by Paul Sanna
NetMeeting is an application that allows users to both work and play over the Internet in a collaborative fashion. By using NetMeeting, users can converse (if each has audio equipment), exchange ideas, exchange files, see what each other is working on, and even see what each other is doing (if each person has video equipment installed on his or her computer). The opportunity to collaborate and communicate over the Internet has a number of potential applications. In this first section of the chapter, we look at these potential applications, as well as explain how the various components of NetMeeting work with these applications. Here's what we cover:
Understanding how NetMeeting works can help you make sense of the large number of components associated with the application. In this short section, we review a few points that will help you make sense of NetMeeting:
NetMeeting allows users to converse over the Internet. Provided a computer has a sound card with a working microphone that is capable of either full-duplex or half-duplex, the computer can be used to help you converse with someone over the NetMeeting. You can also have audio conferences with groups of persons using NetMeeting. When you are in NetMeeting conversations with more than one person, you can direct your audio to one person or to all persons in the NetMeeting.
In addition, NetMeeting supports Intel MMX technology, which means you will see improved audio performance over systems without MMX.
You can find more information on audio conferencing later in the chapter in the section, "Placing and Receiving a NetMeeting Call."
Video conferencing with NetMeeting makes it possible for users to hold face-to-face meetings if they are not in the same location. The only requirement for video conferencing is that users have installed on their computers any video equipment compatible with Windows 98. This video equipment amounts to the following:
NetMeeting provides users with a number of different capabilities and features for video conferencing. These features are covered in more detail, where appropriate, in later sections in this chapter:
You can find more information later in this chapter in the section, "Placing and Receiving a NetMeeting Call."
NetMeeting allows persons to share applications over the Internet. This feature makes it easy for someone to use other applications as part of their NetMeeting conversation or meeting. Examples of the use of application sharing are
Application sharing can be configured for one-person use, where only the person sharing the application can modify it; or application sharing can be collaborative, where any users in the meeting also can work with the application. More information on collaborative application work can be found later in the "Sharing Applications" section.
The clipboard is always available to all users in a meeting. This makes for an easy method for sharing data. Any data on a NetMeeting user's clipboard is available and is visible to other persons in the meeting. Naturally, NetMeeting users must be careful that sensitive information is not on the clipboard during a NetMeeting meeting.
NetMeeting's whiteboard application allows users to draw ideas using painting and drawing tools. This application is useful for drawing processes or business flow, rough-sketching graphics ideas, or for any collaborative work that requires illustrations or rudimentary drawings. You can find more information on the NetMeeting later in this chapter in the "Using the Whiteboard to Sketch Your Thoughts" section.
NetMeeting provides a simple application for those times when users do not want to or cannot communicate either by audio or video. Chat provides a vehicle for NetMeeting users to simply write each other messages. These messages can be sent to all the people in a meeting or to just one person. You can find more information on the Chat application later in the chapter in the "Exchanging Ideas in the Chat Window" section.
You can send a file to any person involved in a meeting with you. You can select the file to send at the point you want to send, you can continue your meeting with the recipient of the file as it is being sent, and the recipient of the file can specify a default location for all files sent via NetMeeting. You can find more information on transferring files in the "Transferring Files" section later in this chapter.
Once installed, Microsoft NetMeeting is available from the Start menu in Windows 98. To start NetMeeting, select it from the menu. Depending on how you installed it, NetMeeting can appear in one of two places:
The first time you run NetMeeting, a number of configuration options are set. You can change any of these options at any time from NetMeeting. These options include:
Each of these options is covered in the next five sections. Follow along in these sections as you respond to the prompts in the dialog boXEs that NetMeeting presents to you.
Figure 33.1 shows the first dialog box that appears the first time you start NetMeeting. Choose Next to continue.
FIG. 33.1 The first dialog box in NetMeeting describes some of the application's capabilities.
To take advantage of NetMeeting's capabilities to share applications and data with other NetMeeting users, you must enable sharing on your computer. The next dialog box to appear in NetMeeting (see Figure 33.2) reminds you to do so. Press Next to continue.
FIG. 33.2 You are reminded to enable sharing when NetMeeting starts.
The dialog box shown in Figure 33.3 is the next one displayed the first time you launch NetMeeting. This dialog box helps you specify that you are automatically logged on to an ILS directory server when NetMeeting starts. You learn more about directory servers later, but just remember that a directory server lists the names of the persons you can communicate with using NetMeeting. To automatically log on, click on the Log on to the Directory Server When NetMeeting Starts option. If you want to manually log on to a directory server when NetMeeting starts, leave the check box clear and choose Next.
FIG. 33.3 You can specify that you are automatically logged on to a specific ILS server as soon as NetMeeting starts.
If you specify that you be logged automatically, you must also choose a directory server. Unless you know of a specific directory server, just accept the default option of Microsoft's ils.Microsoft.com. Choose Next.
The next dialog box that appears the first time you run NetMeeting prompts you for personal information (see Figure 33.4). At the minimum, you must specify your first and last name and your email address; you will not be able to choose Next until you do so. You can also specify your location and country, as well as a general comment. Enter the information, and then press Next.
Keep in mind that this information is visible to everyone who is logged on to the same directory server as you. With this in mind, the Comment field can be used to let everyone on the server know what kind of meetings you might be interested in. For example, your comment might be Business use only or Call me to test please.
TIP: While you are required to enter this information, Net Meeting has no way of knowing whether the information you have entered is correct. Therefore, if you do not want to reveal your real name or email address, enter fictitious information.
FIG. 33.4 The personal information you provide is visible to all NetMeeting users logged on to the same server as you.
You are next prompted to categorize the conversations you will have and the projects you will collaborate on with NetMeeting (see Figure 33.5). You must choose whether your use of the product will be mainly for personal/family use, business-use, or adult-only in nature. You must choose one of these options before continuing, but you can always change this option at any time from the NetMeeting menu. Choose one of the options, and then choose the Next button.
FIG. 33.5 You must categorize the content of your collaborations and content in NetMeeting.
You also must specify the speed of your connection the first time you run NetMeeting. If you are using a modem to connect to the Internet, choose the speed, 14000 bps or 28000 bps, that is closest to the speed of your modem. If your modem is faster than 28000 bps, select that option. If you use either a local or wide area network, or an ISDN connection, to work on the Internet, then select either of those two options from the dialog box. When you have made your selection, choose the Next button.
As you know, NetMeeting can exchange audio information between users. Because of this, the initial configuration process must also check for the availability and status of any audio equipment installed on your computer. The set of audio configuration checks and tests are collectively known as the Audio Tuning Wizard. Choose Next to continue.
The first test the Audio Tuning Wizard performs is to see if the audio equipment installed on your computer works, and then to set the volume. In the next dialog box that appears, click on the Test button. If you hear a sound, click and drag the needle on the Volume bar to a comfortable setting, and then choose Next. This establishes the default volume level for NetMeeting.
The next test of your computer's audio equipment is to check the microphone. The dialog box shown in Figure 33.6 asks you to read a sentence. Read the sentence in your normal speaking voice, or at least the voice you will use when you are speaking over NetMeeting. As you read the sentence, the level of your voice is monitored, and the recording level for your computer is set. This recording level matches the loudness of your voice with the capabilities of the audio equipment installed on your computer, so your voice is always transmitted with strong, clear quality. Choose the Next button to continue, and then choose the Finish button.
FIG. 33.6 You read a sentence in order to test your computer's microphone.
After the settings for your microphone are established, the Wizard's final dialog box appears. Choose Next, and the Audio Tuning Wizard closes.
NOTE: You can always restart the Audio Tuning Wizard at any time from NetMeeting. To do so, choose Tools, Options from the menu, and then choose the Audio tab. Next, click on the Audio Tuning Wizard button.
This marks the end of the configuration process. With NetMeeting now up and running, the next section of the chapter introduces you to the NetMeeting window and its components.
NetMeeting provides you with a large amount of information at one time. Understanding what information is presented to you and knowing how to see other information is important to taking full advantage of NetMeeting. For example, you can switch between views of the people logged on to different ILS servers, and you can switch to a list showing people interested in chatting about the same content as you. In this section, you learn how to manipulate NetMeeting's user interface in order to navigate to the places you get to and see the things you need to see.
The first step in helping you understand how to navigate and display information in NetMeeting is to identify what you see in NetMeeting. Figure 33.7 points out the major components of NetMeeting. Keep in mind that the Current Call, SpeedDial, and History views are not shown in the figure; pictures of the views are included later in the chapter.
FIG.33.7 The NetMeeting window includes a number of components.
The following list explains the use of the major NetMeeting components.
Now that you have an understanding of the objects you see in NetMeeting, we will look at how to display, hide, and navigate in NetMeeting. The following list shows you how to complete common tasks:
In this section, we examine the most basic of NetMeeting functionality: the capability to receive and send calls, and to converse by using audio or by writing messages to and from other NetMeeting communicators. Keep in mind as you review the information in this section that the operation of the application is much the same regardless of your computer's capabilities. You needn't do anything special if you do not have video equipment or if your audio equipment is not working properly. NetMeeting automatically manages the application and interface to match the capabilities of your computer and those who you are communicating with.
You must be logged on to a server in order for persons to see your name in a directory list and to call you. By default, when NetMeeting starts, you are connected to the server specified in the Options dialog box on the Calling tab. This is the same server you specified when you ran NetMeeting for the first time, provided you specified that you be connected automatically to a server when NetMeeting begins. You can tell if you are logged on to a server by looking at the right pane of the status bar. A message appears there indicating to what server you are logged on.
If you are not logged onto a server, or if you want to log on to a server different from the one you are currently logged on to, follow these steps:
2. Choose Tools, Options from the menu, and then choose the Calling tab.
3. Select the server you want to log on to from the list, and then choose OK.
4. A message appears informing you that you are not logged on to a server. Choose OK to be logged on.
Finding someone to call might not be as easy in NetMeeting as it is using the telephone or emailing someone. Unless the person you want to call is in your SpeedDial list, you must locate the person on one of the ILS servers you have access to with your Internet connection. Here are some methods for locating a particular person:
Placing a call to a user is one of the most simple tasks in NetMeeting. As you learned in the preceding section, the tougher task in NetMeeting is locating a person to call. When you have located a person to call, calling them is simply a matter of clicking on their entry in the list where you found them (SpeedDial or directory) and then choosing Call from the toolbar. You also can right-click on the person's entry in the list and then choose Call from the menu that appears.
NOTE: If you know the IP of the computer you want to call, you can avoid having to locate that person's name on a list. To call a person by manually specifying their name, choose Call, New Call from the menu, enter the IP address, and then choose OK.
When you call a person, the left pane of the status bar indicates that the ILS is trying to locate the computer you are trying to call (see Figure 33.8). Once the ILS server has connected to the computer, the message changes to indicate that the server is waiting for a response from the user.
FIGURE 33.8 The status bar tells you that the server is trying to locate the computer your are calling.
At this point, the person you are calling sees a message indicating that you are calling. The person can either accept your call or ignore it. If the person accepts your call, your display switches to the Current Call view. If the person ignores your call, a message appears indicating they have ignored your call.
You are notified in two ways when a person is trying to contact you:
FIG. 33.9 You are notified with sound and a message when you have an incoming call.
Naturally, however, there are a number of requirements for you to receive a call with NetMeeting:
2. You must be connected to the Internet.
3. To hear the phone sound, your audio equipment, if you have it, must be working properly, and the volume must be set at a level at which you can hear the sound.
To answer a call, choose the Accept button for the person calling. At that point, the person who called you is joined to your meeting (see Figure 33.10). If you do not want the person to join your meeting, choose the Ignore button. A message appears on that person's computer indicating that you have rejected their call.
One last note about answering a call. Your name automatically appears in the directory list of the directory you are logged on to. This means that anyone can call you. There are a few options to keep people from bothering you:
When you no longer want to participate in a NetMeeting meeting, simply choose Call, Hang Up from the menu, or choose Hang Up from to the toolbar.
FIG. 33.10 The name of the person whose call you accept is added to the list in the Current Call pane.
There might be occasions when you want to meet at a predetermined time with one or more NetMeeting users. This might be to have a casual conversation, or to collaborate on work projects. In this case, you will want to host a NetMeeting meeting. As the host of a NetMeeting meeting, you can define which people can participate in the meeting by accepting or ignoring calls into the meeting.
To host a meeting with NetMeeting, from the menu, choose Call, Host a Meeting. A message appears informing you that you are starting a meeting, and after you choose OK at the message, the Current Call pane appears. After you have started a meeting, an icon appears beside your name in the directory list indicating to anyone viewing the list that you are in a meeting (see Figure 33.11).
SpeedDial is a feature in NetMeeting that helps you keep track of people who you communicate and collaborate with often. The SpeedDial list shows the people of your choosing and whether each is logged on or not. Seeing the list of the usual people who collaborate and communicate in one place makes it easy to check on them or to connect them without having to browse through each of the ILS servers to find them.
To display the SpeedDial list, choose View, S_peed Dial from the menu, or choose SpeedDial from either the Folder list, Navigation bar, or the toolbar (see Figure 33.12).
FIG. 33.11 An icon appears beside the name of any person involved in a meeting.
FIG. 33.12 The SpeedDial list shows people you can call without identifying their server first.
After the SpeedDial list is displayed, you can call anyone on the list by either double-clicking on their name or by right-clicking on their name and choosing Call from the menu that appears.
NetMeeting provides you with a few options to manage the SpeedDial list. Many of the SpeedDial options can be configured from the Calling tab on the Options dialog box. To display the dialog box, choose Tools, Options from the menu, and then choose the Calling tab. The following list shows some of the common SpeedDial list management tasks:
In addition to the options presented in the dialog box, you can manage the list with some choices made directly from the SpeedDial pane:
When you have connected with one or more users with NetMeeting, either by answering a call or by someone answering your call, it is time to begin collaborating and communicating. In this section, you learn how to extend NetMeeting through collaboration. Specifically, this section covers:
The most basic way to use the advantages of NetMeeting is to hold a conversation with one or more of the people in the same meeting as you. If you and the person you want to communicate with both have working audio equipment and/or video equipment, you can exchange audio and video signals.
Audio Conversations
If both computers have working audio equipment, you should be able to hear the other person you are communicating with speak. The volume and audio indicators flash when they pick up a signal. You can adjust any of the levels by clicking on and then dragging either the audio or volume needles. You can also specify that these settings are handled automatically from the Audio tab of the Options dialog box. You display the dialog box by choosing Tools, Options from the menu. If you are in a meeting with more than one person, you can direct your conversation to one specific person in the meeting. To do so, choose Switch from the toolbar and then choose the person you want to converse with (see Figure 33.13).
FIG. 33.13 You can direct the audio of your meeting to one person.
Video Conversations
Video conversations are dependent on the video capabilities of at least one of the persons in a meeting. If at least one person has a video capture card and a camera attached to his or her computer, that person can send a video signal from their computer, and that signal can be received by other members of the meeting. A user doesn't need to have the video capture card and camera to receive the video signal. Having this equipment, however, is a requirement for sending a video signal. As such, you should automatically receive a video signal when you hold a meeting with a person with capable equipment. To start the video feed if you are not receiving it, press the Play button at the bottom of the Remote Video button. This starts the video feed from any person who has directed the feed to you. To stop receiving video, click again on the button at the bottom of Remote Video.
If your computer has capable video equipment, you will have an additional window on the screen, the My Video window. Click the button at the bottom of the My Video window to see a preview of how your video will appear to others.
To start sending video, choose Tools, Video, Send from the menu.
As with the audio portion of a meeting, you can direct the video portion of the meeting to one person in the meeting. To do so, choose Tools, Switch Audio and Video from the menu, and then choose the person you want to receive the signal. To stop sending video to a particular person, repeat this step.
Configuring Video
A number of options are available to help you configure the video capabilities of your system with NetMeeting. For example, you can specify the size of the video image you send. You can also choose to receive video faster and sacrifice quality, or specify the opposite. These choices, and others, are available from the Video tab of the Options dialog box, which you display by choosing Tools, Options from the menu.
If you do want to communicate with audio, video, or by sharing applications or the whiteboard, or if your computer does not have the capabilities to do so, you can always communicate with Chat. The Chat application allows you to communicate with other NetMeeting users simply by typing messages. You have available standard editing capabilities from the Edit menu, and you can even save the text of your message by using standard File Save and File Save As commands.
You can direct messages to a specific person in Chat, or to all persons in Chat. The caption of the Chat windows always shows you how many people are involved in a Chat conversation. If you are in a conversation and you open the Chat window, the Chat application on the person's computer you are conversing with also opens.
To open Chat, choose Tools, Chat from the menu, or click on the Chat button on the toolbar. Figure 33.18 shows the Chat window.
To enter a Chat message, type your message in the Message box and then press the large Send button to the right of the Message box. You have the option in Chat to send your message to everyone in the meeting. To send a private message to one person, choose the person from the Send To drop-down list before sending the message.
Figure 33.14 shows how the Chat window might appear during a conversation.
FIG. 33.14 Chat conversations many times are used to help debug audio and video problems.
Configuring Chat
You can configure Chat to behave how you like. These choices are found on the various Chat menus. Here are some ways you might customize chat:
As discussed in the "How NetMeeting Works" section of this chapter, you can integrate applications into your NetMeeting collaborative efforts. This means you can use external applications as part of your collaborative efforts with NetMeeting. By default, only the person sharing the application can use it, but you can enable users you are conversing with to also work with the application.
Showing Your Work to Other Users
The most basic use of application sharing is showing users in your meeting an application on your computer. The only requirement for doing so, naturally, is that you have the application installed on your computer. To show your work or application to others, follow these steps:
2. Next, from the NetMeeting window and the Current Call view, choose Share from the toolbar or choose Tools, Share Application from the menu. Notice that the list of all running applications on your computer is displayed (see Figure 33.15).
INOTE: f the Sharing button is dimmed on the toolbar, you probably have not enabled sharing on your computer. To do so, choose Tools, Enable Sharing. NetMeeting then installs files onto your system, and you probably will be asked to reboot your computer.
Keep in mind that they have the capability to switch to any other running application on their computer. When they switch to your shared application, however, they see it only if you are viewing it, too.
FIG. 33.15 You can share any application running on your computer.
FIG.33.16 When you display the application on your computer, people in your meeting see it, too.
Here are two more important points related to sharing applications:
Giving Users Access to the Application
You can also give users control access to an application you have shared. This allows one person at one time to control an application on your computer. Provide this access carefully, as you, in effect, are giving a remote user control over one aspect of your computer. To allow users control over a shared application, follow these steps:
2. Click on the person you want to give access to the application, and then choose Tools, Start Collaborating from the NetMeeting menu, or choose Collaborate from the toolbar.
3. Next, via audio or chat, let the person who you have given access to the application know you have done so. This user must now choose Collaborate from the toolbar.
4. At this point, the user to whom you have given access to the application controls the application. They have full cursor control, and the cursor on your computer changes to a hand with the initials of the person controlling the application.
5. To take control back from the user, press the Esc key from either the application being controlled or NetMeeting. For the user of the application to return control, the user chooses Collaborate again from the toolbar, or Tools, Stop Collaborating from the menu.
NetMeeting includes a whiteboard application. The whiteboard application is used to share information with persons you are collaborating with. By simulating the whiteboard or flipchart you would find in most corporate conference rooms, you can use NetMeeting's whiteboard to sketch out rough ideas, draw illustrations, or create outlines, lists, or plans. You can integrate clipboard data, as well as create multi-page whiteboard presentations.
Here is how whiteboard works:
NetMeeting makes it easy to transfer files to people you are communicating and collaborating with. This makes it easy to exchange information as you hold a meeting with someone. Otherwise, you need to leave NetMeeting in order to start your email program.
To send a file, follow these steps:
2. From the menu, choose Tool, File Transfer, Send File, or right-click on the recipient's name and choose Send File from the menu that appears. The Select a File to Send dialog box appears.
3. Select the file to send and then choose OK. The status bar at the bottom
of the NetMeeting window is updated to show you the progress of the transfer.
While the file is being received at the recipient's computer, the dialog box shown
in Figure 33.17 appears.
When the transfer is complete, a message appears on the sender's machine.
FIG.33.17 A message appears on the recipient's computer as a file is being transferred.
Specifying Where Transferred Files Are Stored
You can define a default location where files you received via NetMeeting are stored. To do so, choose Tools, Options from the menu. From the General tab, choose the Change Folder button, and then select a folder and choose OK. From the Options dialog box, you can also view the contents of the directory you selected by choosing the View Files button. l
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