VAX Notes, Version 2.1 SPD 27.06.05 DESCRIPTION VAX Notes is a computer conferencing software product designed to provide users with the capability of creating and accessing on-line conferences or meetings. VAX Notes runs on the DECwindows platform allowing easy access to functions through direct manipulation with a mouse in a window and also a character cell-based TPU interface for users of terminals. Computer conferencing is a new electronic messaging technology which lets users conduct meetings with people in different geographic locations via computer, so that participants can join in a discussion from their own desks at a time of their own choice. It also offers the advantage of keeping a detailed record of the proceedings of a meeting, which can be searched by a variety of criteria, such as name of participant, subject or keyword. VAX Notes can also be used for a variety of similar applications, such as an electronic bulletin board or collaborative document authoring and review. Additionally, VAX Notes allows you to save travel time and money by solving problems in a conference, can be used for internal classes or seminars, and can provide expertise to groups that lack resources in a given area of expertise by referencing expert resources in the company. Conferencing eliminates reinvention of the wheel by distributing helpful hints to the user community from users that have already experienced similar situations. In general, VAX Notes enhances the communication flow across the corporate hierarchy. Features Distributed Access VAX Notes has been designed for optimal multi-node access in a DECnet network, using server technology to achieve rapid response - even from distant nodes. VAX Notes conferences can exist and be accessed from any VMS node in a DECnet network, offering true distributed processing and access capabilities. Users on remote nodes need not have an account on the node where the conference is located. VAX Notes may also be used on any single node VMS configuration. Multiple conferences may also exist on a single node containing the full-functionality server, in either standalone or networked environments. Moderator Support A moderator is a person responsible for managing a conference. VAX Notes allows both public and private conferences. For private conferences, the moderator can restrict access to a specific group of participants by specifying name and network location. Public conferences have no restrictions on who may participate. The moderator may send announcements of new conferences to participants, and has the sole ability to delete notes entered by other participants. Moderators may also create special notices which are displayed for all participants each time the conference is accessed. Ease-of-Use VAX Notes is designed with the inexperienced user in mind. All functions can be accessed by easy to use commands, supported with on-line contextual help. Documentation is designed to familiarize new users with VAX Notes quickly and easily. Choice of Editor Interfaces The character-cell interface to VAX Notes provides three separate screen-oriented user interfaces for editing, allowing users to specify use of EVE (an extensible interface), EDT-style keypad interface, or WPS-style GOLD KEY keypad interface on ANSI-compatible terminals. A line mode editor also is included in VAX Notes for use on non-ANSI terminal devices. Users of the DECwindows interface can enter notes which contain graphics and text by including entire compound documents based on DDIF file format. Topics and Replies VAX Notes uses a simple topic-and-replies structure to maintain conferences, so there is no difficult hierarchy to navigate. A conference consists of topics and replies. The DECwindows interface to VAX Notes allows users to open multiple read windows per conference, as well as have multiple conferences open at one time. A conference may have more than 50,000 topics, and each topic may have a similar number of replies. Directory listings show all topics by author, title and date, and the number of replies. All notes can be read either sequentially or at random. Also, users may read only those notes which they have not yet seen. VAX Notes allows the user to search for various topics and replies using the SEARCH, DIRECTORY and KEYWORD commands. Notebook The Notebook is a user's personal list of conferences of interest. Users may easily add or delete conferences from their Notebook. The Notebook allows users to define personal names for Conferences and, in a distributed environment, allows remote conferences to be accessed without DECnet node specifications. When a conference is accessed, the Notebook can optionally show whether or not new entries have been made since the last time the user accessed the conference. The Notebook also maintains a profile of user preferences, including personal name, editor choice, and default printer specification. Markers Markers are user-defined names pointing to special entries in a conference. Markers can be used whenever a user needs to have a special reminder of things to do, or to recall notes that are frequently referenced. Keywords Keywords allow the user to group notes that are concerned with a particular subject or do not have other attributes (such as title, author, or time of entry) in common. Keywords are useful for grouping notes that may not have the keyword in the note text or title, but that do address the subject the keyword represents. Imported Text VAX Notes allows notes and replies to be created outside of VAX Notes (using any editor which can produce ASCII output files) and then later imported to the conference. Mail Integration VAX Notes uses VMSmail (included in the VMS Operating System) to allow users to send notes or messages to other users from within VAX Notes. Licensing Options VAX Notes contains three licensing options for users: a full-functionality Server, reduced-functionality Client, and a User-based option. The Server and User-based options allow access to all VAX Notes capabilities. The User-based option, however, restricts the number of simultaneous users on the node or VAXcluster where the User-based option is installed. The VAX Notes Client option contains the majority of VAX Notes functionality, but prevents the creation of conferences. That is, the VAX Notes Client allows you to read, write, and access Notes conferences that reside where the VAX Notes Server is installed, but does not allow for the creation, opening, or copying of local conferences (on the Client node). The VAX Notes Client will not function unless there is a VAX Notes Server installed in the network. The VAX Notes Client option is effective in situations where users want to use VAX Notes on all nodes in a DECnet network, but do not want to host conferences on each node in the network. The Client option is offered at a reduced price to make it cost effective to use VAX Notes in distributed Network and VAXcluster environments. Note: Use of the VAX Notes Client and User-Based options within the same cluster is prohibited. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS VAX, MicroVAX, VAXserver or VAXstation configuration as specified in the System Support Addendum (SSA 27.06.05-x). SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS For systems using terminals: (No DECwindows interface) VMS Operating System For workstations running VWS: VMS Operating System VMS Workstation Software For workstations running DECwindows: VMS Operating System (and necessary components of VMS DECwindows) Refer to the System Support Addendum (SSA 27.06.05-x) for availability and required versions of prerequisite/optional software and for information regarding components of VMS DECwindows. ORDERING INFORMATION Server Option Software Licenses: QL-960A*-** Software Media: QA-960A*-** Software Documentation: QA-960AA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-960A*-** Client Option Software Licenses: QL-VESA*-** Software Media: QA-960A*-** Software Documentation: QA-960AA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-VESA*-** User-Based Option Software Licenses: QL-960A9-P* Software Media: QA-960A*-** Software Documentation: QA-960AA-GZ Software Product Services: QT-960A*-** * Denotes variant fields. For additional information on available licenses, services and media, refer to the appropriate price book. SOFTWARE LICENSING This software is furnished under the licensing provisions of Digital Equipment Corporation's Standard Terms and Conditions. For more information about Digital's licensing terms and policies, contact your local Digital office. LICENSE MANAGEMENT FACILITY SUPPORT This layered product supports the VMS License Management Facility. License units for this product are allocated on a CPU-capacity plus User/Activity basis. For more information on the License Management Facility, refer to the VMS Operating System Software Product Description (SPD 25.01.xx) or the License Management Facility manual of the VMS Operating System documentation set. For more information about Digital's licensing terms and policies, contact your local Digital office. SOFTWARE PRODUCT SERVICES A variety of service options are available. For more information, please contact your local Digital office. SOFTWARE WARRANTY Warranty for this software product is provided by Digital with the purchase of a license for the product as defined in the Software Warranty Addendum of this SPD. February 1990 AE-GH97F-TE (R) The DIGITAL Logo is a registered trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation. (TM) VAX, VMS, MicroVAX, VAXstation, VAXserver, VAXcluster, DECnet, DECnet-VAX, EDT, VMSmail, Ethernet, DECspell, GOLD KEY and ALL-IN-1 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation.