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Appendix 1

Training Documents Used in the Project

Basic Guide to the SHOWME Software for the Helpdesk

This is a set of brief notes we wrote for people manning the HelpDesk to supplement their training. Practice sessions were held and there were several copies of the ShowMe manual made available. Obviously, since some of the information in this is a duplication of the material in Chapter 2, we have removed the repeated parts from this appendix and marked them as [material omitted].

Introduction to ShowMe Software

[material omitted]

Using ShowMe

Calling MT or JSM

You should inform either MT or JSM by phone that you want to start a Showme session. (JSM 3746, MT 3746 or 3722). You could also try typing talk qq04@graph1-11 if phoning fails.

How to Use ShowMe Video, Audio and Whiteboard

  1. Log on at a SUN workstation (preferably) or on uxa using a PC running eXceed. If you want to use a camera attachment or microphone, then make sure you are using a local xterm window on the Solaris workstation.
  2. Copy two address books from the home directory of qq04 to your home directory. You need do this step once only. 
    cp ~qq04/.addresses.ab ~/.

cp ~qq04/.sharedapp ~/.
  3. Type 
    showme
    and wait for a minute or two until the Showme window appears.
  4. Click on Show address book cards... and click on the address you want to call then click Add to call. Some people have two entries; pick the one for their PC or the one for their workstation.
  5. Click on Call a conference. The person's name will appear in the list at the bottom. Eventually, you will realise that the invitation has been accepted.
  6. Pick one or more tools (Start Video, Start Audio or Start Whiteboard). When the whiteboard appears, we can start typing messages to each other. You may find it helpful to increase the size of the whiteboard window.

How to Use ShowMe SharedApp

  • Tell MT or JSM first that you want to use the Shared Application tool.
  • Select Conference on the main Showme window then click Start SharedApp... and a small window appears. This is the Shared App window.
  • To start a conference, select in this window Conference then Call....
  • Click on Show address list in the new window and click on the address you want to call. (NB pick the uxa address if MT or JSM is using a PC). Select Add to call.
    Wait a few seconds ...
  • Select Call a conference and wait for the invitation to be accepted. Then close this window.
  • Click Conference on the SharedApp window then Share Application.
  • Click the name of the command from the list in the Shared App window. If the command is not there, MT or JSM will prompt you on the whiteboard
  • Select Start and Share. By this time, there will be a number of windows cluttering the screen. You should minimise all but the whiteboard and the SharedApp window and the window in which the application is running. The application should have started for all of us. You have control first, but control can be passed back and forth by clicking Take Control on the Shared App window.

    How to Close Showme

    1. If you have minimised the main Showme window, restore it and click Conference on this window. Click Exit.
    2. If you have used Shared Application, then click Conference on the SharedApp window and then click Exit.

    Examples to Try

    1. You should try out the video and the whiteboard tools on your own, first. Just start showme and pick Start Whiteboard and Start Video.
    2. An AutoCAD user brings a picture done on the laser printer. It has been clipped on one side. Call MT or JSM, start showme and start the whiteboard only. You can use the whiteboard drawing tools to describe the problem! Try this again, using the video as well.
    3. A Unigraph user says he wants to draw two plots on the same page. You would call MT or JSM and start showme. For this problem, you would need probably both the whiteboard and the shared application tool. Select unigraph -d lx11 for the shared application. When ready, MT or JSM would take over and show you using unigraph how to do two plots on one page.
    4. A user of WP wants to import a graph into his document. You would need to start at least the whiteboard and the shared application tools.

      Further suggestions

      Hints on Using the Conference Manager

      If you want to have a beep on incoming calls, select Conference on the main ShowMe window and then select Preferences/Beep .. You may also like to change your conference name - this item is also on the Preferences menu.

      Hints on Using ShowMe Video

      [material omitted]

      Hints on Using ShowMe Audio

      [material omitted]

      Hints on Using ShowMe Whiteboard

      The Windows/Controls menu gives a chance of changing pen colours, pen widths, eraser widths and text sizes.

      You can also import old images and place them on the whiteboard (use File/Open). You can save the contents of the whiteboard in a JPEG or a SUN Raster file and you can print to a printer or to a PostScript file.

      Hints on Using ShowMe SharedApp

      [material omitted]
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