Fifth International World Wide Web Conference

May 6-10, 1996, Paris, France

Notes for Operators/Volunteers of Multicast Sessions

1. To cooperate with the local video and audio crews in setting up prior to the session, to ensure that the multicasting workstation has good video and audio input.
2. To operate the multicasting workstation during the multicast.
3. To cooperate with the interlocutor in managing the interactions between local and remote participants.

As a rule, remote participants are shy about asking questions. The session chair and remote site operators will be asked to encourage remote participation.

Thanks for volunteering, and enjoy your part in the meeting! The multicast should greatly increase participation and interest in the conference.

ADVANCE PREPARATION

1. Read the notes for various participants, paying particular attention to the notes for multicast session chairs. These outline the way in which you will interact with the chair and interlocutor. It is likely that you will have had much more experience with multicasting than the chair, who may be a bit nervous, so try to help guide this person in doing the right thing at the right time.

2. Practice running the hardware and software prior to the conference.

3. Try to practice the setup of audio and video equipment with the people who will be doing this at the conference. Audio setup is particularly important, as it is the single most important information source for remote attendees.

PROCEDURAL CHECKLIST

Setting up for the Start of a Session

1. Locate the chair and interlocutor and introduce yourself by name.

2. Locate the workstation near the podium, in such a way that you have eye contact with the chair.

3. Connect the audio in/out and video in cables.

4. Restore power to the workstation.

5. As soon as the previous session ends, start transmitting video using vic.

6. Do a brief audio test, by announcing the session and asking for reception confirmation:
   • This is the Fifth International World-Wide Web Conference in Paris, where the time is currently 9:00 UTC. Very shortly, you should be receiving Session 3, entitled "Widgets for Everyone." This is an audio test -- is anyone receiving me? Over.

7. Correct any cabling or other technical problems.

8. Open a UNIX talk session to the second multicasting conference site. The operator there can provide technical support and feedback about reception. In a window devoted to this, type:

   talk xxx@monet.inria.fr

9. In another window, open an editor in a file named COMMENTS. Use this file to record any information about the multicasting that might be helpful in a summary report, including any particular technical or sociological successes and failures. Alternatively, keep a written log book.

During a Session

1. Interact with the chair as outlined in "Notes for Multicast Session Chairs."

2. Announce the addresses of remote questioners.

3. Monitor the MBONE transmission, the talk session, and the WB discussion, and deal with any technical problems.

4. Control the bandwith as appropriate depending upon how many conferences are going on in parallel:
   • Two Sessions
     • Do not transmit vic video at any level higher than 128 kbps.
     • Use the default (pcm2) audio mode.

Closing Down a Session

1. IMPORTANT: capture a file containing the list of remote participants in the session, by typing the letter "l" while the cursor is positioned over the vat window. Identify the file uniquely by time and date, as with the name:

   07May10:15.txt

2. If you are going to shut down multicasting from this workstation so as to allow a workstation in another room to start multicasting:
   • Wait until you see an audio connection in the vat window from the other session. Quit out of vat, vic and wb.

3. If it is necessary to physically move the machine:
   • Shut down the multicasting tools and UNIX on the workstation, and remove power.
   • Decable the unit from the audio/video sources, and then move it.

Guided Tour of this site

Mail to the MBONE team