CommonSpace

What is CommonSpace?

CommonSpace is a collaborative writing environment for use in a multitude of settings. It was a joint project with Sixth Floor Media . and Within Technology. You can find out more about CommonSpace at Sixth Floor Media's comprehensive web site . Within offers consulting services on implementing CommonSpace as a tool for learning and collaboration.

Available for the Macintosh and Windows environment, CommonSpace uses a unique columnar interface to allow annotation of document text in a flexible and powerful fashion.

A Brief History of CommonSpace

The interface for CommonSpace was the culmination of many years of work by many people. While Within Technology and Sixth Floor Media brought CommonSpace to the commercial marketplace, many of the original interface ideas were developed by a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University.

The precursor for CommonSpace was the PREP Editor, a research prototype developed at Carnegie Mellon University as part of the NSF sponsored PREP Editor project . The PREP Project consisted of (in no particular order) Jim Morris, Chris Neuwirth, David Kaufer, Paul Erion, Dale Wiggins, and Rob Chandhok. Many graduate students were also involved at various times during the project, most notably Patricia Wojahn and Loel Robinson. Jim, David, and Chris are still at Carnegie Mellon where they continue to do research and run various departments. Paul, Dale, and Rob left CMU to start Within Technology.