Amy Sebring: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum Round Table! Amy Sebring: For the benefit of our first-timers, when you see a blue web address, you can click on it and the referenced Web page should appear in a browser window. Amy Sebring: After the first one, the browser window may not automatically come to the top, so you may need to bring it forward by clicking on a button at the status bar at the bottom of your screen. Amy Sebring: We have 5 Tuesdays this month, so we thought we would try something a little different today for a change. Amy Sebring: As you may know, the IAEM conference is going on in Louisville, KY right now. Avagene is on the road this morning heading home to Tennessee. Amy Sebring: Unfortunately, travel to annual conferences may be too expensive for some program budgets, so we are looking to some of the tools now available for the Internet as a low cost alternative. Amy Sebring: By the way, with Avagene's help, I made a Virtual presentation at the conference using this chat! Amy Sebring: Today I will be showing you some of the options currently available. Again, I am no expert on any of these, but I thought it might be helpful to provide an introduction. Amy Sebring: I have not done any exhaustive research or comparisons, but I have chosen some products that are either low cost or no cost, preferably the latter. Amy Sebring: Let me say a quick word about hardware. To do voice you will need a microphone. By far the best arrangement is to have a headset. Amy Sebring: Otherwise, you may hear your own voice back from the other person's microphone, with a bit of a delay, which can be disconcerting. You will also need a sound card, preferably full duplex. Amy Sebring: To do video, you will need a minicam for a PC. I expect it would be wise to buy the best one you can reasonably afford, and I expect that a separate video adapter that comes with a camera would offer improved performance. Amy Sebring: I am going to cover five different products ranging from text only messaging through video conferencing. After each segment I will ask if there are any questions/comments. Amy Sebring: We will not have time to get into too much detail, so please keep your questions rather general. Please use the question mark (?) to indicate you have a question, and wait for recognition. Amy Sebring: I have several screen shots to go through today, and right up front, I would like to thank Dale Puffenberger for his assistance. You will see his name several times and even a photo a little later on. Amy Sebring: Unfortunately he had to work today and could not be here with us. Amy Sebring: The five products we will go over are ICQ, an instant messaging type client ... Amy Sebring: FireTalk, a voice conferencing client Amy Sebring: TeamWave, briefly, since I will be doing an entire session on that program later in the month Amy Sebring: NetMeeting and CU SeeMe. Amy Sebring: Let's start with ICQ. It is available for download from http://www.icq.com/download/ Amy Sebring: Please note, we will have a lot of addresses ... Amy Sebring: you may want to pick up the transcript later on today ... Amy Sebring: which will have them all included.' Amy Sebring: The version I will be showing is Beta 99a, but I see there is a 99b version available now. Amy Sebring: If you are familiar with AOL Instant Messenger this is very similar. Microsoft also makes a messaging program available for free. Amy Sebring: You set up a contact list and the software let's you know when your contact is online and has it running. Then there are a number of things you can do. This first shot is the options available when I click on my contact's name. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/ICQ1.htm Amy Sebring: Now Avagene and I use this constantly to work together during the day. The options we use most frequently are sending messages and the ICQ chat ... Amy Sebring: Although we occasionally will use direct file transfers or send each other URL's. This is a very convenient way for us to work. But we do not intrude on each other too much! Amy Sebring: This next screen is the message composition screen. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/ICQ2.htm Amy Sebring: We have been using it for about a year now I would say, and I find the service very reliable. Only infrequently am I unable to access it due to Internet problems. Amy Sebring: This next screen is the ICQ chat screen. You can send your contact a chat request, which he can accept or decline. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/ICQ3.htm Amy Sebring: Now what I particularly like about this chat is that it works like the old DOS type chat. You can see each letter as it is being typed, that is, you do not need to SEND or hit the enter key. Amy Sebring: I have also been able to run ICQ without much problem while I have had other communications type programs going, so when we have difficulty connecting using something else, ICQ is the backup. Amy Sebring: This last shot is the Games/Telephony options menu. I have not been terribly successful in launching and connecting other applications from ICQ frankly, so I usually do it separately. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/ICQ4.htm Amy Sebring: So those are some of the main features of ICQ. Another advantage is that it is a backup means of getting in touch, should your email server be down. Amy Sebring: I expect its chief benefit is in the way Ava and I use it, two people that need to work closely on something from different locations. Any questions on ICQ? Amy Sebring: Comments also? I know we have some other ICQ users here today. Amy Sebring: Ok, if there are no comments, I will move on.... Isabel McCurdy: I use ICQ. Jon Kavanagh: ! Amy Sebring: Go ahead please Jon. Jon Kavanagh: I too use ICQ, and it is a nice little Instant Messenger tool... Jon Kavanagh: good to keep up on if you have new email or not too... Jon Kavanagh: and, the one advantage over AOL IM is that you can send a message even when the person is off-line, and it'll come up when they do reconnect. Amy Sebring: That's right ... Jon Kavanagh: Great for time zone difference :) Amy Sebring: and it can also get a little confusing sometimes! Amy Sebring: On the receiving end, when you get a message later on. Amy Sebring: Thanks Jon. Amy Sebring: Ok next is FireTalk. If you saw the program announcement for today, you will see I plan to run an actual demo after the session today. Libbi RuckerReed: ! Amy Sebring: If I have any takers, please stick around afterwards and I will provide further instructions. Amy Sebring: Go ahead please Libbi. Libbi RuckerReed: EMAT people have enjoyed watching this so far. Thanks for letting us join in. We must go for now. Have a good session. Amy Sebring: Ok, bye. Thanks. Amy Sebring: FireTalk is a voice conferencing program, however, like most of these applications, it does include an instant messaging type feature and text chat feature. Amy Sebring: This first shot is an instant message. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT1.htm Amy Sebring: "Nomads" on this shot is Dale, again a contact list is setup. The other contacts shown are FireTalk Customer Service folks. This is the default, and I have not bothered to delete them yet. Amy Sebring: You can obtain FireTalk for free via http://www.firetalk.com, OR you can go to our Virtual Forum page Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/vforum.htm and click on the button there to start the download of the Windows version. Amy Sebring: You install as usual, and the first time you launch, you are given the opportunity to register. Amy Sebring: This next shot is Dale and I in a direct call. Note the balloon which indicates I am speaking. This is very helpful to avoid interrupting each other. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT2.htm Amy Sebring: Here is a shot of the text chat. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT4.htm Amy Sebring: In addition to direct calls, you can also have a multi- party meeting in a couple of different ways. The first is via a voice enabled Web page. That is what I have done on the Virtual Forum page, and we will use this afternoon. Amy Sebring: I have used my options menu to set that page up as my default "FireTalk on the Web" page. Then, I used the launch button on the bottom to access. It works ONLY with Internet Explorer, NOT Netscape. Amy Sebring: This next shot now shows Invite to Web Page, Invite to Web Tour are now enabled when I have it running and click on Dale. Amy Sebring: Once I send him an invitation, he can accept, and join me where I am. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT3.htm Amy Sebring: This next shot is the other option for meetings, which is to create or join a Forum. When you click on the Forums button near the top, and then click on the Create button on the window that opens, this is what you get. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT5.htm Here you can name your forum, and set various options. "Hidden" means it is not published on the Forums list. Amy Sebring: One of the options you had was to select moderated. The Forum creator becomes the moderator. Once the forum is in progress, the moderator has some additional options as shown on this next shot. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/FT6.htm Amy Sebring: That is what I basically wanted to cover for FireTalk for now. I have found the voice quality to be good, and the connections to be fast. All voice type applications will probably need some fine tuning ... Amy Sebring: to get the best sound quality. They usually provide some type of audio setting wizard, and it is a good idea to run these, then experiment with volume, etc. Amy Sebring: I feel this has real potential for low cost voice conferencing, similar to a telephone conference call. Amy Sebring: Again, we will try it out after the session if I have any takers. Any general questions for FireTalk? Amy Sebring: Do you think that a voice conferencing capability could be useful to you? Amy Sebring: Okay, next I am going to show a single shot of TeamWave Workplace. It will take a few moments for you to load it. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/TW1.htm Amy Sebring: TeamWave is like a GroupWare type program. It does not have voice or video built in, but it can be configured to launch NetMeeting. Amy Sebring: You can download a client from http://www.teamwave.com . You can also sign up for free server space which I have done for demo purposes. Amy Sebring: You have three areas of the screen basically. The main part is a whiteboard on which various sharable tools may be placed, and the bottom part is the text chat. Amy Sebring: I will give a more detailed program on what these tools are and how they can be used in a session on Nov. 24, so please save your questions for that session, if any. Amy Sebring: I will also run a live demo session afterwards, so if you are interested, please download and install the client before then. I am using the 4.3 beta. Amy Sebring: Speaking of NetMeeting, that is what I will show next. It is freely available for download from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.asp? where you can select NetMeeting from a drop down list. Amy Sebring: I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised with the version 3.0 beta which I am going to show. I like the interface MUCH better than the previous versions. Amy Sebring: On this next shot you see the basic screen on the left, and the window to set up a meeting to the right. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/NM1.htm Amy Sebring: NetMeeting now adds video capability to voice, text chat, whiteboard, file transfers, and application sharing. Amy Sebring: You can place calls via IP address if you have it, (which you can get from ICQ for your contact under Info, by the way,) or you can use one of the Microsoft servers and make calls via email address. Amy Sebring: Again, as with voice, video will take some fine tuning. My camera is not so great, and the focus does not seem to work as well as it used to. Also, proper lighting is important. Amy Sebring: As you can imagine, performance is enhanced with faster connections. 28.8 is minimal. Most folks use EITHER voice or video, and usually do not to try to do both at once as performance decreases. Amy Sebring: This next shot is of Dale and I and the text chat. Neither of us had very good light. http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/NM2.htm Amy Sebring: After this shot was taken, my son Matthew joined us. We launched the whiteboard and did some doodling which is on this next shot. Presumably you would use it for more serious purposes! http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/NM3.htm Amy Sebring: We also tried to do the application sharing without complete success. Avagene and I had tried it with the previous version, and ended up in a battle over the mouse! Amy Sebring: I am sure we were not doing it right. With me using this version, and the other 2 using the older version, they could see my application but not use it. Again, we may have not had it set up right. Amy Sebring: I used to have difficulty getting through to the Microsoft servers, but seemed to have better luck with this version. I think it is going to be awhile before we are ready to use video to any great degree. Amy Sebring: But NetMeeting does offer the combination of voice, whiteboard, text chat, and application sharing. I don't think you can talk to more than one person at a time, but I am not quite sure about that. Amy Sebring: When my son was on, he did not have his video or audio set up, so I could not test how this is done in the current version. Does anyone else know, or are there any questions/comments on NetMeeting? Amy Sebring: What has been your experience with it if you have used it? chip hines: I have used it several times... chip hines: We have had 3-4 people on at once, but the audio connections seemed to be only with 2 at a time Amy Sebring: Yes, that has been my understanding ... chip hines: I have been able to share applications with others and use as well as view their applications. Amy Sebring: I could not tell if it had been changed in the new version or not ... Amy Sebring: but I don't expect so. Isabel McCurdy: I find the audio cuts off and on all the time. Amy Sebring: Yes, this can be a useful feature. Amy Sebring: Isabel, I am with you, I don't think the audio is as good as FireTalk for example. Amy Sebring: But it might have helped if I had turned off the video. Amy Sebring: As I said, it is a lot to do all at once. Amy Sebring: Any other comments? chip hines: I've found it best to use a telephone conference call at the same time. But this means that you are paying long distance again. Amy Sebring: Right! SOME folks can afford that ... Amy Sebring: some cannot! The voice is not as good as actual telephone quality ... Amy Sebring: but it keeps getting closer and closer. Amy Sebring: It also depends how much traffic there is on the Internet chip hines: We've found it very beneficial to work with remote developers... they can work at their site, and demo us via NetMeeting and get feedback while work is on going. They can also troubleshoot problems at our end. Gil Gibbs: We may be approaching the limit of what can be done with the baud rate. Amy Sebring: One of the things I would like to try someday Amy Sebring: is to place a call modem to modem and see how the quality is ... Amy Sebring: again, you would have long distance charges then. Amy Sebring: I would be more interested in doing that with video, obviously. Amy Sebring: Finally, CU See Me offers these same features in a group setting. Avagene and I got online with John Peterson from NASA StoneFly a couple of weeks ago. Amy Sebring: He hopes to do some further testing, but we have not heard from him lately. Amy Sebring: I cannot find a free download for CU SeeMe, but there are some new options on their Website that I need to explore further. See http://www.wpine.com Amy Sebring: Here is a screen shot of the Phone Book when you start up CU See Me in version 3.11 http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/CU1.htm Amy Sebring: And this next shot is me connected to a test server. Unfortunately, Dale does not have CU SeeMe and could not join me. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vforum/demo/CU2.htm Amy Sebring: Again, I think we will need faster access before video with audio are generally useful, but I expect to live to see the day! Amy Sebring: Any questions/comments on CU SeeMe? Amy Sebring: Or any general comments re Internet conferencing? Jon Kavanagh: ! Amy Sebring: Jon please. Jon Kavanagh: IRC is another group chat option... numerous servers, plenty of free rooms that you can create.... Jon Kavanagh: just a matter of getting everyone on the same network, and in the same room. Amy Sebring: That could be a trick! chip hines: ? Amy Sebring: But that is true about most of these. Amy Sebring: Chip please. Barbara Sims: I prefer CU SeeMe to Net Meeting. I have used both. chip hines: Do you know how well these work through firewalls? Amy Sebring: Thanks Barbara. Amy Sebring: No I don't Chip. I do know on TeamWave that it runs on a dedicated port ... Amy Sebring: and that you have to get access to the port either through a hole ... Amy Sebring: or other means. Amy Sebring: What is your experience with NetMeeting for example? Barbara Sims: ! Amy Sebring: Chip? Can you use NetMeeting with your firewall? Jon Kavanagh: ? Amy Sebring: Dennis H. have you tried? chip hines: My NetMeeting experience is all within our firewall. However, it is multiple sites and locations within the firewall. Amy Sebring: I see. Amy Sebring: Barbara please. Barbara Sims: We couldn't get CU SeeMe through our firewall, RealAudio either. Dennis Hickethier: No, I have not tried. Amy Sebring: Jon please. Gil Gibbs: ? Jon Kavanagh: What about something like you have set up, where you can also display URLs for pages that you have set up, found, etc. This is nice because no one needs specific programs to access it.. Jon Kavanagh: How much is involved in setting up a chat like this? Amy Sebring: Jon, I think you are talking about the TeamWave Workplace? Is that right? Barbara Sims: ! Jon Kavanagh: Amy: whatever *this* is... that we're all using now... Amy Sebring: Oh I see ... Amy Sebring: it just came to me !! Amy Sebring: This is eShare and is certainly a means of conferencing! Amy Sebring: I just didn't think I needed to demo! Amy Sebring: It is expensive for the server software however. Jon Kavanagh: This is good for those people who can't download programs, or need hardware to do things.. Jon Kavanagh: Of course, we can just mooch off of you folks, right? :) Amy Sebring: Talk to us about Partnership! Amy Sebring: Gil please. Gil Gibbs: With the baud rate, I thought we had a limit, but it appears that software is the only glitch. Amy Sebring: Why do you say that Gil? Gil Gibbs: Isabel & I were trying to set up, & I thought my Netscape was getting in the way, but it was fine until we lost audio... Amy Sebring: You can usually get something going with the current limitations... Amy Sebring: but video is nowhere near full motion. Barbara Sims: Has anyone used egroups? It's free Amy Sebring: Barbara, do you have a URL you can put up please, then can you tell us what egroups does? Barbara Sims: http://www.egroups.com Amy Sebring: Does anyone else have an application that they would like to mention? Gil Gibbs: ! Barbara Sims: Egroups allows groups to meet on line in either real time or delayed chat!. Isabel McCurdy: ! Amy Sebring: Interesting Barbara, thanks. Gil? Gil Gibbs: Only a note about video - it depends heavily on the network & server, Amy Sebring: Isabel please Isabel McCurdy: I use Yahoo Messenger, mostly now for voice chat. Amy Sebring: Oh neat. I assume you can find it at http://www.yahoo.com somewhere? Isabel McCurdy: It is a simple and easy program to use. Amy Sebring: Ok, our time is just about up ... Amy Sebring: thank you all for coming today ... Amy Sebring: before I wrap up though I would like to ask ... Amy Sebring: if anyone is planning to try FireTalk with me? Dennis Hickethier: I am. Isabel McCurdy: Sure. Gil Gibbs: Same here! Amy Sebring: Ok, good ... Amy Sebring: stick around after this please. Amy Sebring: For upcoming events, the program we had planned to do in the classroom tomorrow, the Dam Safety Program, is going to be rescheduled in the Spring. There is going to be a National Dam Safety day on May 15, so we will do it a couple of weeks before then we hope. Amy Sebring: Instead, we are going to have Janet Dilling with us once again. She is now at the Public Affairs Center at Florida State University, and she will tell us about the Center and the EM program at FSU. Amy Sebring: Next Tuesday's Round Table will be hosted by a new partner, Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue. Amy Sebring: Pledge drive status: We are up to 94!! We had three new pledges since last week, Walt Ireland, Alma Armstrong, and Dan Stowers Amy Sebring: //bell http://www.emforum.org/pledge.wav Thanks Walt, Alma and Dan! Amy Sebring: Only 6 more pledges to go. Our thermometer is looking good! Please see http://www.emforum.org/eiip/pledge.htm to pledge to attend one or more sessions per month. Amy Sebring: We will adjourn the session for now, but you are invited to remain for open discussion.