[AG-TECH] Questions and topics for the Retreat

[Randy Groves]

Mary's note to submit topics for the retreat has got me thinking.  Some 
views from my knothole (with all the restrictions in view that implies).

There has been a good bit of interest in AG technology internally here at 
Boeing.

There are some pieces that I haven't heard much about - perhaps I haven't 
been looking in the
right places.  But I think that they are important, and maybe necessary, 
for this technology to compete here with our present video conferencing 
setups.  Please excuse any ignorance here - I don't claim to be an expert 
in this.

Is there any work being done on whiteboard facilities for the AG?

Better (or any) integration with (I know - most people don't like it, but 
it's a given here at Boeing) NetMeeting?  Or with other video conferencing 
packages (Tandberg, Polycom)?

Is there some sort of SDK being worked on that would allow developers to 
more easily add new features to the AG set?  For instance, our engineers 
work with Catia - a tool that could 'wrap' Catia in some way would be a 
definite plus.

While I definitely applaud the effort to keep this in the open source realm 
- and I think that this should be continued - it seems to me that packages 
like vic and rat are somewhat showing their age.  Is there any effort 
(outside of Microsoft's) to re-do these?  In Java for instance?

I was talking to Lisa today about Voyager and there were some streams from 
the recent SCGlobal (VR streams and others) that were not recorded.  I 
don't understand all the details - but it seems one of the problems is one 
of identification and/or standard info in the packets.  Is there any work 
being done to standardize that?

I know that the AG was initially created, and still is pointed toward 
supporting, large groups in collaboration.  A good bit of the interest we 
have here internally is toward the other end of the spectrum, even down to 
the desktop.  Perhaps this is a good area of research for a spin-off 
working group?  I would definitely like to hear people's experiences in 
this realm at the retreat (Johnson & Johnson come to mind).

Usability is another issue that I know people are working on, but it will 
be one that will come up in internal efforts.  I can see training the 
people to become node ops, but I can't see training an executive as a node 
op.  The Tandberg or something similar still wins out here.

(I retreat, after having poked the anthill ...)

-randy