Apple Releases Bonjour for Windows 1.0.3

MacDailyNews is reporting that Apple has released Bonjour for Windows 1.0.3. From the article: "Bonjour, also known as zero-configuration networking, enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. Bonjour uses industry standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically discover each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers."

Comments

Re:I bet network engineers

[ktappe]

why do I need this product? We already have wireless routers with built-in DHCP

This isn't the same thing as DHCP. DHCP hands out IP addresses on a lease basis. Bonjour is a discovery protocol that lets users easily find peripherals without needing to know their addresses. Under Windows without Bonjour (ZeroConf) you still have to manually type in the addresses of IP-based printers whereas Macs with Bonjour find those same devices automatically. It's actually pretty sweet technology that brings to the IP era what AppleTalk supplied back in the late 80's to Macs. And it's peer-to-peer so you don't need any other services (AD, LDAP) providing lookup for you; it's plug & play and it simply works.

-Kurt

Re:I bet network engineers

[Mikey-San]

When my neighbor's daughter launches iTunes, her library shows up in my iTunes, and I can play them. Note that my network is WEP-enabled and MAC filtered, and I'm not part of her network

You might be WEP-enabled and MAC-filtered, but that doesn't mean you aren't on the same network. (WEP and MAC filtering have nothing to do with Bonjour services specifically.) Bonjour works on a subnet, not over a WAN; getting it to work across separate subnets requires special configuration.

You two are on the same network.