Web meeting software has advantages and disadvantages, including co-browsing and file transfer. Compatibility with operating systems is important, and some programs are free while others charge based on the number of participants. Finding affordable software with desired features can be difficult but can save on travel expenses.
There are dozens of web meeting software programs, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, some programs allow for co-browsing, advanced audio support, and file transfer from one computer to another. Something more important than functional characteristics, however, is operating system compatibility. There are web meeting software programs for
Microsoft®, Linux® and Mac OS®, some of which are not cross-compatible. Finally, these programs can be free or paid for with one-time or monthly fees, and the amount of people using the program at one time is limited.
Some types of web meeting software are more feature-rich than others. Co-browsing, for example, is a popular feature that allows the primary computer user to click a link to a website, and all conference participants are shown the results. Some programs even allow you to transfer files without having to leave the web meeting because the interface is designed to send files quickly. An increasingly requested feature is smartphone compatibility, which allows an individual to join a video web meeting via mobile phone.
Not all web meeting software is compatible with all computer operating systems. If the meeting organizer chooses a Microsoft® only program, all people with Mac OS® and Linux® are excluded from the meeting due to system incompatibility. However, many online meeting software programs are compatible with popular computer operating systems, such as Adobe Acrobat Connect®, Microsoft Live Meeting® and IBM Lotus Sametime Unyte®.
While some web meeting software programs are available for free, many businesses choose to charge for the service. Sometimes the rates are structured in such a way that small companies with a few employees pay much less than companies that want to hold conferences with hundreds of people. For example, a 15-person unlimited conference might cost one-third the cost of a 100-person conference. These rates are not always immediately available and a custom quote can be obtained by calling or emailing the company.
Finding an affordable web meeting software program that can handle all operating systems and with all the desired features can be a daunting task. In general, very fine software with good features and high capacity is not cheap. This cost could be offset by reduced travel, as the company will no longer have to send employees hundreds of miles away and reimburse them for airfare, food and lodging.
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