Electronic Conferencing Systems -- Who makes 'em?

[Rusty Hodge]

In article <15719 at sgi.SGI.COM>, hargrove at olympus.SGI.COM (Mark Hargrove) writes:
> 
> I would actually appreciate the names of any vendors of Electronic
> Conferencing systems that run on *either* UNIX or VMS.

Here is the poop on People-Net (P-Net) (edited for Television):

What Is P-Net?

P-Net is the finest computer-based conferencing and electronic mail
software system available today.  It operates in most Unix/Xenix
environments.  Users, however, need not be aware of or have any
familiarity with the operating environment, or computers in general for
that matter, as P-Net is effectively self-contained and does not depend
on Unix from the user's perspective.  Those familiar with Unix can be
allowed 'shell access' from P-Net, if desired.

P-Net is easy to operate and non-obtrusive to the communications
environment.  It is fully command driven, and there is plenty of help at
any prompt or level if it is requested.  Letters and messages are free-
form, with no line limits or other constraints.  Wordwrap is in effect
during all composition, so it is very easy to produce clear, readable
text, while concentrating only on the thoughts you wish to get across to
a reader.

P-Net's can be networked together via phone lines with various
conference topics running in parallel on each system.  That is, each
P-Net in the network would receive each other's conference messages and
post them in the proper order, maintaining topical 'threads' of
conversation.  This is a very effective way to provide low cost
teleconferencing between points physically very far apart.  Private
electronic mail can be directed to a user on any P-Net in the network.
Traffic can be 'queued' for immediate delivery to a target site, left
for later delivery when the phone rates are low, or routed through other
sites to the ultimate destination.  P-Net can also take advantage of
other networks as its communications transport.

P-Net has been under development for over three years, being continually
tested, expanded and improved during that time.  Of course, expansions
and improvements are a continuing effort based on our ideas and feedback
from current users and customers.


P-NET FUNDAMENTALS

Host Computer

P-Net software can be installed on a wide variety of Unix or Xenix
machines.  Its file system is located in a secure directory structure
and is not accessible by regular Unix users.  Only the system operator
(or those given security clearance) have access to any of P-Net's file
system.

Any number of public and private conversations can be created as needed.
Each conversation and topic within a conversation can be assigned a
moderator who will be in charge of that particular discussion.  The
moderator has the power to add or delete participants (if the topic is
private), delete or move messages that may not be appropriate to the
current discussion, etc.  A wide variety of topic types may be
configured.

A conversation may have any number of topics within it, and each topic
may have its own moderator.  A topic is a division, or separate subject,
each within the domain of the conversation it is a part of.  Each topic
may have any number of messages and comments.

Text is typed in by users in response, or comment, to any other message
in that topic.  Or, a new thread of messages may be started. Each
message is marked with the user's name, date and time, message subject
and number.  Whether that message is a comment or has comments to it is
also indicated.  When read, messages and comments are displayed in the
conversation order (comments to messages are read immediately following
the original message) rather than sequentially by date (though
sequential operation is an option).

Because comments can be typed in at the user's convenience, and the
parent (original) message is always referenced, more thought can be
given to one's comments than is typical in face-to-face communication,
yet information is exchanged much more rapidly than with correspondence
using regular mail.  Since the conversational thread is maintained, it
is also possible for one who has just joined the proceedings to quickly
come up to speed on the discussions thus far.

P-Net allows many individuals at a variety of locations to carry on
discussions asyncronously, that is, without having to connect to the
computer at the same time.

P-Net participants can join any topics to which they are permitted
access, to read existing messages, and enter new messages and comments.

P-Net uses its own built-in mail system for all private mail traffic.
It allows multiple recipients, Carbon-Copies, Blind-Carbon-Copies and
many other features.  Incoming mail can be saved to disk (in your own
private directory), forwarded to another user or users, or replied to.
Private mail being sent can be composed online, loaded from disk, or
both.  A line editor is included for editing convenience.

P-Net can communicate directly with other P-Net's or the Unix 'host'
machine on which it is running.  By providing the Unix gateway, P-Net's
private mail system can exchange mail and files with other P-Net's, as
well as with the world-wide uucp-net, Usenet, and other networks which
gateway to those.  It also understands pass-through traffic and site
aliasing.

Other Features

   - News Items can be posted for one-time display to each account
     holder when they log in.

   - Users are automatically notified when new private mail has been
     delivered to their mailbox.

   - A 'lounge' area provides a place for real-time chatting.  Ideal for
     coordinated meetings when all parties needed are online at the same
     time.

   - Messages originating on another mail site can be delivered to an
     assigned topic just as if that person posted directly.

   - Private re-distribution lists can be maintained where mail sent to
     a particular P-Net account will be re-sent to all recipients in a
     list.

   - A file utilities section allows each user access to their personal
     and private file directory, and also provides uploading and
     downloading of files using a variety of protocols.  Users may
     'attach' to other user's directory (by permission only, of course)
     to share files and other information.

   - Files may be 'included' in mail to another P-Net account, causing
     that included file to be saved in the directory of the recipient.

   - A complete database of local users is maintained on each P-Net.  A
     sorted list may be produced, or the list can be searched for
     various criteria.

   - Each user can have a 'resume' file which is displayed when
     information is requested by another account holder.  It is free-
     form information voluntarily supplied at each account holder's
     discretion.

   - P-Net's command prompt changes according to which section you are
     in currently, and which section(s) from which you came.  This
     display keeps you informed as to your 'position' within P-Net at
     all times.

   - Each account has a set of ID 'parameters' that tailors P-Net's
     operation to the requirements of that user.  Such parameters are
     automatically placed into effect at log-on.



Operating System

Most versions of Unix and Xenix are supported, including BSD 4.2/4.3,
SCO Xenix 286 and 386, MicroPort System V, and AT&T System V for the 3B1
(others coming).

Storage Requirements

Anywhere from 5mb to 20mb or more depending on number of accounts,
topics, amount of traffic, etc.  P-Net may be operated on a separate
mounted file system, or as part of any other mount.

Number of Users

The number of users on any given system is limited only by the number of
physical ports on the machine.  It can be run as a login process, or
invoked manually from a shell.

Accounting and size control

Full account usage accounting and inactive account expiring.  Topic
messages can be expired based on total topic size or number of messages.
These are all done as background processes and need little or no
intervention from the system operator.

License Types

A standard commercial single-site object code license is $2250.  There
is no extra cost regardless of the number of users on that site.
Systems for which we do not currently provide object code versions of
P-Net will require a source code license at $4500.

There is a special pricing consideration of $550 for private non-
commercial uses of P-Net, such as privately owned and operated Public
BBS or Conferencing operations.

All licensing is based on a single-site usage.  Special multiple-site
license pricing is available upon request.

5.2  Who To Contact For More Information

For further information or inquiries, contact Robert Williamson:

        United Software Industries, Incorporated
        8399 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. #200
        Canoga Park, CA  91304
        818-887-5800

Email information and inquiries to Bill Blue:

        P-Net:  pnet01!bblue
        ProLine:pro-sol!pnet01!bblue
        UUCP:   {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, ucsd, nosc}!crash!pnet01!bblue
        INET:   bblue at pnet01.cts.com
        ARPA:   crash!pnet01!bblue at nosc.mil

------------------

Sorry if that was too long.  But you asked. :->

> Does anybody actually have (and use) such a system?

Yes.  MouseHole is a Macintosh users group (sponsored by MacTutor
magazine) which you are welcome to call and try out.  We've been
running on P-net for about 2 months now.  (714) 921-2252 12/2400.
Login as 'pnet' and type 'none' for the BBS login.  P-net can (of
course) also be called as a standard program from a Unix login.

Hope that helps.

-- 

Rusty Hodge, HCR Inc, 1588 N. Batavia St. Orange, CA 92667      (714) 974-6300
rusty at hodge.cts.com [uunet vdelta crash]!hodge!rusty        FAX (714) 921-8038