Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 includes a comprehensive set of components that provide solutions for your Internet- and intranet-based communication needs. This chapter describes each of the components that comes with the Internet Explorer 5 Web browser. This product information can help you decide which components to install.

See Also 

• For more information about building custom packages of Internet Explorer components, see Chapter 15, "Running the Internet Explorer Customization Wizard." 

• For more information about installing Internet Explorer components, see Chapter 19, "Deploying Microsoft Internet Explorer 5." 

• For more information about system policies and restrictions for Internet Explorer components, see Appendix E, "Setting System Policies and Restrictions." 

Overview

Using the Internet Explorer Setup program or the Internet Explorer Customization wizard, you can select the components you want to install with the Web browser. Internet Explorer 5 includes the following components for communication and collaboration across the Internet or local intranet:

• Microsoft Outlook® Express for e-mail and newsgroups 

• Microsoft Windows Media Player for playing multimedia content 

• Microsoft NetMeeting® for audio-visual conferencing and application sharing 

• Microsoft FrontPage® Express for Web authoring 

• Microsoft Chat for text-based communication 

• Additional Microsoft and third-party components that enhance Web browser features and functionality, such as the Microsoft Offline Browsing Pack and Microsoft® DirectAnimation™ 

Internet Explorer components work seamlessly together, because the applications are tightly integrated and have a common menu and toolbar. Internet Explorer gives you the flexibility to implement these applications as a stand-alone communication solution or to integrate them with your existing software programs. An organization that uses Internet Explorer does not need to discard its existing applications. For example, a corporation can use its existing messaging solution together with Internet Explorer components.

If you need to move up to more advanced applications, Internet Explorer offers a scalable solution. For example, Microsoft Outlook can replace Outlook Express for those users who need a richer e-mail client. While FrontPage Express enables you to create Web pages, Microsoft FrontPage is the fuller Web-site development platform. Internet Explorer integrates with these more advanced applications just as easily as it does with its built-in components.

System policies and restrictions enable you to configure and manage Internet Explorer components easily. You can control user and computer access to components or restrict the types of component features and functionality that are available to users. For example, you can predefine values for Microsoft Chat settings, such as the default chat server, character, and chat room. For more information about system policies and restrictions, see Appendix E, "Setting System Policies and Restrictions."

Microsoft Outlook Express

E-mail has become one of the most popular and effective ways for people to communicate, both in business and in their personal lives. Until recently, most e-mail has been limited to text-only messages, with perhaps some attachments. Internet Explorer supports an entirely new type of standards-based messaging, opening the door to greater richness and detail. Outlook Express 5 supports full Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), so you can create e-mail messages that have the color and functionality of Web pages, and even send full Web pages as part of your message. You can also design your own HTML stationery or use professionally designed stationery from Microsoft Greetings Workshop to give e-mail a personal touch.

The following illustration shows the Outlook Express start page.

In addition, Outlook Express provides powerful mail management features, more efficient e-mail and newsgroup use, enhanced security, and full support for Internet standards and technologies. Outlook Express is flexible enough to meet the diverse e-mail needs of a variety of users—for example, users with dial-up Internet access through an Internet service provider (ISP) and users who work on a local area network (LAN) based on Internet standards, such as Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), and Internet Mail Access Protocol 4 (IMAP4).

Microsoft Outlook Express Features

Outlook Express offers a wide range of features that make it easy for you to communicate more effectively with others, whether they are down the hall, across the city, or around the world. The following sections describe important Outlook Express features.

Setup and Migration Tools

You can get up and running easily with Outlook Express. The Internet Connection wizard guides you through each step of establishing new e-mail, news, and directory service accounts. Migration is simplified because Outlook Express automatically detects and offers the opportunity to import existing e-mail messages, message rules, e-mail account settings, news settings, and address books from Netscape Messenger, Eudora, and Internet Mail. You can import information from these products when you first start up Outlook Express or at your convenience. You can also use Outlook Express to import information from Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Outlook (in order for Outlook Express to import messages or address books from Exchange or Outlook, you must have these applications installed on your computer).

Web Integration

As the successor to Microsoft Internet Mail and News, Outlook Express further integrates e-mail with the Web by using the Internet Explorer Web browser control. Outlook Express supports HTML as a native message format, so you can create messages in HTML and communicate using the richness of Web pages without knowing how to write HTML code. Support for MIME HTML (MHTML) enables you to send full Web pages from the Internet or intranet and insert content from existing Web pages into messages. To maintain compatibility, messages created in Outlook Express are readable by both HTML-capable and non-HTML-capable e-mail clients. Outlook Express also doubles as a newsreader, so you do not need to switch between two separate applications for e-mail and news.

Security

Internet Explorer features state-of-the-art security technology. Support for the Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) standard enables you to encrypt messages, digitally sign messages, and verify senders with digital certificates. Outlook Express uses public key cryptography to facilitate the encoding and decoding of encrypted messages. Outlook Express also incorporates Internet Explorer security zones, which protect you when you access Web sites and receive e-mail with Web content. By default, Outlook Express is set to the Internet zone, but you can select a more restrictive setting to limit specific types of content, such as scripting and Java applets.

Support for Internet Standards

Outlook Express implements leading Internet messaging standards and protocols to provide e-mail services, regardless of the Internet service provider or browser. Outlook Express provides full support for the following standards and protocols:

• POP3 and SMTP—POP3 and SMTP are the two most commonly used protocols for sending and receiving e-mail over the Internet. Outlook Express provides full support for POP3 and SMTP, including multiple Internet e-mail accounts and distributed password authentication. 

• IMAP4—IMAP4 is the next-generation standard for e-mail messaging. This protocol allows messages to be stored on the server so that e-mail is accessible from any computer on the network. As a result, users can have access to e-mail at both work and home. Support for IMAP4 also offers improved bandwidth use and central mail-store administration. 

• HTML Mail—HTML Mail allows e-mail messages to be sent in standard HTML format. These messages retain their formatting, even if they are read by an e-mail client other than Outlook Express. Text and attachments can also be read by non-HTML e-mail clients. 

• MHTML—Images embedded directly into messages by using MHTML create richer e-mail content. Recipients do not have to connect to the Internet or intranet to view the message contents. 

• S/MIME—S/MIME helps ensure the security of e-mail and news messages by enabling users to digitally sign and encrypt messages. Digital signatures verify the authenticity and integrity of the message, and encryption protects the contents of messages from being read by anyone except their intended recipient. 

• LDAP—LDAP provides users with a means to easily find people on the Internet through Internet white-page services, such as Bigfoot, Yahoo! People Search, and WhoWhere? Note that LDAP support applies to the Windows Address Book only. 

• NNTP—The Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) enables news clients to read and post to newsgroups. This protocol also supports communication between news servers. 

• HTTP—Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) provides access to e-mail messages that have been sent to other types of Internet e-mail accounts, such as MSN Hotmail. 

Identities

With the new Identity Manager, you can create multiple identities on a computer with separate e-mail accounts, passwords, contacts, and preferences. You can create a separate identity for each person who uses Outlook Express (for example, you and a co-worker may share Outlook Express on the computer). Then you can easily switch between individual identities without having to shut down your computer or cancel the Internet connection.

A new identity folder is automatically created in the Windows Address Book when you create an identity by using the Identity Manager. You can keep contacts in your main folder, as well as organize them into subfolders. If you have contacts you want to share with other people who share your computer, you can move the contacts into the Shared Contacts folder.

Note Identities exist within Windows logon profiles and are intended to be an alternative to profiles. All information within a profile is available to all users with access to that profile. Identities, though, are not secure and are not intended for environments where security between users is a concern.

Message Rules

To help you manage and prioritize your e-mail, you can use the Outlook Express Rules wizard to develop rules for your e-mail messages. You can create one or more of these e-mail rules to organize the messages that you have already received and to screen your new incoming e-mail. E-mail rules enable you to designate the types of messages, such as e-mail from a specific account or with a specific priority, that Outlook Express forwards, moves, copies, highlights, or deletes automatically.

Note Message rules do not apply to IMAP or HTTP mail (MSN Hotmail) accounts.

Newsgroup Filters

You can create filters on an individual-newsgroup basis that ignore messages based on sender, subject, date posted, or length of message. Messages matching your filter criteria are neither downloaded to your computer nor displayed in the message list. Filtered materials can also include bitmap images, writings, audio and video clips, and links to other materials that can be accessed through Internet newsgroups.

Windows Address Book

The Windows Address Book provides a convenient place to store contact information for easy retrieval by programs, such as Outlook Express. Using the address book, you can store multiple e-mail addresses, home and work addresses, and phone and fax numbers. The address book enables you to create groups of contacts, which makes it easy to send e-mail to a set of people, such as business associates, relatives, or sports groups. It also features access to Internet directory services, which you can use to look up people and businesses on the Internet. You can store individual and business Internet addresses, and link directly to them from the Address Book.

The Windows Address Book has full support for LDAP directory services, which provide access to virtual Internet white pages. Using this feature, you can easily find anyone on corporate LDAP servers or use the built-in support for Bigfoot, InfoSpace, Switchboard, Verisign, WhoWhere?, and Yahoo! People Search to locate people on the Internet. Internet Explorer also includes support for vCard, which enables you to exchange business card information with other users.

You can also use Outlook Express to create both personal and shared contacts within the Address Book. Then, you can share your Address Book with other users, and they can use your individual and group contacts for sending their own messages.

Smart Reply

Outlook Express automatically sends your replies to messages in the same format in which they were sent. For example, if you receive HTML mail, Outlook Express responds with HTML. If you receive a message in plain text, Outlook Express does not send HTML mail when replying to that message, and it remembers not to do so for future messages to that recipient.

Outlook Express also automatically sends your replies to messages using the same account that received the message. For example, users can easily separate personal and business correspondence.

Multiple E-Mail and News Server Accounts

Outlook Express enables you to access and manage multiple e-mail and news accounts from a single client. You can also send and receive mail from numerous e-mail accounts. For example, if you have e-mail accounts for home and work, you can set up Outlook Express to receive messages for both accounts and sort them into separate folders. Outlook Express keeps track of which account an incoming message is using, so when you reply to it, you can just click Send, and Outlook Express sends your response using the appropriate account. Or, if several people share one e-mail account, you can set up folders for each person and then automatically route incoming messages to individual folders.

Support for Roaming Users

Users may need to access their e-mail account and read messages from several different computers. Outlook Express provides this capability for MSN Hotmail account users. These users can access their e-mail messages from any computer with an Internet connection and Outlook Express installed.

MSN Hotmail Integration

Outlook Express includes MSN Hotmail integration features, which enable you to do the following:

• Read your MSN Hotmail e-mail messages from within Outlook Express. Support for the HTTP protocol enables Outlook Express to communicate with MSN Hotmail e-mail servers. 

• Configure your existing MSN Hotmail account for use with Outlook Express.

• Synchronize your Outlook Express and MSN Hotmail contacts.

• Sign up for a new MSN Hotmail account from within Outlook Express. 

Productivity Features

Microsoft has added numerous features to make Outlook Express easier to use. Now you can perform the following tasks:

• Create multiple hierarchical folders and drag them and the messages they contain as needed to organize them. 

• Easily save important e-mail addresses by using the Auto-Add feature, which automatically adds replied-to addresses to your Address Book. 

• Enter a partial name of a recipient on the To: line. Outlook Express automatically compares it against your Address Book and fills in the rest of the name if it's found. 

• Save e-mail messages in the Draft folder before they are sent, so you can easily keep track of messages in progress. The Draft folder ensures that important messages do not get overlooked among the e-mail in your Inbox.

• Execute the Send and Receive commands separately, so you can spend your time online efficiently. For example, if your connection is slow, you can choose only to send messages and not download large messages with attachments. 

• Receive notification of unread messages and unfinished messages in your Draft folder when you start the application.

• Take advantage of several word-processor-like features, including changing font sizes, rich-text editing, and up to 150 levels of the Undo command. 

Format for Message Stores

All Outlook Express messages are now stored in files with a .dbx extension. When you upgrade to Outlook Express 5 from a previous version (Outlook Express 4.0 or Internet Mail and News), a copy of the message store is converted to the new Outlook Express message format.

If you subsequently uninstall Outlook Express 5, you will see only the messages you received in Outlook Express 4.0 or Internet Mail and News.

Note If you were using Outlook Express 4.0 previously, you can import the Outlook Express 5 messages into Outlook Express 4.0. A message importer remains on your computer after you uninstall Outlook Express 5 (accessible by clicking Import on the File menu in Outlook Express 4.0).

Outlook Bar

Outlook Express offers the same style of navigational bar that Microsoft Outlook 97 introduced. Because you can use the Outlook bar to easily access different folders and modules, it is one of the most popular features of Outlook. You can also customize the Outlook bar by adding and deleting folders and changing the folder order according to your preferences.

Integration with Internet Explorer

Because Outlook Express is tightly integrated with the rest of the Internet Explorer components, you can easily use them together and switch between them seamlessly. Not only does Outlook Express share common menus and toolbars with the other Internet Explorer components, it also enables you to send an entire Web page to someone with a single click in the browser. The message embeds the page, not just a link to a Web site.

In addition, you can use the Internet Explorer Customization wizard to customize Outlook Express options as part of your custom browser package. You can specify the following information:

• The custom settings that apply to all users, including the default e-mail and news client, new account source information, and message rules 

• The configuration for e-mail and news servers 

• Whether users are required to log on by using secure password authentication (SPA) to access a server 

• The default IMAP settings used to preconfigure IMAP accounts for users 

• The LDAP directory services (in addition to standard Windows Address Book directories) that are available 

• The custom views and default settings for the Outlook Express main windows, toolbar, and preview pane 

• Whether HTML or plain text is used for e-mail and news messages 

• The default signatures for e-mail messages and newsgroups 

• Any other welcome message, in addition to the Outlook Express welcome message, that greets new users 

• The custom content that appears in the Outlook Express InfoPane 

• The presubscribed newsgroups for the default news server 

• A menu item for users to sign up for a new mail account (Internet service providers only) 

For More Information

Additional information about Outlook Express is available from the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web site.

Microsoft Windows Media Player

In the past, you needed to download and configure a separate media player for each type of multimedia content you wanted to play. This process wasted valuable time and system resources. The new Microsoft Windows Media Player solves this problem by enabling you to play different types of streaming multimedia content and local multimedia files from one easy-to-use application. Now, you can play all the popular multimedia formats and even develop your own filters to support other types of multimedia content.

The following illustration shows Media Player playing video content from MSNBC.

 

Microsoft Windows Media Player Features

You can use Windows Media Player to play popular multimedia formats and even develop your own filters to support other types of multimedia content. The following sections describe Media Player features.

Note If you choose not to install Windows Media Player with your browser package, you can use the Automatic Install feature of Internet Explorer to install this component when you need it.

Support for Multimedia File Formats

Windows Media Player can play most multimedia file formats, including the following:

· .asf	· .mpeg 2
· .au	· QuickTime®
· .avi	· Real Video 4.0
· .midi	· Real Audio 4.0
· .mov	· .vod
· .mp3	· .wav
· .mpeg 1

Also, this version of Media Player upgrades existing Media Player and Microsoft ActiveMovie content.

Customizable Media Playlists

Playlists provide quick access to your favorite content. Content authors can create entire shows that combine multiple pieces of media content using playlists and play them as a single program or continuous loop. Media Player can rapidly switch between the different multimedia streams without pausing between clips. The media can exist on different servers and can include different media types.

Fully Resizable Player

You can select video image sizes of 50%, 100%, 200%, and full screen, or resize the image to any percentage you want, depending on your preference for size and image quality.

Favorites

You can preload the Favorites menu with pointers to preferred content and add your own favorite Web site links.

Automatic Codec Download

When you attempt to play a new piece of media content, Media Player checks to see whether the required audio or video codec is installed. If the codec is not installed, Media Player automatically downloads the codec without user intervention.

Support for Multiple Bandwidths

Media Player enables you to play streams of speech-quality audio that range from 2.4 kilobits per second (Kbps) to full-screen, full-motion video at 8 megabits per second (Mbps).

Intelligent Streaming

Media Player can adjust the audio and video streams based on the capabilities of your computer. It chooses between one of two video streams depending on the available bandwidth. When the lower bit-rate stream cannot continue, Media Player requests that the server transmit only key frames. If the available bandwidth is insufficient to run video, Media Player stops the video stream but continues to play audio. Then, as network bandwidth conditions improve, the video stream is automatically restarted and optimized for your continued viewing.

Customizable Advertisement

Media Player provides space that you can use to display branding or advertising messages. Content authors can tailor the advertisements to specific users based on their preferences or other criteria. The advertisements can appear as a video stream or be displayed beside the main window.

Extendable Architecture

Because Media Player is based on Microsoft DirectShow™ architecture, developers can write filters that extend the functionality to support additional multimedia file types and content formats.

For More Information

Additional information about Windows Media Player is available from the Microsoft Windows Media Player Web site.

Microsoft NetMeeting

Microsoft NetMeeting 2.11 is a powerful application that supports real-time communication and collaboration over the Internet or intranet, providing standards-based audio, video, and multipoint data conferencing support. From a desktop running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0, you can communicate over the network with real-time voice and video technology. You can share data and information with many people using true application sharing, electronic whiteboard, text-based chat, and file-transfer features.

Connecting to other NetMeeting users is also made easy with the Microsoft Internet Locator Server (ILS), which enables participants to call each other from a dynamic directory within NetMeeting or from a Web page.

The Microsoft NetMeeting Current Call window is shown in the following illustration.

Designed for corporate communication, NetMeeting supports international communication standards for audio, video, and data conferencing. People can use NetMeeting to connect by modem, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), or local area network by using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and communicate and collaborate with users of NetMeeting and other standards-based, compatible products. In addition, support for custom settings in NetMeeting makes it easy for users to centrally control and manage the NetMeeting work environment.

The Microsoft NetMeeting 2.1 Software Development Kit enables developers to integrate NetMeeting conferencing functionality directly into their applications or Web pages. This open development environment supports international communication and conferencing standards and provides interoperability with products and services from multiple vendors.

Microsoft NetMeeting Features

As the leading Internet conferencing solution, NetMeeting has become the key building block for vendors of conferencing products and services. NetMeeting 2.11, the most recent product release, is designed to support new technology featured in Windows 98, including DirectX 5, Universal Serial Bus (USB) video cameras, and the new video device driver model. NetMeeting 2.11 is packaged as part of Windows 98, but it is also designed to run as a stand-alone product on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 3 and later) operating systems.

NetMeeting 2.11 is fully compatible with NetMeeting 1.0 and 2.0, and with applications and solutions that use the NetMeeting SDK for the Windows 95 operating system. With its first release, NetMeeting 1.0 transformed the everyday telephone call into a richer and more effective communication tool. For the first time, people could use voice communication to interact and collaborate over the Internet. Also, this product was the first to introduce multipoint data conferencing capabilities based on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) T.120 standard.

NetMeeting 2.0 was the next major release of this award-winning multimedia communication client. Building on NetMeeting 1.0 audio and data conferencing capabilities, NetMeeting 2.0 integrated a number of new features and provided improved functionality and an enhanced user interface.

The following sections describe the key features of NetMeeting 2.11.

H.323 Standards-Based Audio Support

Real-time, point-to-point audio conferencing over the Internet or corporate intranet enables you to make voice calls to associates and organizations around the world. NetMeeting audio conferencing offers many features, including half-duplex and full-duplex audio support for real-time conversations, automatic sensitivity-level settings for microphones to ensure that meeting participants hear each other clearly, and microphone muting, which enables you to control the audio signal sent during a call. NetMeeting audio-conferencing supports network TCP/IP connections.

The H.323 protocol provides interoperability between NetMeeting and other H.323-compatible audio clients. The H.323 protocol supports the ITU G.711 and G.723 audio standards and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Real-Time Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) specifications for controlling audio flow to improve voice quality. On multimedia extensions (MMX)-enabled computers, NetMeeting uses the MMX-enabled audio codecs to improve performance for audio compression and decompression algorithms. This capability results in lower CPU use and improved audio quality during a call.

NetMeeting 2.11 infrastructure changes improve interoperability with new H.323 devices, including gateways and Multipoint Conferencing Units (MCUs). These changes include the ability to initiate a call by using the H.323 calling model rather than the T.120 calling model. You will not notice any visible differences resulting from these internal NetMeeting changes, although connections may occur more quickly in some cases.

H.323 Standards-Based Video Conferencing

NetMeeting enables you to send and receive real-time visual images with another conference participant using any video for Windows-compatible equipment. You can share ideas and information face-to-face, and use the camera to instantly view items, such as hardware or devices, that you choose to display in front of the lens. Combined with the audio and data capabilities of NetMeeting, you can both see and hear the other conference participant, as well as share information and applications. This H.323 standard-based video technology is also compliant with the H.261 and H.263 video codecs.

NetMeeting video conferencing includes the following features:

• Users can switch audio and video to another person during a meeting. This feature makes it easy for users to communicate with many different people. 

• During a meeting, users can remotely adjust the video image quality, balancing the need for higher quality or faster performance. 

• NetMeeting users can dynamically change the size of the video window to reduce or enlarge the image being sent to others.

• In the NetMeeting main window, the video preview and receive windows are located on the Current Call window. Users can view these video windows from Current Call, or they can drag them to a different location on the desktop.

• NetMeeting users can choose whether or not to transmit video immediately when a call starts. Also, they can pause or resume sending or receiving video by pressing a button in the video window frame. 

• NetMeeting automatically balances the performance and quality of video during a meeting based on the speed of the network connection, providing the highest quality, lowest bandwidth video capabilities. 

• Administrators can control access to video features by using NetMeeting custom settings.

• On MMX-enabled computers, NetMeeting uses the MMX-enabled video codecs to improved performance for video compression and decompression algorithms. 

• NetMeeting support for H.323 conference servers and gateways enables users to take part in meetings with multiple audio and video connections. 

Intelligent Audio and Video Stream Control

NetMeeting features intelligent control of the audio and video stream, which automatically balances the load for network bandwidth, CPU use, and memory use. This intelligent stream control ensures that audio, video, and data are prioritized properly so that NetMeeting maintains high-quality audio while transmitting and receiving data and video during a call. Using NetMeeting custom settings, IT organizations can configure the stream control services to limit the bandwidth used for audio and video for each client during a meeting.

Multipoint Data Conferencing

Two or more users can communicate and collaborate as a group in real time. They can share applications, exchange information through a shared clipboard, transfer files, collaborate on a shared whiteboard, and use a text-based chat feature. Also, the T.120 data conferencing standard provides interoperability with other T.120-based products and services.

The following features characterize multipoint data conferencing:

• Application sharing—You can share an application running on one computer with other participants in the conference. Participants can review the same data or information and see the actions as you work with the application (for example, as you edit content or scroll through information). Participants can share Windows-based applications transparently without any special knowledge of the application's capabilities.

  The person sharing the application can choose to collaborate with other conference participants, and can take turns editing or controlling the application. Only the person sharing the application needs to have the given application installed. 

• Shared clipboard—The shared clipboard enables you to exchange its contents with other participants in a conference by using familiar cut, copy, and paste operations. For example, you can copy information from a local document and paste the contents into a shared application as part of a group collaboration.

• File transfer—Using the file transfer capability, you can send a file in the background to one or all of the participants taking part in the conference. When you drag a file into the main window, the file is automatically sent to each person in the conference, who can then accept or decline receipt. This file-transfer capability is fully compliant with the T.127 standard. 

• Whiteboard—You can simultaneously collaborate with many people by using the whiteboard to review, create, and update graphic information. Because the whiteboard is object-oriented (versus pixel-oriented), you can manipulate the contents by dragging and dropping. In addition, you can use a remote pointer or highlighting tool to point out specific contents or sections of shared pages. 

• Chat—You can type text messages to share common ideas or topics with other conference participants, or record meeting notes and action items as part of a collaborative process. Also, participants in a conference can use chat to communicate without audio support. A new "whisper" feature enables you to have a separate, private conversation with another person during a group chat session.

Internet Locator Server

Replacing the NetMeeting 1.0 User Location Service (ULS), the Microsoft Internet Locator Server (ILS) for NetMeeting expands existing server technology to provide more advanced directory services, higher scalability, and better performance standards (such as LDAP). ILS enables you to locate other people for conferencing. You can view the ILS directory from within NetMeeting or a Web page and review a list of people currently running NetMeeting. Then, you can choose to connect to one or more of the listed users or select another user by typing the user's location information. For more information about ILS, see the Microsoft BackOffice Web site.

NetMeeting can detect whether a server is available and automatically attempt to log on in the background, without user intervention. If you log off and then log on again later, NetMeeting automatically connects to the specified ILS.

Support for the LDAP Standard

LDAP is an Internet standard that defines the protocol for directory access. NetMeeting uses LDAP to access the ILS and perform server transactions, including logging on and off, creating a directory listing of all available users, and resolving a particular user's address information, such as the IP address. This standards-based approach to directories facilitates interoperability and allows organizations to implement compatible servers.

Support for Windows NT 4.0

Windows NT 4.0 users can communicate and collaborate with each other, with NetMeeting 1.0 users, and with NetMeeting users running the Windows 95 operating system. The functionality of NetMeeting, including audio, video, and multi-user data conferencing for electronic whiteboard, text-based chat, and file transfer, is supported for Windows NT 4.0. Windows NT Service Pack 3 is required for a Windows NT 4.0 user to share applications.

Support for DirectX 5

DirectX is a set of technologies that provide faster access to hardware in Windows. DirectX 5, the latest version of DirectX, is available for Windows 95 and Windows 98. Installing the DirectSound component of DirectX 5 on your computer (with a compatible audio device) significantly speeds up sending or receiving audio over the Internet using NetMeeting. For example, Microsoft testing of a typical audio scenario in NetMeeting 2.0 showed an average delay of 590 milliseconds (ms) end-to-end. However, using NetMeeting 2.11 and DirectSound, the same scenario resulted in an average delay of 160 ms end-to-end.

DirectSound replaces your existing sound card driver with a new DirectX driver. The new DirectX driver supports DirectSound record and playback APIs (and also supports the existing driver functions). You can install the DirectSound component of DirectX 5 from the Microsoft NetMeeting Web site.

Because DirectX drivers are often installed with games, you may already have DirectX capabilities. You must upgrade to DirectX 5, though, because earlier versions of DirectX do not support NetMeeting 2.11.

Note Some DirectX sound drivers do not support full-duplex audio. When you upgrade your existing driver to a DirectSound driver, you may lose this capability. Removing DirectX restores your original configuration with full-duplex audio.

NetMeeting Custom Settings

Custom settings can be used to control access to NetMeeting components and features. These settings provide a standard configuration for the user community. For example, custom settings can prevent the use of audio and video features or limit the network bandwidth for audio and video streams. The NetMeeting Resource Kit wizard, Internet Explorer Customization wizard, and System Policy Editor all provide ways to configure these custom settings. To learn more about using the Customization wizard to preconfigure NetMeeting custom settings, see Appendix E, "Setting System Policies and Restrictions."

User Interface Enhancements

One of the goals of NetMeeting is to enhance the existing user interface so that features are easier to locate, view, and use. Enhancements focus on these areas:

• You can filter the directory entries to more easily find and connect with people. For example, you can filter the entries to identify only people currently participating in a call or only people who have audio and video capabilities. Also, you can choose one of three user categories—personal, business, or adults-only—as an additional filter to show only people who selected the same user category.

• A refined NetMeeting Options tab and wizards make it easier to set up and configure the NetMeeting environment. A new Calling tab enables you to choose directory and SpeedDial options. In addition, an H.323 gateway calling option enables you to connect to a person by using a telephone number. 

• A graphical interface similar to the one in Internet Explorer, including a common toolbar, enables you to move easily between applications that are part of Internet Explorer. The toolbar is context-sensitive, displaying the most appropriate options based on the active window. 

• The host computer allows the meeting originator to hang up on one or more meeting participants, so people can be removed from the call more easily within conference groups that you participate in. 

• E-mail messaging provides you with the option of sending e-mail to people who are not available for conferencing. NetMeeting uses the Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) to start an e-mail client of choice, automatically adds the subject information, and then includes a SpeedDial shortcut so that the person can easily call back later. 

NetMeeting Mail Extension

NetMeeting includes a mail extension that works with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange e-mail clients, enabling you to place a call directly from a menu in the e-mail client based on entries in the mail address book. This feature gives you the flexibility to use your e-mail client to send a message or start a real-time meeting from the same mail address book. A NetMeeting custom setting enables you to specify the Exchange attribute for the NetMeeting address.

Outlook Bar

A new Outlook bar gives NetMeeting a look and feel that is consistent with Microsoft Outlook 97 and Outlook Express. This Outlook bar provides easy access to frequently used NetMeeting features, including the Directory, SpeedDial, Current Call, and History lists.

For More Information

Additional information about NetMeeting is available from the Microsoft NetMeeting Web site.

Microsoft FrontPage Express

Based on the full-featured Microsoft FrontPage 97 Web authoring and management tool, FrontPage Express features a graphical interface that makes creating HTML pages as easy as creating a document in a word processor. FrontPage Express enables you to create your own Web pages in a what-you-see-is-what-you-get environment, without knowing HTML. FrontPage Express includes all the features of the FrontPage 97 editor, except for premium features, such as Active Server Pages and some of the WebBot components (special preprogrammed scripts) that rely on specific server extensions.

The following illustration shows the FrontPage Express HTML editor.

Microsoft FrontPage Express Features

You can use Front Page Express to author and publish your own Web pages and edit existing HTML documents. The following sections describe the features of the FrontPage Express editor.

Flexible Authoring Environment

FrontPage Express offers two ways to create and edit Web pages. The word-processing-style editor displays a graphical representation of what the Web page will look like when it's published. You can type the contents directly onto the page and highlight text to change the color, size, and style. You can also specify background colors and graphics, text and link colors, margins, and base location.

FrontPage Express enables authors to view the actual HTML code that is being generated. Color codes, indentation, and formats make it easy to read the HTML code. Authors who are comfortable working with HTML can even edit in this mode and instantly see the results in the FrontPage Express application.

Table Creation and Editing

The Insert Table feature enables you to generate tables effortlessly, because FrontPage Express creates all the HTML code automatically based on your input. You can insert the table into a Web page and then edit either the entire table or individual cells. This feature also makes it easy to create nested tables without knowing HTML.

Forms Creation

You can add forms to your Web page that people can fill out and return. Your forms can include text boxes, drop-down menus, images, and more. You must be connected to a server running FrontPage server extensions to use these form-related features.

Templates and Wizards

If you are connected to a server running FrontPage server extensions, you can also use form-related templates and wizards in FrontPage Express. Templates are preformatted Web pages that you can use as a guide to create your own pages and Web View folders. Wizards walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a Web page. Templates and wizards enable you to create the forms you want just by selecting the types of information you need. You can also create a survey to collect information from readers and store it on your Web server, or you can create a page to acknowledge that you have received the reader's input.

Support for Web Technologies

FrontPage Express support for standard Internet technologies means that you can make your pages more engaging without any programming knowledge. You can insert JavaScript, Java applets, Visual Basic Scripting Edition, and ActiveX objects. Also, you can add form elements, such as text boxes, buttons, and drop-down menus, to pages directly from the toolbar. Then, you can easily edit these properties.

For More Information

Additional information about FrontPage Express is available from the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web site.

Microsoft Chat

Microsoft Chat 2.5 enables you to conduct real-time conversations in an Internet chat room. This chat program gives you two ways to communicate and share ideas with other people:

• Text mode, which displays text only 

• Comics mode, where your conversation appears as a combination of text and graphical features inside a comic strip 

In comics mode, you and other chat participants are depicted as cartoon characters, and your conversation appears as word balloons inside the frames of a comic strip. A "wheel of faces" in the bottom right corner of your chat window displays facial expressions. As you type your chat responses, you can click the expression you want your character to make. Also, you can add sound effects to your chat. Pick a sound file, and Microsoft Chat inserts the sound effect into your conversation.

You can choose from one of more than twenty cartoon characters that Microsoft Chat provides for you, or you can create your own character by using the Microsoft Chat Character Editor. Using Microsoft Chat, you can create your own background for your comic strip as well. With its condensed file format, you can place the character and background files on a Web server for everyone in your chat room to download.

The following illustration shows Microsoft Chat in text mode.

Microsoft Chat Features

Whether you chat in text or comics mode, you can take advantage of the Microsoft Chat features described in the following sections.

Toolbar Buttons

The toolbar buttons at the bottom of your chat room window—Say, Whisper, Think, Action, and Sounds—give you convenient one-click access to the Microsoft Chat features you use most often. For example, click the Think button to post a message that tells everyone what you're thinking. Use the Action button to tell the other chat participants what you are currently doing. Click the Whisper button to send private sounds and actions to a specific person rather than to the entire chat room.

Automation Rules

You can use automation rules to define responses for any event in the same way that you create Inbox rules for Microsoft Outlook. For example, you can make a rule that defines a specific message or sound that plays when someone whispers a message to you.

Automatic Logon and Friends Notification

When you start Microsoft Chat, the program automatically locates and connects you to the first available network server. As you chat, you can receive instant notification when friends log on and off your server.

Chat Room Member Lists

You can find out the names of all the participants in a chat room before you join by checking the member list for the room. The member list also enables you to view the participants' names in any available chat room and invite people to join your chat. You can also select a person from the list and whisper a secret message to that person.

Font Choices

In text mode, you can choose the fonts for any or all of the text that appears on the chat screen, including the message header and the message itself. When you click the Set Font button, a window displays the various message types you can format and a list of the fonts you can use. In comics mode, you can select the font you want for the text balloons.

Powerful Macros

Send complex actions, sounds, and multiple commands in a macro. You can easily set up one or more macros to insert your favorite bits of repartee into conversations with a simple keyboard shortcut. Select the keyboard combination you like, and give your macro a name so you can recognize it in the Macro List on the View menu. Then, press the key combination when you are ready to quickly post your remark into a chat room conversation.

NetMeeting Integration

You can fully integrate Microsoft Chat and NetMeeting if both you and the person you are calling have installed both applications. By using both Microsoft Chat and NetMeeting, you have a complete communication package that enables you to send chat messages while simultaneously holding NetMeeting voice and video conversations with friends, family, and business associates. In addition, you can share software applications or use the NetMeeting electronic whiteboard to collaborate with others in real time over the Internet or intranet.

Cross-Platform Solution

Although Microsoft Chat is available only for the Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems, you can still converse with Macintosh®, UNIX, and Windows 3.1 users. If users do not have a Java-enabled browser, they can download Microsoft Internet Explorer and then use Microsoft Chat 1.0 j. Also, Microsoft Chat can interoperate with other Internet Relay Chat (IRC) chat clients.

Development Platform

The Microsoft Chat Software Development Kit enables you to develop your own chat room. By inserting the Microsoft Chat controls (ActiveX-based controls) or Microsoft Chat 1.0 j or Microsoft Script Chat 1.0 (Java applets) controls into your Web pages, you instantly create a site where people can meet and chat with each other for hours.

For More Information

Additional information about Microsoft Chat is available from the Microsoft Chat Web site.

Additional Microsoft and Third-Party Components

In addition to the primary components described in the previous sections, Internet Explorer contains other Microsoft and third-party components that you can install. These additional components include the following:

• Microsoft Offline Browsing Pack—The Offline Browsing Pack enables users to view their favorite Web pages without being connected to the Internet. Offline browsing enables users to connect to the Internet periodically to download Web content, and then browse this content offline at their convenience.

• Microsoft Internet Explorer Help—Internet Explorer provides a comprehensive set of Help topics that users can access to find answers to questions, troubleshoot potential problems, or get additional product information. 

• Microsoft Virtual Machine—The Virtual Machine (VM) enables users to browse Web pages that contain Java-enhanced content. 

• Microsoft Internet Explorer Connection wizard—The Internet Explorer Connection wizard steps users through the process of signing up with and using an Internet service provider (ISP) to connect to the Internet. 

• Microsoft Internet Explorer core fonts—This core set of TrueType® fonts has been optimized to provide maximum on-screen legibility. 

• Dynamic HTML data binding—Data binding components allow Internet Explorer to access information from a database and display it in Web pages. 

• Microsoft Internet Explorer browsing enhancements—Browsing enhancements include a graphical File Transfer Protocol (FTP) helper. 

• Microsoft Windows Media Player codecs—These codecs support audio and video playback for Windows Media Player.

• Media Player RealNetwork support—This component is necessary for Microsoft Windows Media Player to play RealNetwork media files. 

• DirectAnimation—This component provides animation and multimedia services for your computer, both for Web content and stand-alone products. 

• Vector Graphics Rendering (VML)—This rendering tool enables users to view vector graphics images with Internet Explorer. 

• AOL Art Image Format Support—This component enables you to view images from Internet Explorer that were created in AOL Art format. 

• Macromedia Shockwave Director—With Director, you can create a variety of multimedia productions, including business presentations, Web content, interactive advertising pieces, Kiosk-mode productions, and CD-ROM titles. 

• Macromedia Flash—Flash brings Web pages to life without the wait. Vector-based Flash movies offer compact, interactive Web interfaces, animations, buttons, advertising banners, logos, maps, cartoons, and more.

• Microsoft Web Publishing wizard—The Web Publishing wizard steps users through the process of uploading content and posting their Web site to almost any Web server available.

• Web folders—Web folders enable users to access FrontPage and Web servers for editing purposes. 

• Microsoft Visual Basic® scripting support—This component provides support for viewing Web pages that use the VBScript scripting language. 

• Additional Web fonts—This set of additional TrueType fonts enables users to read Web-page text that was designed for viewing with Arial, Comic, Courier, Impact, and Times New Roman fonts.

• Microsoft Wallet—This component helps to protect the security of credit cards and mailing addresses during Web commercee. Users can employ the browser to purchase products or carry out banking and other financial transactions with convenience.

• Language auto-selection—This feature enables Internet Explorer to automatically detect the language encoding of Web pages.

• Japanese text display support—The Japanese language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Japanese text. 

• Japanese text input support—The Japanese Input Method Editor (IME) allows Japanese characters to be entered as text in other language versions of Windows. 

• Korean text display support—The Korean language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Korean text. 

• Korean text input support—The Korean IME allows Korean characters to be entered as text in other language versions of Windows. 

• Pan-European text display support—The Pan-European language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Central European, Cyrillic, Greek, Turkish, and Baltic text. 

• Chinese (traditional) text display support—The traditional Chinese language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display traditional Chinese text. 

• Chinese (traditional) text input support—The traditional Chinese IME allows traditional Chinese characters to be entered as text in other language versions of Windows. 

• Chinese (simplified) text display support—The simplified Chinese language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display simplified Chinese text. 

• Chinese (simplified) text input support—The simplified Chinese IME allows simplified Chinese characters to be entered as text in other language versions of Windows. 

• Vietnamese text display support—The Vietnamese language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Vietnamese text. 

• Hebrew text display support—The Hebrew language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Hebrew text. 

• Arabic text display support—The Arabic language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Arabic text. 

• Thai text display support—The Thai language pack includes TrueType fonts and other support files that enable Internet Explorer to display Thai text.