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Capabilities Overview
| Multi-User Desktop Sharing |
Audio | Video | Price | Setup Effort |
Cross Platform |
Institutions Registered |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Grid | Y | Y | Y | ($$$)* | High | Y | 150+ |
| MS NetMeeting/Messenger | N | Y | Y | - | Low | N | N/A |
| RealVNC | Y | N | N | - | Low | Y | N/A |
| KRfb | Y | N | N | - | Low | Y | N/A |
| Meet Web | Y | Y | Y | $$$ | Med | N | N/A |
| * Buildable in-house with open source software/hardware or purchasable from a vendor. | |||||||
Access Grid
Multi-site video conferencing with desktop sharing available here at GFDL and 150 other institutions.
KRfb - KDE Desktop Sharing
Allows desktop sharing without video and audio. Also supported here at GFDL.
VNC
DESCRIPTION
- VNC is the Virtual Network Computing tool designed for cross-platform desktop sharing. It can be used for telecommuting or remote help desk debugging. A Server is used to broadcast the user's desktop, while the Viewer counterpart allows viewing and control of the remote machine's desktop.
PLUSES
- Simple to install.
- Free
- Works across different operating systems.
MINUSES
- Doesn't support audio or video feeds for videoconferencing.
HOW TO INVOKE
- See the documentation link below.
HINTS
-
To get a server running on an OS-X (Apple) machine. Do the following:
- Get the server's IP address with ifconfig. The IP address is after the word "inet", or find out by selecting the apple (leftmost icon on the desktop menubar), "About This Mac" and "More Info...".
- Run the OS-X server (download link below), and set the password and port number.
- Start a VNCViewer on your remote machine and enter the server's address as IP:port.
DOCUMENTATION
- GFDL VNC How-to
- Official Website
- OS-X VNC SourceForge Project
Microsoft NetMeeting/Messenger
DESCRIPTION
- NetMeeting is the videoconferencing predecessor to Messenger. Both share the same capabilities of program sharing, whiteboard, voice, type-chatting, image capture/send, and video. The only obvious difference is Messenger's a new interface.
PLUSES
- Quick setup time.
- Supported by any Windows OS machine (version 6: Windows XP, Me, 2000, 98, version 5: NT4, 95).
- Free. Only an internet connection is needed.
MINUSES
- Won't work with non-Windows machines.
HOW TO INVOKE
- Follow the link below for the Visual Quick Start Guide.