Katarina Stanoevska

Internet-based Electronic Product Catalogs (IEPCs) are one of the most important parts of electronic markets. They are the merchant's interactive interface towards online customers. Based on the features of their carrier, the interactive and ubiquitous Internet, IEPCs are online, permanently up-to date, and enable customization as well as direct communication between seller and buyer. Even though IEPCs are more sophisticated compared to paper-based catalogs, the search for products on the Internet is still a cumbersome process. Surveys show, that online customers have difficulties navigating through merchants' sites to find the products they need. In this paper, a comprehensive approach for IEPCs as complex information spaces will be presented. First a detailed requirements analysis for IEPCs will be conducted. Then a concept for organizing information within IEPCs, which goes beyond simple keywords and multimedia, will be presented. Finally, technologies for its implementation will be identified.

One new paradigm of the information age is the phenomenon of online communities. Online communities are associations of agents, which are connected by an electronic medium, share a common language, world and values as well as pursue common interests. The elements that constitute virtual communities are the association of agents and the enabling electronic medium. Between the two elements there is a close interrelationship - the medium shapes with its functionality the communication patterns of the community. Despite this interrelationship, little attention has been paid to the development of appropriate media for communities. This paper tries to contribute to fill this gap by providing a checklist for requirements for analysis for community supporting platforms based on the media reference model.