KeyWorx

KeyWorx was an extensible application framework that has been under development at Waag for a number of years. KeyWorx aimed to enable developers to invent, develop, integrate and deploy applications with multi-user/multimedia features. A common aspect of these applications is that they aim to empower users to be the (joint) creators of multimedia content.

Multimedia content may be of any form, dependent on the application services reused and/or developed for that application. Examples of services range from simple file uploading/publishing through newspaper type of multimedia document editing, drawing services and real-time audio/video sharing.

The KeyWorx platform was based on a client/server architecture. The applications that end-users perceived were clients communicating with a KeyWorx server. A KeyWorx server provided a set of common services that allow users to register, login, modify data, subscribe to data updates, upload/download files, share sessions, etc. In addition, the KeyWorx server provided a framework through which developers could plug-in additional services as server-side plug-ins.

KeyWorx started its life as KeyStroke, a tool set with main focus on the performing arts. It has been renamed in 2003 due to trademark issues, and in time has gained much wider applicability. KeyWorx has been used in a large number of projects. Artist/programmer participation in the project added value to the platform and increased its overall use through third party development of interfaces and Realizer plugins.

Over the course of the years, the KeyWorx platform became an important tool. It has been used to power many of the projects that we have done (e.g. ScratchWorx, KidsEye, Amsterdam RealTime). In 2004, it was decided to make KeyWorx part of the Open Source community.