Architecture for office automation

Abstract

The development of architecture which will facilitate office automation by enabling various office machines to cooperate in performing office system functions is examined. The goals and objectives for the initial steps toward an automated office system are related to an enumeration of the specific architectures which will be required. A general description of the capability of each architecture is given along with a discussion of specific architectural requirements and key problem areas. Some examples of architectural solutions to key problems are given. Specifically the approaches taken to the problem of precise architectural definition as it relates to text architecture are discussed. Finally some thoughts on future office system requirements and their architectural implications are given. This paper attempts to enumerate considerations and in some cases approaches to solutions for the office systems architecture problem. The contents are based on approximately three years of office systems architecture development work involving a variety of actual office products.