Teleconferencing software

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Telephony )



Continuous innovations in computer hardware and networks have made possible the availability of multimedia applications which can be installed in computers. Current multimedia applications enable users to share and exchange text, animation, graphics, images, sound, and video in real-time. A group of such applications are collectively called teleconferencing softwares.

A teleconferencing software brings geographically-distant parties together and makes each party capable of sending and receiving multimedia messages in real-time. The suitability of the teleconferencing software depends on the intent for holding the teleconference.

A teleconferencing software, for instance, allows the conduct of distance teaching, distance presentations, audio teleconferencing, and video teleconferencing. Other features are also made available to support collaborative online works such as applications sharing which includes shared whiteboards, and text chats.

A teleconferencing software may either be commercially available or free for download, and capable of broadcast or interactive teleconferencing. Broadcast teleconferencing entails one-way transmission where there is a clear multimedia resource origin and a receiving party. On the contrary, interactive teleconferencing refers to exchange of multimedia resources from all parties partaking in the teleconference. However, the data which parties to an interactive teleconferencing are allowed to send and receive may be regulated by settings specified by the teleconferencing software. In the same way, a teleconferencing software may set a limit for the size of data, audio, and video that may be exchanged or received by parties to the teleconference.

Teleconferencing softwares may also vary depending on the number of parties allowed to join the conference, and whether or not parties may exchange data, video, and audio simultaneously. Teleconferencing softwares often provide mechanisms for off-line information retrieval, security, and parental controls.

In general, teleconferencing softwares have certain limitations in providing support to teleconference parties for the entire life-span of a teleconference (that is, before, during, and after the teleconference session). For instance, mechanisms must be set to inform the parties of the teleconference agenda and the rules and regulations for joining the teleconference, to allow a teleconference administrator to take appropriate actions to parties who violate set guidelines, to summarize teleconference contents, and to allow participating parties to retrieve any data, video, and audio exchanged during the teleconference session. Although teleconferencing services often provide these value-added services, parties to a teleconference may find it more convenient if these mechanisms were made readily available by teleconferencing softwares.


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