Project 1

Project description

The project must deliver a distributed client/server system for Groupware. This system should give function that people can use to cooperate. The functionality should largely be the same as those of email or Usenet newsgroups (discussion groups). The server(s) should keep track of the information that does not belong to a specific user in a central location. The client programs must allow the user to make use of the system. The clients should have a simple GUI (don't spend too much time on it).

The communication between the clients and the server must take place through distributed objects, i.e. not by using a protocol directly.

A server must be able to work with multiple clients simultaneously.

Optionally (depending on your design) clients might communicate with other clients or servers with other servers.

Each group chooses either email or news.

Minimal requirements are:

• Users can register themselves and be removed.
• Email:
• Users can send messages to other users.
• Users can read their own messages.
• The system keeps a list of messages that a user has read.
• Messages can be organised in separate mailboxes that the user can create and remove.
• (Only for a 3-person group) The user can manage an addressbook. The address book can also have group addresses (mailing lists).
• News:
• There are discussion groups (not necessarily with a hierarchical structure)
• Users can create new discussion groups and remove them when they are empty.
• Users can subscribe and unsubscribe to discussion groups.
• Users that are subscribed to a discussion group can read its messages and post new messages in it.
• The system will maintain which messages has been read by each user.
• (Only for a 3-person group) Messages that have been read by all users can be removed (optionally after some expiration time).
• (Only for a 3-person group) Discussion threads should be formed.

Of course it is allowed to add additional functionality.

Security

Your system should give some attention to security. Users that want to use the system should be authenticated, and no user should be allowed to work with data for which he/she is not authorized. E.g. a user can only see and change his own mailbox, except for the group appointments. In the design document you have to describe how this will be done.

In the final documentation of the project you must also explain what are the dangers of hackers/crackers trying to enter your system illegally (e.g. by connecting directly to sockets), and how this should be protected. It does not have to be implemented, however.

-- PietVanOostrum - 03 Sep 2008