T hanks to a ton of Observers who wrote in to let us know: Apple has released a technology preview of Rendezvous for Windows. Rendezvous is Appleis Open Source-based networking technology. Rendezvous allows for zero-configuration networking between applications, computers, printers, and other devices.
Apple released Rendezvous for the Mac in 2002, using it in iTunes to allow users to easily share their playlists. The company also included it in both Jaguar and Panther for local networking, network printing, and other networking uses. The Windows release marks one of the first Windows software releases from Apple, joining iPod, iTunes, and AirPort Express as the companyis cross-platform products.
The Technology Preview released by Apple is effectively a pre-beta stage release intended for developers. From Appleis Web site.
Rendezvous technology is now available on Windows 2000 and XP. This preview release includes full link-local support, allowing Windows machines to discover advertised HTTP and FTP servers using Internet Explorer. It also includes a printer setup wizard which allows Windows machines to print to Rendezvous networked printers, including USB shared printers connected to the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express Base Stations. With the included Rendezvous SDK, Windows and Java developers can begin the process of adding Rendezvous service discovery to their applications. [June 29 2004]
You can find more information at Appleis Rendezvouz Web page.