Adam Gartenberg's Blog

Preview of Lotus Sametime 8.0.1

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• Author: Adam Gartenberg
• April 24, 2008
• Category:  Sametime 

In the very near future (e.g. possibly tomorrow, if not shortly thereafter), we should be releasing Lotus Sametime 8.0.1.  (It looks like the system requirements have already been posted.)  

***Update - As of 4/25, Sametime 8.0.1 is available for download ***

While the main focus is as a maintenance release, there are some new capabilities that we'll be introducing.  I'm calling the list below a "preview" (and subject to change as the final readme doc with all the details gets finalized), but this should give you a pretty good indication of what is coming in Sametime 8.0.1.
Citrix support

• The Lotus Sametime Connect 8.0.1 client is now supported on the Citrix Presentation Server (4.5) environment.  For details on performance and sizing, please see the technote on that topic.
• Please note that there are some Lotus Sametime features that are not going to be available from the Citrix environment due to the virtualization approach:  Voice/Video chat, geographic location, screen capture, Web API QuickFind, and Microsoft Office integration

Lotus Sametime Web conferencing enhancements:
New higher quality audio codec in meetings

• A new, higher-quality codec (GIPS iSAC (http://www.gipscorp.com/files/english/datasheets/iSAC.pdf) is now available for embedded audio inside of the Web conference. (And on a personal note, I've heard very positive feedback from folks inside IBM that have been beta-testing the improved audio!)

Push to Talk

• Push to talk provides a mode where everyone who joins the Web conference is muted other than the speaker.  Each participant must push (and hold, or lock) a button in order to speak. The moderator can revert to "all live mics" or "request mic" mode as necessary.

Show who's speaking enhancements

• The existing "Show Who's Speaking" feature has been enhanced to include a recent speakers option.  This option allows sorting of the participants by the people that are talking.  The list displays the person speaking, plus up to 5 recent speakers.

AppShare on multiple monitors

• Lotus Sametime Web conferencing hosts with multiple monitors can choose which monitor to share with others in the meeting.  (See below for a screenshot)

Remove user from meeting

• The Remove User feature allows the moderator to remove a participant from a meeting.

Contact List Updates via AdminP Tool

• The Domino Admin Process (AdminP) tool can be used to update the Lotus Sametime contact list information whenever a change is made in the Domino Directory.  (Yes, this addresses what has been one of  the most frequently-requested Sametime items in IdeaJam.)
• Please note that at this time this is only supported on the Windows platform.  We will make every effort to make this available on other platforms in upcoming releases.

Sametime Connect Web API Toolkit

• This new API toolkit provides Web developers with a new method to Sametime-enable their Web pages and applications by proxying the functionality of the locally running Lotus Sametime client (managing contacts, starting chats, presence status).  Actions taken on the web page will launch the features of the full Lotus Sametime Connect client.  This new API does not replace the existing Sametime Links APIs, but instead provides an alternative that can provide a more seamless integration for people that are running the Lotus Sametime Connect client.

SIP NAT support for Lotus Sametime Gateway

• When using Lotus Sametime Gateway, you can now make a SIP path that is TLS/SSL encrypted work with NAT devices.

Kiosk mode

• When operating as a kiosk terminal, it is no longer necessary to select "Reset user;" users can just log out and log back in with their ID.

Here's a screenshot of the multi-monitor support that's coming:

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Comments

1

Carl Tyler | Website: http://www.iminstant.com | 4/24/2008 7:30:37 PM GMT

This is great stuff! AdminP integration for name changes, long overdue. Great news that after 10 years, someone decided to update the codecs!

A few questions:

When you remove a user from a meeting, can they rejoin?

Does 8.0.1 finally record meetings in an alternative format to Rap files?

Does 8.0.1 support Internet site documents? This is a serious restriction currently, and lack of support means additional hardware must be purcahsed if you want to support multiple SSL certificates and domains for example.

2

Adam Gartenberg | Website: http://www.adamgartenberg.com | 4/24/2008 10:48:08 PM GMT

Thanks, Carl.

I will double check, but I'm pretty sure I was told we weren't stopping them from rejoining.

No, Sametime 8.0.1 does not replace the RAP format for recorded meetings. Sametime 8.0.1 also does not add support for Internet site documents. This is a requirement that is coming up with frequency, though, and is something we are looking into addressing in a future release.

3

| Website: | 4/25/2008 2:41:22 AM GMT

I seldom feel compelled to speak out on these things and especially when there are good new features in the release being discussed. Howevr, both the RAP file format and the need for Internet Sites must go back more than 5 years. It really astounds me that these continue to be ignored. So many VPs of Development have specifically promised to address the RAP issue that I've lost count.

4

Glen | Website: http://thesalmonfarm.org | 4/25/2008 6:32:49 AM GMT

Adam - ST801 meeting improvements are huge ! Thanks.

Carl - a "removed attendee" can rejoin. The Moderator gets to send a message to the removed attendee explaining the reason (disruptive background noise, they joined with a 'not-so-funny' guest name, etc). Since the reason might be temporary, there are reasons to let them rejoin. The moderator's UI remembers the message in case you are removing more than one person.

5

Stuart McIntyre | Website: http://blog.collaborationmatters.com | 4/25/2008 6:35:15 AM GMT

Great news on the new features Adam.

I must add my voice to those that have commented on the RAP format. How hard can it be to record the meetings in an industry standard format?

6

Erik Sorensen | Website: | 4/25/2008 6:52:45 AM GMT

Looking forward to it Adam! Regarding "When using Lotus Sametime Gateway, you can now make a SIP path that is TLS/SSL encrypted work with NAT devices."... can you give a little more info on how that is done? Are there steps similar to how you needed to set it up when there were two NICs?

Thank you

7

Stuart McIntyre | Website: http://blog.collaborationmatters.com | 4/25/2008 7:00:46 AM GMT

Looks like the 8.0.1 download is now available on Partnerworld...

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Carl Tyler | Website: http://www.iminstant.com | 4/25/2008 8:53:00 AM GMT

Thanks for the responses Adam. I also agree with Brett. This was raised at numerous customer council meetings, and PMs always gave the same, oh yeah we know that's important response.

It can often feel like IBM does not listen after so many years of the same requests.

Thanks for the current improvements, but as my all my school teachers used to say, could do better.

9

Declan Lynch | Website: http://www.qtzar.com | 4/25/2008 10:07:55 AM GMT

Any news on improvemnts for the mac client? Like clicking the red 'close' button to close the contacts list window without shutting the client down...

10

Adam Gartenberg | Website: http://www.adamgartenberg.com | 4/25/2008 10:50:35 AM GMT

Brett/Carl - In my time in this job, I've learned that the single hardest part about product management is looking at the list of requested features - especially ones that have moved out from release to release to release, like the RAP format has - and reconciling which ones can and can't be included in a given release.

I can assure you the prioritization is never taken lightly, nor are requests like this outright ignored, even while I know that it doesn't address your concern that you still don't have an alternative to use for your recorded meetings.

I wish I could provide more insight into the decisions that lead to any given feature making the cut for a release vs. not, but there are so many factors involved, that I don't know that I could properly say "it was either feature [xyz] or RAP formats," as it often never comes down to something as easy to explain as that, nor is the discussion centered around 1:1 tradeoffs.

I guess all I can say is that we promise to continue to try to do better, and ask that you continue to provide the feedback (like you have here) so we know what's most important as we do our prioritization.

11

Greg Walrath | Website: http://www.univarusa.com/ | 4/25/2008 11:29:55 AM GMT

Regarding site documents - we (virtually everyone outside Lotus/IBM) have been asking for this in Sametime and QuickPlace for years. We finally got it in QP 7, but then we couldn't connect to ST if we were using them, because - that's right! - ST doesn't support site documents.

12

Alan Bell | Website: http://www.dominux.co.uk | 4/27/2008 2:33:07 PM GMT

So any chance that extst.ibm.com will be upgraded to 8.0.1? And work with any Sametime client ID?

13

Priorities for Sametime features | Website: | 4/29/2008 12:53:33 PM GMT

Carl/Brett

I am new to the Sametime product team but not new to the tough job of juggling and prioritizing features across thousands of customers. I can tell you that Sametime web conferencing functionality is a key focus for the next Sametime release and an area where we plan a major investment (some insights were previewed at Lotusphere). I will be reaching out to you and Customer Council for feedback on the list of potential investment areas around web conferencing to gather your views on priorities before we bake the final list.

To anyone reading this. Feel free to send me your prioritized wish lists at any time. I cannot guarantee every feature will make it but the input will be read and used to help the design process.

Rob Ingram

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