Collaborative framework for disparate application programs

Apparatus for use in a collaborative system having a memory for communicating information from a first program utilizing a first information format to a second program utilizing a second information format that is different from the first information format, the apparatus comprising:

• a first session object in the memory, which is constructed in a central location and is not part of either the first program or the second program, communicates with both the first and second program with wrapper messages having the same message format and broadcasts received messages to all collaborators in the collaboration system;
• a first wrapper mechanism which inserts information in the first format generated by the first program into a first wrapper message and sends the first wrapper message from the first program to the session object;
• a converter in the session object which converts the information from the first format to the second format;
• and
• a second wrapper mechanism which inserts the converted information into a second wrapper message and sends the second wrapper message to the second program.

A computer program product for use in a collaborative system having a memory for communicating information from a first program utilizing a first information format to a second program utilizing a second information format that is different from the first information format, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including:

• program code for constructing a first session object in the memory in a central location, which session object is not part of either the first program or the second program, communicates with both the first and second program with wrapper messages having the same message format and broadcasts received messages to all collaborators in the collaboration system;
• program code which inserts information in the first format generated by the first program into a first wrapper message and sends the first wrapper message from the first program to the session object;
• program code in the session object which converts the information from the first format to the second format;
• and
• program code which inserts the converted information into a second wrapper message and sends the second wrapper message to the second program.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for use in a collaborative system having a memory for communicating information from a first program utilizing a first information format to a second program utilizing a second information format that is different from the first information format, the computer data signal comprising:

• program code for constructing a first session object in the memory in a central location, which session object is not part of either the first program or the second program, communicates with both the first and second program with wrapper messages having the same message format and broadcasts received messages to all collaborators in the collaboration system;
• program code which inserts information in the first format generated by the first program into a first wrapper message and sends the first wrapper message from the first program to the session object;
• program code in the session object which converts the information from the first format to the second format;
• and
• program code which inserts the converted information into a second wrapper message and sends the second wrapper message to the second program.