 |
EGR
199: Fundamentals of Engineering |
Distance Collaboration with Net Meeting |
| Prabhaker Mateti | ||
|
EGR
199: Fundamentals of Engineering |
Distance Collaboration with Net Meeting |
| Prabhaker Mateti | ||
con·fer·ence
(k n f r-ns, -frns)n. Abbr. conf.
... [Medieval Latin c nferentia, from Latin cnfer ns, cnferent-,
present participle of nferre, con |
col·lab·o·rate
(k-l b-r t )v. intr. col·lab·o·rat·ed, col·lab·o·rat·ing, col·lab·o·rates.
rre, collabrt-: Latin com-, com-
+ Latin labrre, to work (from labor, toil).]
col·lab |
Background Information
Appendix A: Acronyms
|
|
Webopedia defines: Groupware is a class of software that helps groups of colleagues (workgroups) attached to a local-area network organize their activities. Typically, groupware supports the following operations:
As the dictionary definitions above show, collaboration implies cooperation and teamwork, in both the corporate setting and the home office. Net-based conferencing software enables you to participate in group meetings from whatever corner of the world you happen to be in. You can collect opinions from several people simultaneously, conduct a brain-storming session, draw concepts on a whiteboard, work on shared documents, type comments back and forth, and "even watch the Young Turks smirk while they trash others' ideas."
We hope you would install and use NM on your own PC. Download Net Meeting 3.01 from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/NetMeeting/ NetMeeting does not require a video camera to view callers. To send video, a camera is required. A microphone and speaker are needed if you wish to have talk + audio. Installation simple: Double click on the downloaded package and answer its questions.
ICQ ("I Seek You") is a program that lets you find your
friends and associates online in real time.
ICQ does the searching for you, alerting you in real time when they log on. The
need to conduct a directory search each time you want to communicate with a
specific person is eliminated. ICQ can work with external
applications such as Net Meeting.
It can also be used, by itself, in a multiple-user mode, so groups can
conduct conferences. The program runs in the background, taking up minimal
memory and resources.
Once you know who's on, all it takes is a click of an icon to initiate chat,
implement URL transfers, send messages, exchange files, or launch any external
peer-to-peer applications.
"When you install ICQ, the program asks you to register at a server, which
is connected to a broad network of servers spanning the Internet. At the time of
registration, you receive a unique ICQ number, also known as a UIN (Universal
Internet Number). In addition, ICQ gives you the option of entering personal
information along with your ICQ#. This allows other ICQ users to recognize you
when you log on."
Collabra is an open standards-based collaborative group discussion tool for
intranets and the Internet. It is essentially a "news"
reader. Collabra brings "the benefits of newsgroups and
online information exchange to workgroups, businesses, and corporations. As easy
to use as email, Collabra creates online discussions for collaborating on key
issues or soliciting input from colleagues, reducing - or even eliminating - the
need for face-to-face meetings." Despite its name, in our opinion,
Collabra cannot be considered a collaboration tool.
Netscape also promotes a Conference Center at http://home.netscape.com/
qwest/ conference/ ndex.html. To quote Netscape, "Starting a
conference call is as easy as clicking on phone numbers. There are no operators
to deal with, no conference codes to remember, no need to schedule in advance,
and no complicated software to install."
"As the conference moderator, you choose the participant's phone numbers
from your customized Address Book. Conference Center will call your phone, wait
for an answer, and then dial the other participants for you. It's that
easy. Conference Center simultaneously calls up to eight people (including
conference moderator)."
"Low conference calling rates. Call anywhere, anytime in the United
States for only 15˘ a minute for each person you call."
|
Net Meeting 3.01 |
Microsoft NetMeeting is a real-time multimedia communications tool that can create a collborative environment for geographically distant people. It uses the TCP/IP network facility readily available on the Internet.
Using NetMeeting, and appropriate equipment, the following are possible. (The links shown in the list below will take you to Microsoft's NetMeeting web site.)
Microsoft NetMeeting is a real-time multimedia communications tool that can create a collaborative environment for geographically distant people. It uses the TCP/IP network facility readily available on the Internet.
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Internet Locator Server (ILS)
Internet Locator Server (ILS) is the middle man among Net Meeting users. Most users of the Internet are on dial up lines - not connected all the time. Each time they connect their IP addresses change.
A caller whjo wishes to connect to you must have two pieces of information:
Callers need know only two fixed pieces of information to call you:
The ILS servers provide this information. When you log on to an ILS server you are telling the ILS server that you (identified by your email address) are connected to the Internet, that you are at a certain IP address and that you are running NetMeeting and able to field calls. The ILS server knows whether or not you are online and if you are what your current IP address is. You can "log in" to an ILS server without appearing in the viewable directory so that only associates that know the ILS server and email address you supplied can find you.
Once a call has been initiated to a user, the ILS is no longer involved -- all communication is between the participating computers.
For a list of ILS servers, click on http://www.netmeeting-zone.com/bestservers.asp
As of Dec 1999, the ILS servers ils.microsoft.com have ceased operation. If you wish, you can use the Microsoft Internet Directory (MID), and find other NetMeeting users. To install MID, you also must install MSN Instant Messenger. Microsoft Internet Directory, includes the Internet Locator Service. You can also use ICQ to locate people.
Please remember that if you are calling a stranger -- all the normal cautions apply:"There could be a number of reasons for this problem:
In our lab, one of you can take the lead, or the TA will. The leader will invoke NM and start Hosting a Meeting.
We are assuming that you read the above sections completely. Explore the Help menu item. Do not simply call your TA for details on how to accomplish a task.
The NetMeeting (NM) shortcut, in the 141 RC lab PCs, is located in the Start/ Programs/ Accessories/ Communications/ group. The NM package is already installed in each PC.
However, in the very first lab, we need to begin and finish the configuration of NM as directed by a setup wizard. The wizard detects microphone, sound, video camera, etc. In this lab work, we will not be using audio, or video. Please ignore any error messages from the wizard in this regard. Answer all its other questions with proper answers.
Use the Tools/Options menu selection and change the ILS that you are listed in.
In our lab, one of you can take the lead, or the TA will. The leader will invoke NM and start Hosting a Meeting.
With Chat, you can conduct real-time conversations using text with as many people as you like. You (and your neighbors in each group of tables) should
In NM/Tools menu, there are two
selections for White Board. Choose the one without a version number.
You all have seen a white board in our class rooms. The electronic WhiteBoard in NM provides that kind of white board where there can be multiple participants. What ever you draw or type appears, in real time, on the boards that other participants are logged in through tgheir own PCs.
Web Encyclopaedia defines a whiteboard as an area on a display screen that multiple users can write or draw on. Whiteboards are a principal component of teleconferencing applications because they enable visual as well as audio communication.
With the Whiteboard, you (and your neighbors in each group of tables) should
Show the end result of Whiteboard usage to your TA. It should contain three squares, three recatangles, and three circles. Each collaborator should choose a different fill/border color.
NetMeeting can control how shared
programs are displayed on your desktop, and gives the person sharing the program
control over who uses it.
You can share a program with other people--even if those
people do not have that program installed on their computer, which makes
setting up carpool schedules or organizing family reunions easy when you meet on
the Net.
With Remote Desktop
Sharing, you can:
To share a program
|
With NetMeeting's
program sharing feature, you (and your neighbors in each group of
tables) should
|
Caution
Notes
Show your Program Sharing examples to your TA. If you cannot think of a program to share, share the Windows (not Internet) Explorer.
NetMeeting
makes working at home easier because you can share your office desktop to
yourself at home. "When you're working at home, it's frustrating to
not have access to your computer at work. In the past, even if you were able to
dial in from home, you had to make sure you had all of your work software loaded
on to your home computer. But not anymore. With NetMeeting, you can share your
desktop to yourself using Remote Desktop Sharing, and have access to everything
on your work computer while you are at home."
To configure Remote Desktop Sharing on your office computer:
Notes
Let your neighbor (just one) Share your Desktop, and vice versa. Show your Desktop Sharing to the TA.
|
A few acronyms and their expansions are collected in the
table here. If you are curious about an acronym or term not listed, type
it in the input box below, and then press the button to look it up in the TechEncyclopedia. |
|
Achievement Test |
| pmateti@cs.wright.edu |
n
