Mixing versions of NetMeeting on a single client workstation. Thus far we have found that only a single version of NetMeeting can be installed on a single client workstation. The currently releases of Lotus Sametime and General Dynamic IWS specify versions 3.01 and 2.11 of Microsoft NetMeeting, respectively.

Whiteboard implications of NetMeeting meeting attended by mixed environment of NetMeeting 3.01 and 2.11 clients. MS NetMeeting 3.01 implements the whiteboard using the T.126 industry standard, but is backward compatible with the MS-proprietary implementation of the whiteboard found in version 2.11 of MS NetMeeting. In a meeting hosted by either Lotus Sametime or General Dynamics IWS, a whiteboard initiated by a NetMeeting 3.01 client will only be visible by other NetMeeting 3.01 clients (that is, by clients implementing the T.126 whiteboard standard). NetMeeting 2.11 clients will not be able to see the 3.01-initiated whiteboard. However, a whiteboard initiated by a NetMeeting 2.11 client will be visible by all NetMeeting clients in the meeting.

Audio and Video implications of Sametime (NetMeeting) meeting attended by mixed environment of NetMeeting 3.01 and 2.11 clients. When MS NetMeeting 3.01 clients join a Lotus Sametime meeting (a meeting created to use NetMeeting and audio/video) they connected with Multimedia MCU (MMCU) that is part of Lotus Sametime server. When one user speaks, audio (and video) from that user is transmitted to all the other users in the meeting. NetMeeting 2.11 clients are not able to connect with the Sametime MMCU, and so can not participate with audio/video in the same way. They can make point-to-point connections with other clients -- but only one at a time, and must manually switch from one to the next in order to speak with and view other users.

Audio and Video implications of IWS (NetMeeting) meeting attended by mixed environment of NetMeeting 3.01 and 2.11 clients. When MS NetMeeting 2.11 clients join a General Dynamics IWS meeting (a meeting created to use NetMeeting and audio/video) they connected with Multimedia MCU (MMCU) that is supplied by DataBeam as part of the CVW server installation. When one user speaks, audio (and video) from that user is transmitted to all the other users in the meeting. NetMeeting 3.01 clients are not able to connect with the CVW/DataBeam MMCU, and so can not participate with audio/video in the same way. They can make point-to-point connections with other clients -- but only one at a time, and must manually switch from one to the next in order to speak with and view other users.

Use of VIC and VAT across IWS and CVW environments. CVW and IWS bundle the VIC (video) and VAT (audio) tools from Lawrence Berkeley Labs. The user invokes these external, stand-alone tools by navigating to a particular room and requesting audio/video interaction with other users in the same room. Each room is assigned a static (Class D, multicast) IP address and port number for these VIC and VAT sessions. By knowing the IP address and port number for a particular IWS/CVW room, a CVW/ISW user can invoke VIC and/or VAT at the command line and join in on the audio/video conference. If it is possible to manually assign IP addresses and port numbers to a specific IWS room, an IWS client could join a CVW audio/video session via the IWS GUI (and avoid the use of the command line). If it is possible to manually assign IP addresses and port numbers to a specific CVW room, a CVW client could join an IWS audio/video session via the CVW GUI (and avoid the use of the command line).

Launching NetMeeting 3.01 and joining a meeting in a single step from Sametime. When a user employs the MS Internet Explorer browser to view available Sametime meetings and selects a meeting a meeting created to use NetMeeting, the resulting web page displays a "Launch NetMeeting" button. Clicking this button will both start MS NetMeeting 3.01 and direct NetMeeting to join the selected meeting. If the Netscape browser is used, no such button is displayed. The user must 1) manually start NetMeeting, 2) initiate a NetMeeting call (specifying the Sametime host), 3) view the list of available meetings, 4) select and join a meeting on the list.

Launching NetMeeting 2.11 and joining a meeting in a single step from IWS. When a user employs a browser to navigate to an IWS room and picks the "conferencing" button from the toolbar for that room, IWS will launch NetMeeting 2.11 and direct NetMeeting to join the selected meeting.