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Table of Contents » Types of Web Conferencing Systems » Web Conferencing Systems » Weak Points
Weak Points
Weaknesses of SOHO Web conferencing tools are mostly represented by:
- Service reliability and availability. Though I did not have many negative experiences, I found out that you might have problems accessing your tools and virtual conferencing room when a small SOHO provider server is down. Though this is not the case with all of the SOHO tools (desktop tools like Groove, NetMeeting are unaffected by this), it is a variable to take into consideration.
- Customer support may range from exceptional to very poor. In most cases the service is acceptable though it is not comparable to the one offered by "enterprise" system providers.
- Small bugs and technical problems do exist. Each tool has its peculiar bug, unresolved issue, or typical idiosyncrasy. While such issues do get solved and new releases are made available, SOHO tools seem to be more prone to bugs due to less testing, a faster product innovation cycle and, as a consequence, a larger number of unrefined rough spots to be found in the tools. The users of these systems are the real beta-testers and new features and facilities are often dictated by their savvy and qualified input.
- Poor documentation. With rare exceptions documentation is an area where SOHO tools do not shine. While it is true that SOHO tools are generally much simpler and less complex to use than their "enterprise" counterparts, this is no good reason to avoid preparing quality reference documentation to support use and setup of anyone tool.
- Longevity. Some of these tools have only a few months of life and some will not make it to the next year. Since SOHO tools have very low-cost this is not a major negative issue, though it should be accounted for when planning for long-term projects.
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Weak Points
Key Benefits
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Web Conferencing Systems
“Enterprise” Web Conferencing Systems
Table of Contents
Full Guide Access
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Characteristics