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	Session

Weak Points

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WaveThree Session is an excellent software-based videoconferencing and collaboration solution.

Major limitations include:

No text chat facility
Requires at least 128 Kbps of Internet bandwidth to provide smooth audio and video conferencing. Not effective on dial-up lines.
Subject to typical firewall and router/NAT problems in connecting between corporate offices.

Note: Session solves in good part this issue by suggesting and providing for download Ridgeway IP Freedom traversal software, capable of guaranteeing smooth interconnectivity between firewalls.

Ridgeway is the leading provider of firewall and NAT support software for secure, end-to-end IP voice and video communications. Ridgeway IPFreedom™ is server software that works with existing security policies and is simple to install and manage. The IPFreedom™ server runs on Windows XP™ / Windows 2000 Professional™ or Server with Service Pack 2.
Source: http://www.wave3software.com/ip.html
Application sharing performance still needs to be improved and even users on high bandwidth lines may feel the present refresh speed inadequate.
While top performers in this class (Glance, Linktivity WebDemo) utilize a staged content approach, centralizing the distribution of content from their own servers, Session operates in a strict P2P fashion and would compare better with NetMeeting or similar tools when doing application sharing.
Interface is uncomplicated but not yet intuitive enough. Terminology utilized does not simplify user tasks and some effort must be invested in understanding how things are supposed to work, especially inside the MediaSpace(whiteboard and presentation area).
Unless the MPS Multipoint Conference Server is installed on a server standard conferences are limited to point-to-point (one-to-one) sessions.
Cannot be used at screen resolutions below 1024*768. Some dialog boxes are not usable on a SVGA screen (800*600) as they exceed the vertical maximum screen real estate (e.g.: Preferences). Inside the Media Space Facility it is difficult to operate at 800*600.
Customer support and in particular the Help facilities and online documentation are not up to standards and leave lots to be desired.
Security. No security encryption, authentication or identity management facilities are available.

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Posted on October 20, 2003 at 11:22 AM

Updated on February 27, 2004 at 04:24 PM