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Microsoft Posts Final Release of NetMeeting 2.0

The conferencing package gets an updated interface and NT support.

By Paul Heltzel, PCWorld   

New features include support for Windows NT, adjustable video quality, and the ability to see other users online without leaving the program. (The previous version made users open a Web browser to see potential meeting attendees.)

Video transmission is slightly improved in version 2.0, although it%squots a bit slow even over a LAN. Application sharing in NetMeeting 2.0 is also best done over a LAN; we found it to be frustratingly slow over a 28.8-kbps modem. With a modem connection, the app-sharing features are more reasonably used for, say, letting someone access your system to diagnose problems. Interface tweaking is a welcome change, with the most-used functions now divided among four tabs that provide quick access to the current call or let you contact other NetMeeting users. The online directory features let you see who is online and tells you whether they have video or audio capability.

NetMeeting%squots Internet telephony is now based on the H.323 standard, facilitating interoperability with other software such as Intel%squots Internet Phone. The new version also supports the T.120 standard for whiteboard and application sharing.

NetMeeting 2.0 is available as a free download on Microsoft%squots Web site and should be bundled with Internet Explorer by the summer, according to the company.