‘Net Users Get Realtime Desktop Videoconf. SW
CU-SeeMe, software that d'es real-time videoconferencing over TCP/IP networks, is likely to do for videoconferencing on the Internet what Mosaic did forinformation retrieval. It was developed at Cornell University with funding and help from the NSF and others.CU-SeeMe comprises desktop clients for Windows and Mac, plus a server-like component called a Reflector. Person-to-person and group conferencing arepossible.Expressly designed for the widest range of users, CU-SeeMe d'esn't need any proprietary hardware and works over low-bandwidth network connections. Thecurrent freeware version transmits video in black and white at less than full-motion rates.White Pine Software, named master licensee of the CU-SeeMe technology, was chosen to develop commercially enhanced and supported versions.In August, they unveiled a beta version for the Windows platform that includes full audio and video capabilities, plus it will launch itself automatically from withinWeb browsers. One can download the beta now from White Pine's home page.Planned for a December release, the commercial Version 1.0 of CU-SeeMe will also include color video, better audio, whiteboard collaboration, support for 28.8modems and more. Native Windows, Windows 95, Mac and PowerPC support will be featured, and it will be interoperable with the freeware edition.To test drive the freeware version, download from Cornell at ftp://cu-seeme.cornell.edu/pub/cuseeme or http://cu-seeme.cornell. edu sites. White Pine Software,Nashua, NH, (603) 886-9050, www.wpine.com. MW
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/1995 issue of THE Journal.