Vista will share data over P2P networks

The latest Windows operating system will be equipped with a new peer-to-peer feature, allowing laptops to share information with "neighbor" computers easily.

Windows MeetingSpace interface in Vista.

With the name "Windows MeetingSpace", this collaborative toolkit links adjacent computers into a private network where users can freely, quickly share and review the content of files.

This is just one of many new features that Microsoft hopes to convince users to upgrade from Windows XP to Vista, or buy a new PC with Vista pre-installed. The top two most advertised features are advanced search and excellent graphics.

MeetingSpace was designed by Microsoft with a lot of visualization in mind. The first is the scenario when people meet at the coffee shop and want to share certain data with each other to see. The second is a scene inside a business, where some important people are attending a meeting and they want to edit a presentation presentation together.

" Simply put, you press the button and the file is projected onto other people's screens, " said Mika Krammer, director of the Windows Client department.

This feature requires laptop models to have built-in Wi-Fi, but not necessarily Internet access, because it uses peer-to-peer (P2P) connectivity. Any Vista user (except the Minimal version) can open a "session" of this type. Those who use the Home Basic version will only be able to participate but cannot open their own sessions.

In fact, this shared network can also be implemented on Windows XP and some other versions of Windows, but for Vista, the mechanism of connecting users close together can achieve real progress and become complete.

The downside of allowing computers to easily connect with each other is security concerns. What happens when you have information that you don't want to share with anyone, but are people pulled by P2P technology by others?

This issue also exists in Windows XP, where peer-to-peer technology appears to be available only, and is listed along with many other wireless Internet options.

But with Vista, Microsoft said that they have added measures to ensure that all participants know what content they are participating in and whether they are willing to participate. You can select the "Stealth" mode inside the "People Near Me" feature, as well as reject the invitation to share if you do not like.

On the other hand, as a "chair of the meeting", you can set your meeting to "Hide" mode, as well as ask participants to have a login password, to avoid interference from outside.

MeetingSpace's intention is to allow all geographically close people to talk to each other. But in the case of being apart, Web Conferencing products like WebEx or Microsoft LiveMeeting are still essential.

Thien Y