.3217/jucs-012-01-0080

Authors: Adel Taweel, Alan Rector, Jeremy Rogers

Abstract: The convergence of need between improved clinical care and post genomics research presents a unique challenge to restructuring information flow so that it benefits both without compromising patient safety or confidentiality. The CLEF project aims to link-up heath care with bioinformatics to build a collaborative research platform that enables a more effective biomedical research. In that, it addresses various barriers and issues, including privacy both by policy and by technical means, towards establishing its eventual system. It makes extensive use of language technology for information extraction and presentation, and its shared repository is based around coherent "chronicles" of patients' histories that go beyond traditional health record structure. It makes use of a collaborative research workbench that encompasses several technologies and uses many tools providing a rich platform for clinical researcher.

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