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Thu, Jun 28, 2007 12:28 EDT
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Posted by: C.G. Lynch in Soapbox Topic: ApplicationsBlog: The Collaboratory
Current Rating: |
Call it Web 2.0. Call it Enterprise 2.0 if that sounds better to you. Names don’t matter because it’s the idea that ultimately matters the most: IM, wikis, blogs and other collaborative technologies that empower the business user will become even more enterprise-worthy, secure and scalable in the coming years. So tell me, what have you done about it?
Nothing, you say? It’s time to change that. To help you out, I’ve created my ideal Enterprise 2.0 suite. Web 2.0 for the suits, as they now say. This is no longer a passing fad, evangelized by a generation of young workers who are recklessly trying to bring consumer applications into the workplace. This is for real. Vendors, both new and old, have realized Web 2.0's potential and have responded by developing enterprise applications that allow the same functions as those in the consumer space but keep your network ever so safe. So here’s my wish list. Like it or hate it, it doesn’t matter too much to me because I don’t work for you. But it does matter to your users—who I’ll bet have a wish list of their own.
The name: WebEx Meeting Manager and WebEx Aim Pro
What it is: IM and videoconferencing software
What it could replace: The mishmash of consumer IM applications in use at your company, as well as whatever method you’ve cobbled together to share documents during meetings
What’s cool about it: It’s no wonder Cisco acquired WebEx. This kind of software is what the 21st century enterprise will be all about. While many businesses have adopted IM using free consumer applications such as Trillian, WebEx has taken IM to a new level by combining it with videoconferencing and the ability to share documents live.
The interface behaves like an online conference room. Imagine the IM bar, which is on the right side of the interface, as the people sitting around the conference table. The screen on the left of the interface, where you can share documents, charts or other relevant information, is like the overhead projector.
Depending on the settings, users can mix both their personal and professional IM accounts so they can book a deal, have a meeting, or tell their spouse when to expect them home for dinner (in other words, achieve work/life balance!) It's easily scalable with other collaborative technologies. You could, for example, install a
I would like to share my experience with you. I believe the "ideal" solution should provide a seamless integration between wikis and blogs. In our case, we usually need to switch from one form to the other during the project life cycle. We first bought two different solutions and experienced difficulties at this level. Some solutions exist; we have been using one for the past few months, and are very staisfied.
Socialtext has integrated wikis and blogs.
Great article. Thank you. What do you think of GoToMeeting as it compares to Webex? To me it seemed simpler, cheaper, yet had most of the functionality.
Did you consider the new version of Sharepoint Portal when performing this review? MOSS 2007 would seem to cover the wiki, blog, and web part integration (in conjunction with worklight providing the content).
I throw it out as an option as most of the components are free if you use Windows Server 2003.
I certainly won't disagree with the google mail argument, there's nothing that can touch the hosted services for cost effectiveness. The question around this one is whether the "powers that be" would agree to this. Not to defend Outlook, but if you do go with MOSS 2007 there are advantages to using Outlook.
I like Adobe Connect. It has a rich user experience (Web2.0!) while easier to use than either Go to Meeting or Webex.
Check out www.adobe.com/products/connect.
Click the "view Overview" button.