Finding Someone to Call

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When you click the Find Someone In A Directory button, NetMeeting displays the Find Someone window. This window provides many ways to locate people.

Initially, the Find Someone window displays either a search form (if the server you logged on to uses an HTML front end) or a list of names on the server. The names in this list are those of all users who are currently logged on to that server and have chosen to have themselves listed.

The Select A Directory list contains a number of directories from which you can find people to call:

• History shows a list of the names and addresses of people you've met with before.
• Windows Address Book displays the names of all users in your Address Book for whom you've provided conference server and conferencing address information.
• Microsoft Internet Directory provides a good way to find other NetMeeting users on the Internet. Microsoft Internet Directory is an example of an ILS server with an HTML front end. It provides a simple search that allows you to locate people you know quickly. Figure 21-2 shows both the search form and an example of the results. Simply click the name of the person you want to call.



Figure 21-2. A directory server makes it easy for people to connect to you via NetMeeting.

• The list also displays the addresses of conventional ILS servers you've previously connected to. If you haven't connected to any yet, type the name of a server such as ils.microsoft.com to add that server to the list of directories. The server will display the directory in the Find Someone window. You can't search a conventional ILS server, but you can sort the information on any of the columns, and then type a few letters into the Type Name Or Select From List box to move quickly in the sorted column.

WARNING

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As you'll discover the first time you explore a directory server listing, not everyone who uses NetMeeting has business in mind, and many people who list themselves on the servers are quite forthright about the type of communication they desire. NetMeeting doesn't offer a Content Advisor for its directory listings, so you might want to discourage young family members from using this program.

If you don't find the party you're looking for, try clicking the Refresh button on the toolbar. The directory listing shows you who was logged on to the directory server when you logged on yourself—or when you last used the Refresh button. It's possible that your party logged on after you did, so it's always a good idea to click Refresh before deciding that your party isn't available.

If someone you want to call is logged on to a directory server other than the one you're currently looking at, use the Select A Directory list to switch to the directory in which your party is listed.

NOTE

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Using Select A Directory to choose another directory server doesn't change the server that you are logged on to; it simply changes the server that's displayed.