The Handheld-Mediated Collaboration With Peripheral Participants

The book "The Handheld-Mediated Collaboration With Peripheral Participants" by Kibum Kim offers a comprehensive analysis of language in task-oriented conversations and its significance for communication applications and collaboration systems. It examines two main approaches to language use: the product approach, which focuses on the outcomes of language use, and the action approach, which emphasizes intentions and social actions. These approaches are considered in the context of computer-mediated communication, with the product approach applied in traditional communication systems such as email and file transfer protocols. In contrast, the action approach highlights the importance of the discourse process and is particularly relevant for modern, connected environments. The book also presents results from an experiment demonstrating how the handheld network service "Look" can promote effective language use to foster a shared understanding among discourse participants.