Collaborative work and also learning is integrated in the daily working process but collaborative e-learning is a concept of which only few have heard off. However, collaborative work is one of the main strengths of the networked economy. Working with people, one has never met, forming dynamical teams over continents in order to solve problems, are common in many globalised or networked companies as well as in multinational project teams. The challenge for collaborative e-learning platforms is to design solutions for distributed networked learning and working teams by providing on the one hand solutions to share learning content and to interactively work on it. On the other hand the concept of collaborative learning also focuses on social aspects of learning which are less implemented in current systems. Not only theoretical models and research work but also the increasing importance of virtual learning communities show that future applications should and will take into account these collaborative and social aspects and enable especially small groups to learn and work together efficiently via computer networks.

ccording to the author, "In the following pages I am going to argue that, mixed in with all the nonsense in his ideas, Marx did get two things right: First: To achieve an ideal society we must indeed move beyond capitalism. (Historical experience since Marx wrote, and a principled, systematic analysis of his ideas, however, indicate that the direction in which he proposed to move away from capitalism was profoundly incorrect.) Second: An ideal society will indeed be a classless one. (However it will not be achieved by liquidating the bourgeoisie by a revolutionary process, as Marx thought. Instead, it will be reached by elevating the proletariat into the bourgeoisie by a process of reform.)"