Software engineering and middleware ; 4th International Workshop, SEM 2004, Linz, Austria, September 20-21, 2004 Revised Selected Papers

Middleware provides an integration framework for multiple and potentially - verse computing platforms. It allows developers to engineer distributed appli- tions more easily, providing abstractions and primitives to handle distribution and coordination. Middlewareisconstantlyfacingnewchallenges.Today’sadvancesincomp- ing, including development of pervasive applications, exacerbates the diversity problem, introducing variations not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of environments and device characteristics. Software engineers are the- fore challenged both in the area of the development of new and scalable m- dleware systems, where open, heterogeneous, component-based platforms should provide richer functionality and services, and in the area of application devel- ment, where tools to simplify the use of middleware solutions are necessary.