REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 27, 1996 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that its NetMeeting conferencing and collaboration software is now supported by leading Internet white page directory vendors. This support makes it easier for users of NetMeeting to find and connect to each other quickly for real-time voice communication or multiuser data conferencing over the Internet. NetMeeting is the Internet’s first real-time voice communications client that includes support for international conferencing standards and provides true multiuser application sharing and data conferencing capabilities. NetMeeting is available for download from the Internet along with Microsoft® Internet Explorer version 3.0 at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ .
Companies participating in the announcement include Bigfoot Partners L.P. (http://www.bigfoot.com/) , Four11 Corp. (http://www.four11.com/) , InfoSpace Inc. (http://www.infospace.com/) , Coordinate.com (http://www.switchboard.com/) and WhoWhere? Inc. (http://www.whowhere.com/) . These vendors have extended the directory search capabilities of their Web sites to integrate with the Microsoft User Location Service (ULS) directory capabilities of NetMeeting.
“The enthusiastic support of NetMeeting shown by the leading Internet white page directory vendors is very exciting to us,”
said John Ludwig, vice president in the Internet platform and tools division at Microsoft.
“Using NetMeeting, these compainies will make it easier for users to quickly find and connect to friends, family and business acquaintances to talk and share information in real time over the Internet.”
Just as the white pages in a telephone book make it easy to find a phone number, Internet white page directory services make it easy to find contact information for people on the Internet. The ULS server identifies people currently running NetMeeting, making it easy for other users to connect with them. The support by these vendors for locating users of NetMeeting makes it easy to find other users of NetMeeting around the world, regardless of the ULS to which they are connected.
Internet service providers, Web site operators and companies can establish their own virtual communities of NetMeeting users on the Internet or on a corporate intranet by downloading the ULS server software at no charge from the Internet at (http://microsoft.com)
/intdev/msconf/.
Users of NetMeeting can go to these white page directory sites using a browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. When they register themselves, other users of NetMeeting can search and connect to them directly over the Internet for voice communication or to establish a multiuser data conferencing session using the application sharing, whiteboard, file transfer or chat capabilities.
“Microsoft NetMeeting will enable users to take advantage of some of the most advanced communications technologies the Internet has to offer, and Four11 Corp. is pleased to be providing directory support for this product,”
said Michael Santullo, president of Four11.
“As an increasing number of people use the Internet for business and personal communications, Four11 continues to work with industry leaders such as Microsoft to facilitate personal connections across the world.”
“Microsoft NetMeeting enables true collaboration over the Internet and is an important step beyond the current voice communication technology on the Internet,”
said Ashu Roy, chairman of WhoWhere? Inc.
“WhoWhere?’s integrated directory support for NetMeeting will allow users registered with WhoWhere? from around the world to communicate and collaborate more easily than ever before.”
Availability of NetMeeting
NetMeeting is available now for the Windows 95 operating system as part of the full install of Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0. It is also available for downloading free of charge from Microsoft’s Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ in the following language versions: Brazilian Portuguese, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. A total of 27 language versions are scheduled to be available in the coming weeks.
In addition, NetMeeting will be shipped by many of the 2,500 Internet service providers that will distribute Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 with their offerings, and it will be included with the next OEM Service Release of Windows 95 supplied to computer manufacturers. Companies interested in redistributing NetMeeting with their products or services can license NetMeeting along with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 as part of the Microsoft Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) from the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ieak/ .
Availability of NetMeeting on the Windows NT operating system version 4.0 is planned for the fourth quarter of 1996, followed by support for the Apple Macintosh planned for the first half of 1997. Additional information on NetMeeting can be obtained from the Microsoft NetMeeting Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/ .
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, NetMeeting, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
For online product information:
Microsoft Internet Explorer Web page: http://www.microsoft.com/ie/
Microsoft NetMeeting Web page: http://www.microsoft.com/netmeeting/
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