Vista introduces a new application called Windows Meeting Space, formerly codenamed “Collaboration”. What is Windows Meeting Space?

Windows Meeting Space:
Allows you to easily conduct a collaboration session anywhere. It allows you to stream your screen to other PCs (think “project my laptop screen to these other laptops”) and easily share files (like passing around a USB key, but with out the hassle).

It provides a single user context for doing these activities in an integrated way with groups of people (Many : Many). Because it is peer-to-peer, it does not require a connection to the internet. Also, if you have a wireless card, if a “network” is not available, the wireless card will be put in “ad-hoc” mode and essentially a network will be created for you, thus allowing you to do this activity anywhere in the world.

Windows Live Messenger:
This application is meant to track your online buddies’ presence and allow you to do particular disjoint activities together (ie: Chat, VoIP, Video Chat, Send a file, etc.). You must be connected to the internet in order to any of these activities and they are primarily one-to-one.

Remote Desktop (Terminal Server):
Remote desktop allows you to “remotely log-in” to your machine as if you were sitting in front of it.

Comparing Messenger vs. Windows Meeting Space:
Some singular activities might be similar, but lack the cohesive and shared membership context. Messenger allows you to have a buddy list that you can invite into activities. Windows Meeting Space allows a set of people who may or may not be your buddy to collaborate.

Remote Desktop vs. Windows Meeting Space:
Remote desktop is “let me login to my machine”. Windows Meeting Space is “Let me project all or a portion of my screen to you, so you can see what I mean”.

With Windows Collaboration, users will be able to better communicate and work in groups, all virtually. I can see students and business users will be using this feature in the coming future. No more third parties groupware, everything can be done natively through Windows Vista.

 There is a demonstration relating to this article. Click here to view it.

Many thanks to Jabez Gan, Malaysia for submitting this article. He’s worked along side myself in many beta programs such as Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Vista (including Windows Server “Longhorn” and Windows Internet Explorer 7) and has written many technical articles on MSBLOG, our group blog from the R2 beta here.