Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing in Grid Applications

In this paper we describe a solution for collaboration and knowledge sharing based on text notes entered by a user. Theory, implementation and use of such system -- EMBET is described. The key idea is that a user enters notes in a particular situation/context, which can be detected by the computer. Such notes are later displayed to other or the same users in a similar situation /context. The context of user is detected from computerized tasks performed by user. In the K-Wf Grid, grid services are semi-automatically composed to workflows, which should solve a user problem. It was identified that even when services and input and output data are well semantically described, there is often no possibility to compose an appropriate workflow e.g. because of missing specific input data or fulfillment of a user and application specific requirements. To help user in workflow construction it is appropriate to display notes and suggestions entered by the same or different users. Thus experts can collaborate and fill up application specific knowledge base with useful knowledge, which is shown to users in the right time. The solution was used and evaluated in the Pellucid IST project and it is further developed in the K-Wf Grid IST project