comp.groupware FAQ: Products1: Frequently Asked Questions
Groupware FAQ
Archive-name: comp-groupware-faq/products1
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 1995.9.8
Version: 3.4
Copyright: 1990 - 1995 (C) David S. Stodolsky, PhD
Groupware Products
==================
This posting is primarily a test of the new setext format (see the
guidelines for further information). No attempt has been made to
organize this list, beyond removing obvious duplicates. Appearance of an
entry does not constitute an endorsement. Absence from the list does not
constitute a rejection. Send corrections and additions to the copyright
holder.
dss
Yellow Pages of CSCW
--------------------
Updates and additions must go to: paal...@tft.tele.no
Pal S. Malm: The unOfficial Yellow Pages of CSCW 28 May 93 10:56
A new revision of my "Groupware List" now called "The unOfficial Yellow
Pages of CSCW" is ready for downloading. It contains 280 descriptions of
experimental and commercial groupware, CSCW projects, and systems with
groupware features.
The descriptions also contain e-mail, office, and ftp addresses, and
references to a bibliography at the end of the document. A (new) index,
sorted by classes, will help you navigate.
This list will give answers to many FAQs in comp.groupware.
The 50 page long document can be obtained in postscript format with
anonymous ftp from gorgon.tft.tele.no (192.135.199.112) in /pub/groupware.
A clean text file called TOC.txt is a copy of the table of contents.
This is how to do it:
ftp gorgon.tft.tele.no
Name (gorgon.tft.tele.no:...): anonymous
Password: <your email address>
ftp> cd pub/groupware
ftp> ls
cscw_yp.ps.Z
cscw_yp.sea.bin
HELP
README
TOC.ascii
ftp> bin
ftp> get README
ftp> get cscw_yp.ps.Z
ftp> bye
221 Goodbye.
> uncompress GrpwList.ps.Z
> lpr GrpwList.ps
If you if run into trouble, download the file HELP.
Conferencing Systems
--------------------
Subject: SUMMARY: Conferencing Systems: Information Needed
Date: 4 Aug 93 14:37:54 GMT
Organization: Informatik, Univ. Stuttgart. W.Germany
=
Dietmar Zaig <d...@bsun3.zfe.siemens.de> wrote [Translation by me]:
The English Company Mentec offers the videokonferencing system VS-1000
(Tel. +44 494 472800, Fax +44 494 449256, to Mr. Gledhill). The
system is based on H.261 and G.711 (audio) and is a plug-in card for
ISA-PCs.
vsu...@saathi.ncst.ernet.in (V. Suresh Kumar) wrote:
There are two PD conferencing tools I could think of: Collage and shx
Collage runs on X-Workstations and PC (386++).
ftp ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu --- collage
ftp crl.dec.com --- shx
ke...@pictel.com (Kevin Davis) wrote:
News Release Date: 19 Jul 1993
PICTURETEL INTRODUCES TWO NEW GLOBAL VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT FAMILIES
WHICH OFFER COMPLETE, COMPATIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR COMPANIES OF ALL SIZES
DANVERS, Mass. (July 16, 1993) -- PictureTel Corporation, the global leader in
dial-up videoconferencing, today introduced new desk-top and low-cost group
conferencing families of standards-based products that provide complete,
compatible videoconferencing solutions for all applications, including distance
learning, telemedicine and telemarketing. Both product families are available
in five languages, including English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese.
The desk-top system, called the PictureTel LIVE(tm), PCS 100(tm), is a complete
global standards-based, personal visual communications add-on solution priced
at
US $5,995 for personal computers running Microsoft Windows 3.1(r). PictureTel
LIVE provides dial-up visual communications, screen sharing and collaborative
computing over public switched digital networks.
Priced from US $13,995, the System 1000(tm) is a full-featured, low-cost,
standards-based group videoconferencing family which complements PictureTel's
high performance System 4000(tm) product family. It is a global product that is
simple to order, install and use. The System 1000 provides Full CIF support
for the TSS (formerly CCITT) H.320 videoconferencing standard.
DeskTop Conferencing
DeskTop Conferencing enables up to eight people to share screens.
Windows and Novel environments at about $299 per user.
Jeanette Carrol
Fujitsu Networks Industry, Inc.
1-800-446-4736
From: dean_b...@ccinet.ab.ca (Dean Bittner)
Newsgroups: comp.groupware
Subject: Bittco Ships Co-motion -a 1.5 and Co-motion Lite
Date: Fri, 14 Oct 1994 00:56:54 -0600
Myrna Bittner/ Shelly Hines
Bittco Solutions Ltd.
#26, 52510 Rge Rd 213
Ardrossan, AB, Canada, T0B 0E0
1-800-265-2726 or 403-922-5514
fax: 403-922-2859
AppleLink: BITTCO
Internet: bit...@atc.edmonton.ab.ca
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada--14 OCTOBER 94: For people who collaborate,
Bittco Solutions today announced the shipping of an update to Co-motion for
Macintosh, and the release of a shareware product, Co-motion Lite for
Macintosh. With these two products, Bittco continues to bring real-time,
multi-user collaboration software to your desktop.
Co-motion 1.5 provides a solution for people who don't want to brainstorm
alone and who don't want to just brainstorm. With Co-motion 1.5, an
individual can get their group working together to brainstorm and evaluate
ideas during a shared, live discussion over their network. "In the
real-time environment of the Session window and Chat palette, ideas come
fast and furious as everyone can talk at the same time through their
keyboards," says Myrna Bittner, product manager, Bittco. "Inspiration
doesn't have to wait for someone else to finish!" The group's evaluation
of each idea also increases the efficiency of the issue resolution and
decision-making process. Official Co-motion Reports detail each idea,
notes and group evaluation statistics. The participants walk away knowing
exactly what their group thinks.
From: j...@netcom.com (Joseph Jesson)
Newsgroups: comp.groupware
Subject: Re: Video Conferencing
Date: Sat, 6 Aug 1994 14:53:49 GMT
I am working on a large pilot of Desktop Videoconferencing tools. We
looked at Intel, AT&T Vistium, and PicTel's desktop units. The Pictel had
the highest resolution and best picture quality and highest list price.
AT&T needs to improve the video camera but the overal useability is quite
high and lower cost than PicTel. Intel was at the bottom, since H.320
was critical to our needs...
Joseph Jesson j...@netcom.com Day (312) 856-3645 Eve (708) 356-6817
21414 W. Honey Lane, Lake Villa, IL, 60046
From: dboom...@aol.com (Dboomstein)
Subject: Re: Whiteboard capability needed
Date: 1 Mar 1995 09:37:41 -0500
If you need more than just a shared whiteboard and you have a LAN/WAN
environment i suggest you call Viewpoint systems in Dallas, TX. Their
Personal Viewpoint provides 30 frame per second video along with the
audiographics on pc's. Their number is 214-243-0634.
FarSite for Windows
-------------------
For efficient interactive communication, FarSite for Windows
provides electronic metaphors for common presentation tools,
including a shared whiteboard, concurrent on-line pointers, a
variety of drawing tools, and a special electronic tray for
storing changes made to any individual screen display, or "slide."
It also offers a tool for adding or editing text in any Windows
font style or size; a variety of annotation editing options;
familiar Windows cut, copy and paste features; and context-
sensitive, on-line help.
To create a FarSite presentation, users capture screens from
other applications, using a built-in snapshot tool. FarSite for
Windows also imports information directly from 11 common graphic
file formats, including PCX, TIFF, EPS and JPEG.
Designed for point-to-point use through a modem, FarSite for
Windows features advanced compression techniques and transmits
typical slides in less than seven seconds at 14,400 bits per
second. It supports the recently adopted ITU-T (formerly CCITT)
T.120 conferencing standards.
System Requirements
-----
FarSite for Windows requires a 386- or 486-based Windows-
compatible personal computer, Microsoft Windows 3.1, 4 MB RAM and
1.5 MB disk space. Users also need a mouse or mouse-compatible
pointing device and a modem (9,600 bps recommended) or Hayes-
compatible ISDN adapter.
Pricing and Availability
-------
FarSite for Windows, Standard Edition, is available immediately
directly from DataBeam or its resellers, at a suggested retail
price of $179. The package is also bundled with AT&T Paradyne's
new DataPort 2001 multimedia modem.
DataBeam plans to introduce a Corporate Edition of FarSite for
Windows during the first quarter of 1994. FarSite Corporate
Edition will add support for multiple users communicating over a
variety of local- and wide-area networks. DataBeam will also
pursue a strategy of licensing its core technology to
independent software vendors (ISVs) and original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) for incorporation into other product lines.
Contact Information
---
Product Information: 800-877-2325
FAX: 606-245-3528
Internet Address: fs_...@databeam.com
3191 Nicholasville Road
Lexington, KY 40503
Huddle
------
VMS host PC peer based conferencing system.
Inovative Software
POB 13170
Denver, CO 80201-4500
(800) 548 6755
PacerForum
----------
It is focused on conferencing
and project collaboration using a bulletin board discussion model.
Support for multiple sound, file, application and graphic attachments per
"posting" is provided. Mark is correct that after 2+ years of offering a
Mac only solution we are rolling out Windows client and server components
in phases.
Pacer can be reached via phone at (800) -PACER-02.
Offices:
7911 Herschel Ave. 1900 West Park Drive
Suite 402 Suite 280
La Jolla, CA 92037 Westborough, MA 01581
(619) 454-0565 (508) 898-3300
Peter Coppola
Pacer Software, Inc.
pcop...@pacersoft.com
TeamWARE
--------
from ICL. They
describe their product as being "a client/server based office information
system for Windows 3.1, Mac or OS/2 clients and UNIX, OS/2 or Windows NT
servers. It provides mail, conferencing/bulletin board, calendar,
document storage/retrieval and workflow functions."
Peter Coppola
Pacer Software, Inc.
pcop...@pacersoft.com
FirstClass
----------
Date: 21 Jan 1994 18:24:55 -0500
From: ma...@softarc.com (Maury S. Markowitz)
Reply-To: ma...@softarc.com
Subject: Re: What Other Groupware Packages Are There?
Newsgroups: comp.groupware
FirstClass is built around an e-mail system, but with some interesting
extensions. As far as e-mail goes, it has all the expected functionality,
forward, reply (to all, conferences, sender etc.), unsend (rework), an
unlimited number of TO and CC names, an unlimited number of file attachments,
styled textm receipts etc. etc.
[...]
In addition, FirstClass uses the concept of "public mailboxes" for
conferencing. Like a standard "BBS" this includes threading, new message
tracking, file transfer etc. It uses the full mail system, so you can send a
message to a conference and CC it to a person, or even send it to several
different conferences. Only one message is stored on the server in these
cases. Better yet, the system allows a fully hierarchical layout for the
conferences, unlike some systems that force you to use a flat directory.
Second Sight BBS
----------------
Although graphical interface BBS software and mail packages such
as FirstClass, TeleFinder, and NovaLink Pro have taken over much
of the Mac-based BBS, service bureau, and email market, text-based
BBS software such as Second Sight is still popular. The universal
VT100-compatible interface that's presented to all users
regardless of client platform carries a strong advantage; the
graphical packages require specialized client software that is
typically available for a limited range of platforms.
The host software supports serial DTE rates (between computer and
modem) from 300 to 57,600 bps, and DCE rates (between modems) from
300 to 14,400 bps, plus 16,800 bps and the yet-to-be-released
28,800 bps speed. Hardware handshaking (RTS/CTS flow control) is
fully supported on Macs equipped with a "Gpi" (general purpose
input) pin in their serial ports; the Mac Plus, Classic, and LC
family Macs are not so equipped. The software now offers "true
multi-line support," including support for Creative Solutions's
Hurdler and Applied Engineering's QuadraLink and QuadraLink DMA
cards, all of which are multiple-serial-port NuBus cards.
The FreeSoft Company -- 412/846-2700 -- 412/847-4436 (fax)
(Full review in TidBITS#208/10-Jan-94)
COLLAGE
-------
--Contact: Dave Thompson (da...@VOID.NCSA.UIUC.EDU), NCSA.
--Platf.: Unix/X, Mac (and PC).
A synchronous collaborative data analysis tool for use over the Internet.
Features include:
Shared whiteboard, screen capture/sharing, chat box, shared text editor +++
Available on anonymous ftp server ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu (141.142.20.50)
/UNIX/XCollage/Collage1.2. Documentation for the Unix version of collage
can be found on ftp.ncsa.uiuc.edu in the folder
/UNIX/XCollage/XCollage1.2/DOCS.
P2P: Person To Person/2
-----------------------
--Contact: IBM, p...@vnet.ibm.com
--Platf.: OS/2 2.x, Windows 3.1 released. AIX in beta test (contact
above address for more information on AIX).
P2P allows up to 8 users to connect their PCs or workstations and share
information in real time across a variety of networks and protocols -
NETBIOS, TCP/IP, APPC, ISDN, PSTN using modems. Collaborative tools
include chalkboard, network clipboard and DDE, file transfer, text
message exchange and digital video (with additional hardware).
All operating system version interoperate so calls may contain a mixture
of OS/2, Windows and AIX machines using several different connection
types simultaneously. Price $285 for a single license, $1875 for 10 licenses.
<a href="http://www.hursley.ibm.com/p2p/">Person to Person Pages</a>
From: dawi...@VNET.IBM.COM (Dave Wilson)
Date: Fri, 29 Jul 94 13:48:55 BST
Newsgroups: comp.groupware
Subject: New FTP address for IBM P2P Information
Our local FTP site has just changed its name from hursley.ibm.com (or
mersey.hursley.ibm.com) to ftp.hursley.ibm.com. Anyone looking for
the P2P information and support area is, therefore, advised to use the
new address since the old one will be taken off line in a couple of
weeks. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Information on the new P2P architecture and API can be found in the
\pub\p2p directory.
P2P questions lead to winsock and tcpip questions
-------------------------------------------------
From: ni...@trmphrst.demon.co.uk (Nikki Locke)
Subject: Re: p2p questions lead to winsock and tcpip questions
Newsgroups: comp.groupware,alt.winsock
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 1994 20:11:56 +0000
In article <17AUG199...@bpavms.bpa.arizona.edu> dmitt...@bpavms.bpa.arizona.edu (Daniel Mittleman) writes:
[Lots of good questions omitted - I'll try to answer some of them ...]
TCP/IP is a networking protocol. It can run over Ethernet, or over
serial lines (using SLIP or PPP), or over other kinds of hardware link.
As there are lots of different Ethernet cards, all requiring different
commands to get them to talk to one another, various enterprising
companies have invented standard protocols to talk to them. (I love
standards - let's all have one :-)
One such standard is the "Packet Driver Interface". Others are IPX and
ODI. Once you have a standard, hardware people can write a driver for
their card which conforms to the interface, and software programmers can
write software that expects to see a particular standard interface, and we
can guarantee that the software can talk to any card that has an
appropriate driver.
The Packet Driver Interface is used by most public domain and shareware
software. Luckily there are "shims" which can convert from one standard
to another (e.g. IPXODI and ODIPKT).
On top of the packet driver interface, you need something called a TCP/IP
stack. This contains all the code to do TCP/IP bit. Most DOS programs have
their TCP/IP stack built in - there are a number of PD source file
collections that make it quite easy for DOS programmers to do this.
Usually the TCP/IP stack provides a Berkeley Sockets interface (or
something pretty similar). Berkeley Sockets (originally developed for
Unix, of course) just provides the programmer with a reasonably simple way
of talking TCP/IP to another machine - you open a "socket" at each end,
and stuff data through it.
There are lots of DOS programs (each with their own TCP/IP stack inside
them) that can talk to a packet driver interface. Some companies (e.g. FTP
Software) have developed their own TCP/IP stack, and software to run over
it. Of course, there is lots of free or shareware software too.
However, once you run Windows, you have to work a little harder. For a
start, Windows has a habit of moving things around in memory, but the
packet drivers don't know about this, and things tend to go bang ! This
problem is solved by a TSR called WINPKT - all this does is to deal with
Windows moving stuff about.
OK so far - now you can run Windows, and run any single program that
contains a TCP/IP stack (the packet drivers are not geared up for multi-
tasking). There is a TSR called PKTMUX which attempts to cope with lots
of different programs all wanting to access a single packet driver, but
we'll leave that to one side for now.
Now comes the WINSOCK spec. This is the spec for a DLL that provides a
standard interface to _Windows_ programs. This interface is at the
Berkeley sockets level (with a few additional bits to make it more Windows
friendly). All the TCP/IP stack vendors have a WINSOCK nowadays, and there
is a shareware one (Trumpet Winsock) as well. Trumpet Winsock will sit on
top of Packet Drivers, or can even do SLIP all by itself, direct to a
serial port.
Now we are cooking - you can run lots of WINSOCK-compliant Windows programs
all at the same time, all talking to the same WINSOCK.DLL. You can get the
Winsock from Trumpet, or from any TCP/IP stack vendor (including Novell, I
should point out).
A few extra things I should point out ...
There are two versions of WinQVTNet - one runs over packet drivers (and
must therefore be the only networking program you run, unless you want to
get into PKTMUX). The other version is Winsock compliant, and will run
over any Winsock, along with as many other Winsock-compliant programs as
you like.
When you get into a Novell (or WfWG) networking situation, things become a
little more complicated down at the packet driver/hardware level. Novell
(for instance) has its own networking protocols (IPX/ODI etc.), but they
have thoughfully provided a means whereby you can run TCP/IP and Novell's
own protocols at the same time over the same network. I don't know all
that much about this, as I try not to get involved :-) However, I do know
you have to have the correct incantations in your NET.CFG for this to
work.
Microsoft are in the process of releasing their own Winsock (for Windows
for Workgroups 3.11 only, not Windows 3.1). This does not (currently)
support SLIP, but it uses their own 32-bit drivers, and is reputed to be
very good.
So, to summarise, to run a Winsock-compliant application, you first need
something like the following ...
Network hardware
[Optional extra layers for Novell or WfWG]
A packet driver for the hardware (or a shim for the lower layers)
Winpkt
Microsoft Windows
A Winsock from your TCP/IP vendor, or Trumpet Winsock
[SLIP users ignore this - you only need a Winsock that supports SLIP
directly, like Trumpet.]
[Note that some TCP/IP vendors do not use a packet driver interface - you'll
have to ask them what you need.]
P.S. I hope someone is writing this down, for correction (I always make
mistakes to avoid offending the Supreme Being :-) and inclusion in the FAQ.
--
Nikki Locke,Trumphurst Ltd.(PC & Unix consultancy) ni...@trmphrst.demon.co.uk
trmphrst.demon.co.uk is NOT affiliated with ANY other sites at demon.co.uk.
XChange
-------
XChange - an X-window based conferencing system
tomp...@erc.cat.syr.edu (Terry Tompkins)
ForComment
----------
Computer Associates
Meeting Space
-------------
I should note up front that Meeting Space is text and graphics-
based - it doesn't attempt to do video or sound since few people
have the necessary equipment and few networks can handle the
traffic. However, you can appear as any one of a large set of
icons (or make your own) and in fact you can clone yourself to
appear in multiple places at the same time, and each clone can
have a different icon to indicate its role or mood
Meeting Space provides tools for structuring meetings and keeping
them moving, including agendas, automatic recorders, and
presentation screens. Planned for future releases are tokens for
speaking, moderator gavels, white boards, voting, and various
privacy enhancements like digital signatures, encrypted network
connections, and digital envelopes. You can create presentations
in any application that can print or export data through copy &
paste to the Scrapbook, and if you've ever had a bunch of people
crowding around a small screen, you can see that a virtual
presentation could work a lot better than a physical one.
Meeting Space requires a 68020 or better Macintosh along with
System 7 and at least 1 MB of RAM and 1 MB of disk space (for
either the client or the server). Meeting Space works over
AppleTalk networks such as standard LocalTalk and modems connected
via ARA, and over TCP/IP networks like the Internet with MacTCP
and an appropriate connection (via a network or SLIP or PPP). The
client software may be freely distributed, but the server software
is a bit steep at $1,750 for a five-user license ($350 per user on
a scale that drops the per-user cost to $200 for twenty users).
World Benders offers discounts for site licenses, educational
uses, and resellers. In general, they're aiming at the business
market that can compare the cost of Meeting Space to a plane
ticket, or even a dozen time-wasting trips across town, and
quickly recoup the cost. In an especially clever move, the server
allows more than the specified number of users to connect, but if
you're over the limit (and this applies to everyone who connects
after the limit is reached), it lets you connect for only 10
minutes, enough time to get on, find someone, talk briefly, and
get off. If someone else disconnects while you're on borrowed
time, so to speak, you become a full user with no time limit. The
client software is currently only available for the Macintosh, but
World Benders plans to create Windows and Unix clients later this
year.
World Benders -- 603/881-5432 (voice & fax)
wb-...@worldbenders.com
Extracted from a report in TidBITS#210/24-Jan-94.
EBT
---
From: Dan Clapper <CLA...@clvm.bitnet>
EBT is a standalone electronic brainstorming tool that runs in the Novell
environment. EBT does NOT require installation on a file server to run.
to get EBT:
1. Anonymous ftp to: omnigate.clarkson.edu
2. Change into the /pub/gsstools directory.
3. Get the EBT file there. At this point it is the only thing in the
directory.
It is in a self-extracting zipped file with a three or four page "user' guide."
I think you should be able to get it up and running in less than a half hour.
The entire program consists of two small executable files.
You can run it from a floppy disk, pc
hard disk or the file server hard disk.
EBT can be run in either anonymous or non-anonymous mode. The difference
between the two, not surprisingly, is that in non-anonymous mode the user is
initially prompted for their name, and that name then appears to the left of
any contributions they make in the public window of all participants screens.
In either mode, however, the researcher can track the orginator of any ideas
by the unique identifier (based on the network address of the user's machine).
This has to be considered a "beta" version. It works fine on our ethernet
network here, and theoretically it should work on any network hardware
standard (Token Ring, Arcnet, etc.) that runs Novell, but I can't be really
certain of it until people try it out.
It may lack some of the polish of commercial products, but the price is right!
If you give it a try, please let me know how it works for you. We are working
on a new and improved version and are open to incorporating suggestions into
that version.
eVote
-----
From: ev...@netcom.com (Marilyn Davis)
Subject: eVote 1.0 Developer's Kit
Date: Fri, 17 Mar 1995 02:58:09 GMT
For Linux Programmers only:
Developer's Kit for eVote
=========================
------>>> by ftp <<<-----
* * * ftp site: ftp.netcom.com
* * login: anonymous / your email address
* directory: /ftp/pub/ev/evote/linux
files: eVote.bin.tar.gz
eVote.source.tar.gz
README
You get: 1. Three eVote binaries:
* eVote_Clerk - vote-server - expires Jan, 1996.
* eVote_Demo - user-interface
* eVote - command center
2. Source code for the user-interface.
3. The eVote Programmer's Manual - complete instructions
for groupware developers in 134 pages of device-
independent (manual.dvi) or post script (manual.PS)
format.
* Architecture/Overview - 2 diagrams.
* Installing eVote
* Administration
* Embedding eVote
* Altering the User Interface
* API Reference
* Careful Index
Features
* User-defined polls.
* Three vote-types: PRIVATE - for secret votes
PUBLIC - for a show of hands
IF-VOTED - for who-voted but not how-voted
* Two vote-styles: Yes/No
Numeric
* Single and Grouped votes. An example of a "Grouped" vote is,
"Distribute 20 votes over the next 10 items".
* Three vote states: Open - vote is open and tallies appear.
Unseen - vote is open and tallies don't appear.
Closed - vote is closed and tallies appear.
* User-driven schema evolution.
* Automatic data compression and backups with no down-time.
FULL LICENSE
The license for The Clerk, the underlying vote-server, runs out on
January 1, 1996. Your Clerk won't run at all after January 1, 1997.
Send $80 US for a fully-licensed run-forever Clerk with your own Serial
Number. This gives each of your users a voice in the global eVoting
community.
Frontier Systems --------------------- eVote - online voting software
3790 El Camino Real, #147
Palo Alto, CA 94306 USA Marilyn Davis, Ph.D.
(415) 493-3631 --- eV...@netcom.com --- Software Author
Groupware Administration and Registration
-----------------------------------------
Re: Groupware Administration and Registration
Date: 4 Apr 91 01:14:27 GMT
From: ban...@betelgeuse.csc.ti.com (Tom Bannon)
Organization: TI Computer Science Center, Dallas
> * apprising network users of the existence of running conferences
> * allowing users access control to these conferences (ie, joining,
> leaving, etc.)
> * performing other administrative function including conference
> initiation, termination, security functions, scheduling, etc.
>
> ("Conference" means instance of running groupware application to me).
>
I've written a paper and constructed a couple of prototypes dealing EXACTLY
with this problem. The paper is:
group: A Distributed Group Specification and Management Service
Thomas J. Bannon and Ivor P. Page
Proceedings of the Summer 1990 UKUUG Conference, pp. 61-76
ISBN 0 9513181 7 9
UKUUG stands for United Kingdom Unix User's Group
Appointment Schedulers
----------------------
From: d...@margay.cs.wisc.edu (DaviD W. Sanderson)
Subject: Re: Looking for Appointment Scheduler
Date: 1 Sep 92 23:23:49 GMT
Organization: UW-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center
Here is a summary of the replies people sent me, organized by package
name.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: ALL-IN-1
Env: ?
Maker: DEC
~From: Dave Bell <be...@dcs.qmw.ac.uk>
[...] look at the shared diary facilities provided by tools
such as ALL-IN-1 (from Digital) which does the diary checking
for meetings.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Calendar Manager
Env: SunOS (OpenWindows 3.0)
Maker: Sun
~From: Bruce Barnett <bar...@alydar.crd.ge.com>
Only runs on a Sun, but any X server can display it.
~From: Nannette Simpson <Nannette...@Eng.Sun.COM>
Sun has a reasonable calendaring program called Calendar
Manager which runs over the network and allows users to share
calendars. It comes bundled with the DeskSet.
~From: Lee Richardson <l...@ISI.EDU>
The Sun application cm (Calendar Manager) would seem to address
this in a reasonable way, for Sun stations using Sun
Openwindows.
~From: Charles Tarzian <c...@east.hudtech.com>
It does exactly what you're looking for. To use it in a
multiple vendor environment buy X server software for your Macs
and PC's and set up accounts for those users on the Sun. The
Sun server becomes your mail and calendar server.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Calendar Tool
Env: SunOS (OpenWindows 3.0)
Maker: Sun
~From: Lou Bershad <l...@cadre.com>
It lets you view a merged schedule and add appointments to
multiple calendars and/or you can send e-mail to the
attendees. If you choose to let others add their own
appointments (which we do, because it has a bug where
appointments scheduled by others do not have alarms associated
with them), then if they are using the Sun mail tool they can
drag the e-mail message and drop it into the calendar tool and
it schedules the meeting for them directly.
~From: Steven Poltrock <polt...@bcsaic.boeing.com>
The latest version of calentool in Sun's OpenWindow environment
will merge several calendars so you can see when there is an
open time slot.
~From: Peter Loeffler <loef...@pauke.zfe.siemens.de>
Its a group calendar with a graphical visualisation for
browsing multiple calendars of colleagues.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Caucus
Env: "Many, from PCs to Mainframes"
Maker: Camber-Roth
A Division of Aule-Tek, Inc. Telephone: (518) 273-0983
1223 Peoples Avenue Fax: (518) 276-6380
Troy, New York 12180 E-Mail: in...@aule-tek.com
~From: Jim Tremblay <trem...@aule-tek.com>
Caucus organizes your input as on-line group meetings or
private messages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Clockwise
Env: "Unix"
Maker: Phase II sofware corporation
238 Broadway
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139-1926
(800) 735 2557.
~From: Francois Schiettecatte <fran...@welchgate.welch.jhu.edu>
You can schedule events (using resources such as conference
rooms, etc) with multiple people. I will notify people by
email. It will also manage conflicts, etc.
~From: bob <b...@teamate.UUCP>
Tell them MMB sent you.
~From: Wayne Lyle <sjuphil!wl...@uu.psi.com>
Not real sophisicated but it does the trick. A new release is
coming out soon to make group scheduling easier. The price is
reasonable, a couple hundred dollars for enough tokens to run a
resonable sized office (a token is needed for each concurrent
user). We have a 45 user licence that seems to easily cover an
office of about 250 people.
The interface is what appeals to us the most, since it can be
run from any terminal or from a GUI. Most of the ones I have
seen only run from the GUI, and having 200+ terminals makes
these programs useless. Not saying this is the best thing but
at least it does the trick for us.
They have a pretty good demo policy, for $50 you get a timed
full working copy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Meeting Maker
Env: Mac, Windows (soon)
Maker: ON Technology
on.tech@applelink, (617) 876-0900
~From: Tim Stephens <step...@concert.net>
ON will send you a demo (good for a month) suitable for 25
users. This product will also schedule rooms/resources for
you, and attach text documents/agendas to meeting proposals.
~From: Peter Calingaert <p...@cs.unc.edu>
Investigate MeetingMaker for networked Macintoshes.
~From: Jeff Cantwell <cant...@vuse.vanderbilt.edu>
Meeting Maker for the Macintosh is a very nice program, is easy
to use, and has lots of features.
~From: Steven Poltrock <polt...@bcsaic.boeing.com>
On Technology sells a program called Meeting Maker for the
Macintosh that exactly addresses your question.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Office Vision
Env: IBM mainframes
Maker: IBM
~From: Steven Poltrock <polt...@bcsaic.boeing.com>
IBM's Office Vision product offers a calendar with similar
functionality [to other group calendar programs], but it is
only available for mainframes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Synchronize
Env: SunOS 4.1.x systems under Motif, at least (possibly others)
Maker: CrossWind Technologies
6630 Highway 9, Suite 201
Felton, CA 95018
~From: Hugh LaMaster <lama...@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov>
It seems to do a very good job of integrating individual
schedules and groups with meetings, etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: san...@cse.unl.edu (Sanjiv K. Bhatia)
Date: 2 Sep 92 21:46:19 GMT
A good compilation of lists has already been posted by David Sanderson. I just
thought of pointing out a PD package called appt which runs under Unix (does
not require X windows). I just checked the archie server and it seems to be
available on five sites. However, if someone sends me mail, I can send it out
to you as well. I use it to keep track of my appointments.
Sanjiv
--
Sanjiv K. Bhatia Department of Mathematics & Computer Science
san...@redbird.umsl.edu University of Missouri -- St. Louis
voice: (314)-553-6520 8001 Natural Bridge Road
St. Louis, MO 63121-4499
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: fr...@fred1.demon.co.uk (Fred Weil)
Subject: Re: Calendar managers: no interaction standard
Date: Sat, 29 Jan 1994 11:56:35 +0000
UNIX products that do calendaring:-
UNIPLEX Version 7 from UNIPLEX
Synchronize from CrossWinds (may be X.Windows only)
Cliq from Quadratron
Office Power from ICL
If you want to extend to X.Windows
UNIPLEX onGO
Synchronize
Aster*x
Group Calendar/Scheduling
-------------------------
From: obr...@imagen.com (Doug Obrecht)
Subject: Group Calendar/Scheduling S/W
Date: 11 Feb 94 21:02:15 GMT
QUESTION:
Does anyone know if there is a group scheduling shareware package that
operates under UNIX (X/openwin/etc) and PC's (DOS or Windows).
available on the net? We would like to keep track of and monitor meeting
times amoung 40 or so people.
If there are no shareware packages available, how about commercial packages?
============================================================
The following are addresses and phone numbers for companies mentioned
in the responses.
Uniplex Integration Systems, Inc.
600 E. Las Colinas Blvd., Suite 1400
Irving, TX 75039
800-356-8063; 214-556-0106
CrossWind Technologies, Inc.
6630 Hwy. 9, Suite 201
Felton, CA 95018
408-335-4988
ICL, Inc.
PO Box 19593, 9801 Muirlands Blvd.
Irvine, CA 92713
714-855-5500
Quadratron Systems, Inc.
31368 Via Colinas, Suite 108
Westlake Village, CA 91362
818-865-6655
Russell Information Sciences, Inc.
115 Columbia, Suite 100
Laguna Hills, CA 92656
714-362-4000
Phase II Software Corp.
21-G Olympia Ave., Suite 20
Woburn, MA 01801
800-735-2557; 617-937-0256
On Technology Corporation
1 Cambridge Center, Kendall Square
Cambridge, MA 02142
800-548-8871; 617-374-1400
CaLANdar product
----------------
From: Andrew Wolff <dr...@microsys.com>
Newsgroups: comp.groupware
Subject: Re: Needed: Office Scheduling Program for MAC & PC network
Date: 17 Mar 1995 17:36:08 GMT
I work for Microsystems Software - the makers of CaLANdar - the group
and enterprise wide scheduler. We have native client support for
DOS, Windows and MAC.
While we are always working on new releases, we have been spending a
lot of effort improving the MAC client to support many of the native
MAC UI features.
If you would like more info, send e-mail to:
in...@microsys.com
or call us at: 508-879-9000
====================================================================
David S. Stodolsky Euromath Center University of Copenhagen
da...@euromath.dk Tel.: +45 38 33 03 30 Fax: +45 38 33 88 80 (C)