BSCW manages two basic types of objects:

• Objects that do not contain other objects:

  Document URL Note

  search result user

• Objects that may contain collections of objects ("Container objects"):

  folder calender discussion group (members of a workspace)

  your calendar your address book your clipboard your wastebasket.

In its Web-based user interface, BSCW displays the contents of container objects in pages that share a common basic structure and functionality. The page of a folder may be taken as a model of these pages. Therefore we occasionally use the term "folder" to stand for any object that may contain a collection of objects.

If you use a Web browser with full support for JDK 1.1, you may install and use the JBrowser applet in addition to the Web-based user interface (see section 3.2). The JBrowser interface is modeled after the Microsoft Windows Explorer. It displays the hierarchical structure of your folders, calenders, discussion forums and their contents in three communicating windows.

JBrowser is an optional part of the user interface. At the moment, it can display only part of the information that you need in using BSCW. On the other hand, it provides a broader view of your folder tree in a familiar style, allowing you to "jump" between folders in different branches of your folder tree.

The HTML-pages of folders, calenders, discussions, your address book, your clipboard etc. all have a two-part structure consisting of:

• Header
• List of entries (body)

The following sections describe the general structure and functionality of such pages, using the folder page as an example.

Please bear in mind that the details of what we describe here, e. g. the folder page, the objects and also the actions may be different or may not be available to you in some of your workspaces, due to

• variations in roles (access rights),
• the level of proficiency with BSCW that you have chosen for yourself (at the Beginner level -- the default when you start using BSCW -- you will see fewer objects and actions than shown here),
• the configuration of the BSCW server you use.

Section 4.2.4 explains in detail how you may personalize the Web-based user interface.