If you are thinking about getting into web and video conferencing, then it
is important to know what is required to operate any proposed conferencing
system. Some systems run on proprietary software and need special equipment,
while browser based systems usually do not require the installation of
special software or equipment. Many organizations and individuals will find
browser based solutions easier to use. Here are a few reasons why this is
so: 

1. They work on all operating systems. Do you have some users on Mac and
some on PCs? Do you have some users who have Linux? If you want to connect
all of these people together in one conference it may be impossible if you
have to install special software to run your conference. In this case a
browser based system that can run on all operating systems and all browsers
allows you to connect with all of your staff or clientele without any
worries about what kind of computer they are operating. 

2. You don’t have to download and install software. Sure, people are
becoming more computer-literate as time goes on, but downloading and
installing software and getting the software to run properly can be an
obstacle to some people. The good news is that with many browser based
systems there is no software to download, because the installation is done
on the technology provider’s host computer. Participating in a conference is
as easy as going on line to view a website. 

3. People anywhere in the world can go online and join the conference. With
no equipment installation and no software installation to take care of, the
door is open to widespread participation in your conferences. The only thing
that you have to do is to notify your people and provide them with a url and
a password and they can join in. 

4. There is no problem with firewalls. Most offices and many individuals
protect their computers and networks from hackers by using a firewall. This
is good for security but can become a problem if you are trying to join
people together in a conference. Many web and browser based systems are not
affected by firewalls and no special instructions have to be given to
conference participants whose computers may be protected by firewalls. 

All of these factors add up to one very strong advantage of using browser
based conferencing systems: they allow you to get maximum participation in
your online events. With little or no technical obstacles, such systems make
it easy for large numbers of people, using diverse equipment and with
varying degrees of computer skills, to take part in online meetings. So,
take a look at the various conferencing packages on the market at the
present time and pick out one that is both easy to use and powerful enough
to meet your communications needs. 

About The Author


Dan Richmond is CEO & Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides
Web Conferencing & Video Conferencing solutions for individuals, businesses
and educational institutions. For more information, or for a free live
demonstration, please visit http://www.MegaMeeting.com/.