What happened to 'Start NetMeeting' link?

[Chris]

We migrated our userbase (mostly W2K users; some WXP users) from various
versions of MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger to Windows Messenger 5.0.
Now, users are asking what happened to the "Start NetMeeting" link. Has that
been removed with WM5?

BTW, why isn't there a "Windows Messenger" newsgroup for Windows 2000
clients? Is this newsgroup the best place to ask WM/W2K-related questions?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Greetings Chris,

It's still there, you can make this option appear by closing down Windows Messenger
(right-click its icon in the notification area/system tray and click Exit), then download and
run this .reg file:
http://messenger.jonathankay.com/downloads/wm5_addnetmeeting.reg
After this, restart Windows Messenger, and you should now see 'Start Netmeeting' in Windows
Messenger.

Currently this is what would be considered the 'Windows Messenger' newsgroup, and there is
another newsgroup for 'MSN Messenger' (msn.messenger).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Chris]

Thanks. So access to NetMeeting is disabled by default in WM5? Is that a
change from earlier versions?

I wish I had known that before deploying to thousands of users. I didn't
catch it in my usability testing. :^(

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Chris,

In terms of Windows XP (the only operating system Windows Messenger 4.x ran on), the option
wasn't there in the previous versions unless you used compatibility mode. However, the
option was there in MSN Messenger 4.x on Windows 2000. But yes, Netmeeting is off by default
in Windows Messenger 5 (and this registry key turns it back on, in both Windows versions).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Chris]

However, the option was there in MSN Messenger 4.x on Windows 2000. But
yes, Netmeeting is off by default
in Windows Messenger 5.

What I mean is, NetMeeting was not only "there" in MSN Messenger 4.x on
Windows 2000, but was *on* by default, right?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Chris,

Yes, it was on by default in MSN Messenger 4.x on previous versions of Windows.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Chris]

In terms of Windows XP (the only operating system Windows Messenger 4.x ran
on), the option wasn't there in the previous versions unless you used
compatibility mode.

What is "compatibility mode"? I believe "Start NetMeeting" was present on
our Windows XP PCs, but I'm not sure.

 

[Chris]

OK, by searching the archives of this newsgroup, I've been able to determine
what 'compatibility mode' is. Question: For standard Windows Messenger 4.7
installs (on WinXP, obviously), is compatibility mode turned on or off? IOW,
for default installs of WN4.7, would "Start NetMeeting" have been present or
not?

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Chris,

As you know, Windows Messenger 4.x is an integral part of Windows XP and as such,
compatibility mode was off (why would you need compatibility mode on for an exclusive Windows
XP application *grin*).

'Start Netmeeting' cannot be present in Windows Messenger 4.x without compatibility mode
engaged -- no exceptions to this that I'm aware of.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Chris]

Thanks; I just confirmed this myself on a test PC. NetMeeting was NOT
present on our Windows XP PCs--and nobody complained. That gives me some
leverage when trying to explain how we missed this for the Windows 2000
users. :^O

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Chris,

Good plan =).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - Windows Messenger/MSN Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com

 

[Chris]

I've encountered a situation where your registry key update
(HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\DisableNM) does *not*
make NetMeeting visible in WM5--at least, on Windows XP PCs.

Since we are still in a mixed W2K/WXP environment, we decided to set
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\DisableCollaborationApps
to 1--thereby disabling "Application Sharing" and "Whiteboard", as well as
hiding these from both the menu and the action pane.

However, even with DisableNM set to 0 (i.e., *don't* disable/hide
NetMeeting), NetMeeting *doesn't* appear on the menu if DisableCollaboration
is also set to 1. It appears that the developers considered NetMeeting to be
a collaboration application--thereby disabling/hiding it based on the
DisableCollaboration setting. What's strange is, not matter what the
DisableCollaboration setting, NetMeeting *does* show up on the action pane
if DisableNM is set to 0! Looks like a bug!

If
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\DisableCollaborationApps
is set to 0 (i.e., *don't* disable/hide collaboration applications), then
"Start NetMeeting"'s visibility/enability is driven by the value of
DisableNM.

This is going to be hard to explain to management!

Chris