Note: Many topics at this site are reduced versions of the text in "The Encyclopedia of Networking and Telecommunications." Search results will not be as extensive as a search of the book's CD-ROM.

A whiteboard in the context of computer networking is part of a collaborative conferencing application that lets multiple users share a common text-based chat board or graphics board. Users can review, create, and update information on the whiteboard. Any changes are visible immediately to other viewers. Microsoft's Netmeeting Whiteboard is object-oriented (versus pixel-oriented), which allows participants to manipulate the contents by clicking and dragging with the mouse. In addition, they can use a remote pointer or highlighting tool to point out specific contents or sections of shared pages.

TeamWave Workplace by TeamWave Software has the usual whiteboard features, such as an interactive surface to draw on and to add text to, and the ability to edit the contents of the whiteboard. It also has the ability to store and retrieve its contents. A unique feature is a set of shared tools that can be placed directly on the whiteboard. Workplace supports an unlimited number of shared whiteboards by storing each whiteboard in its own room. Each room contains a shared whiteboard and its contents. Rooms are kept on a Workplace server and are available anytime from anywhere, and they are available to anyone with access to the server.

The ITU T.120 standards cover voice and still image conferencing facilities.

Copyright (c) 2001 Tom Sheldon and Big Sur Multimedia.
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