Abstract: Orchestrated group communication may facilitate communication with a group of contacts. A user may define a group of contacts reachable via different communication mechanisms. A communication framework may determine an appropriate method for communicating the information to each member of a group. The user may not know how the communication framework is communicating with each group member. A user may specify preferred communication mechanisms or a particular order of communication mechanisms for communicating with particular contacts. Orchestrated group communication may also provide a user interface allowing a user to request communication with every member of a contact group via a single user interface action. A user desiring to communicate with a group may drag a document, or other file, and drop it onto an icon for the group and a group communication framework may communicate that document to each member of the group.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer accessible medium for maintaining and sharing identity information for identities. Multiple types of identity information, including communication-related information, for multiple identities may be aggregated, stored in, and accessed through, a corresponding shared identity objects. Aggregated identity information for an identity may be stored in a corresponding shared identity object. Aggregated identity information may be accessed by applications through shared identity objects. Communication-related information may include indications of communication mechanisms. Communication with an identity may be initiated through a corresponding shared identity object using the communication mechanisms. The communication related information may also include an indication of the reach-ability of the identity through each of the communication mechanisms and may be requested and received form remote system associated with the identity.

Abstract: A first collaboration framework on a first computer system may intercept, via an operating system event handling mechanism on the first computer system, local input events for a first application executing on the first computer system. The first collaboration framework may also send messages including the intercepted input events to other collaboration frameworks executing on other respective computer systems. In response to receiving a message including an intercepted input event, each of the other collaboration frameworks may deliver the input event, via an operating system event handling mechanism to another application. A collaboration framework may deliver an input event intercepted on another computer system to a local application as if the input event were input locally. Delivered input events may cause applications on other computer systems to perform the same one or more actions as performed by the application for which the input event was originally intended.

Abstract: A meeting facilitation tool may perform and/or facilitate the planning, scheduling, holding, and/or following up of meeting related activities. A meeting facilitation tool may schedule a meeting time by interacting with meeting participants to determine a time range during which all the participants are available. Additionally, a meeting facilitation tool may programmatically interact with calendar data to schedule the meeting with each participant. A meeting facilitation tool may also allow reviewing of information for previous meetings. Additionally, a meeting facilitation tool may configure and/or initiate teleconferencing or video conferencing as well as the audio and/or video recording of the meeting. A meeting facilitation tool may also track and completion of action items assigned during a meeting.