Microsoft has made NetMeeting 2.0 available for download on its Web site. NetMeeting allows for real-time, electronic collaboration via the Internet, regular phone lines or your local area network. The new version is more robust than version 1.0 and accommodates audio and video conferencing. NetMeeting is a valuable tool for attorneys because it allows for simultaneous review and editing of documents with one or more NetMeeting attendees. NetMeeting can be used to collaborate with your secretary in another room, or with your co-counsel in another country.
Collaboration software lets two or more remote users exchange information in real time.
I do that all the time. True collaboration, however, is more than just a telephone call, IRC session or e-mail. Electronic collaboration lets you see, hear and interact with others and their applications, even if one user does not have the other's application. For example, if you use WordPerfect and don't have Microsoft Word on your machine, you can still collaborate with another attorney that only uses Word. Once you connect with another attorney, you will see her version of Word on your screen.