Date: May 20, 2000
Author: Ronald Wolak

Subject: DISS 780 Multimedia Discussion Topic 5 - Computer Conferencing

DISS 780 Discussion Topic 5 - Computer Conferencing

On Saturday, May 20, 2000, Joan McGrory, Eddie Watcher, Chaelynne Wolak, and the author conducted a PC-based synchronous computer conference. Before the conference, all participants configured and tested conferencing tools that included Microsoft NetMeeting, MSN Messenger Service, CU-SeeMe, Web cameras, and headsets. The following sections describe the author's hardware, software, network connectivity, and overall effectiveness of the desktop computer conference.

Hardware

- Computer: Pentium III, 500 MHz, 512mb RAM, Windows 98 SE

- Video: 3Com HomeConnect Web camera

- Audio: Plantronics SR-1 Monaural Headset

Network Connectivity

- @Home Broadband Cable Modem (T1)

- SprintPCS Wireless Dial-up (19k)

- Wired Dial-up (56k)

Software Applications

- Microsoft NetMeeting 3.01

- MSN Messenger Service (directory service and instant messaging)

- CU-SeeMe Video Chat Web Site

Preparation

Before the conference, all participants downloaded the latest version of Microsoft NetMeeting and became members of the MSN Messenger service. MSN Messenger, like its competitor ICQ, allows members to see who (from their address book) is currently online. In the days before the conference, this feature was used to conduct impromptu conferences to test hardware and software functionality.

Results

The conference began at 9 am EST. Using MSN Messenger and a cable modem connection (behind a firewall), the author was able to establish communication with the rest of the group using instant messaging. One effective feature of the MSN Messenger instant messaging user interface was the ongoing feedback it provided users during periods of inactivity. Instead of wondering if a response was being answered, a message was sent to all users when someone was typing. In a recent paper, Vronay, Smith, and Drucker discussed the importance providing feedback to text-chat users during "dead air" periods (Vronay, Smith, & Drucker, 1999, November 7-10).

During numerous attempts to establish audio, video, and chat sessions in NetMeeting, MSN Messenger (not NetMeeting) was the only reliable means of communicating. The author was able to briefly receive still images of Joan McGrory using NetMeeting. Audio, video, and chat sessions were never successfully established. In order to rule out firewall related issues, a wireless dial-up connection to the Internet was utilized for the remainder of the conference. The results did not improve.

About an hour into the conference, the participants decided to dial into a toll-free teleconferencing service (Meet-Me-Line) using standard telephone connections. The author's frustration level decreased significantly as a result. All participants were finally able to reliably communicate in real time. Using the Meet-Me-Line as the primary means of communications, the group began to walk through the process of establishing another NetMeeting session. This second attempt was also a failure. Similar technical difficulties were also encountered in a study of emerging technologies titled Virtual Classrooms and Communities (Neal, 1997). In that study, Neal concluded that desktop video conferencing was not an effective substitute for face-to-face communication.

Not willing to throw in the towel, everyone closed NetMeeting and the MSN Messenger service, logged into www.cuseemeworld.com, and downloaded the conferencing plug-in. The group was able to establish contact using the text chat but was only able to view still images of Joan McGrory during numerous attempts to connect using the site. Two hours after first making contact, the group unanimously decided that desktop videoconferencing was frustrating, unusable, and still a beta application.

In conclusion, the session made all participants aware of the reliability and effectiveness of everyday telephone communication.

References

Neal, L. (1997). Virtual classrooms and communities. Proceedings of the International ACM SIGGROUP Conference on Supporting Group Work: The Integration Challenge, ACM, Phoenix, pp. 81-90.

Vronay, D., Smith, M., & Drucker, S. (1999, November 7-10). Alternative interfaces for chat. Proceedings of the 12th annual ACM symposium on user interface software and technology, ACM, Asheville, pp. 19-26.