8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for coordinating comprises: means for allowing a user to assign a publication item for writing and to input information related to said publication item.
1. Publication system apparatus for coordinating access to a publication item that is stored in said publication system, comprising: means for storing data that comprises a publication item, including at least one of article text, image data and layout data, comprising; means for storing publication item file name data for identifying said publication item data; and means for storing publication item file name data for identifying said publication item data; and means for storing user identification data for identifying primary users that are authorized to access and modify said publication item data; means for storing publication status data that defines control attributes of said publication item data; and means for coordinating separate simultaneous access to each of said publication item data and said publication status data among a plurality of users wherein at least two of said plurality of users simultaneously access said article text, image data and layout data of a publication item, comprising: means for storing a plurality of the following: publication identification data indicative of a name of a publication, user access data that defines the identity of all users having access to said publication item data, publication item location path data identifying a storage area in a memory of said publication system where said publication item data is stored, header location data that defines the location of an item header within a file related to said publication data, item header data that is a copy of a header contained in said publication item, file header format data that defines a format of said item header record of said publication item, and a watch record that defines at least one predetermined activity relating to said publication data.