| When NASA started experimenting with video | | | | time taken to transmit this data over a slow |
| conferencing they did not think that the system | | | | connection can take a month of Sundays. |
| they were using to confer with groups of people | | | | Therefore the connection speed must be at least |
| in different parts of the world at the same time | | | | 256 kilo bytes per second to enable proper video |
| would one day be a household service, much like | | | | desktop conferencing. |
| the electricity and telephone service that was so | | | | In the past video teleconferencing was achieved |
| common back then. Desktop conferencing refers | | | | by closed circuit television technology. This was a |
| to being able to transmit and receive video and | | | | very expensive method and required a sound |
| sound signals at the same time from a computer | | | | proof studio and a whole lot of paraphernalia. This |
| on your desktop. Conferencing means a group of | | | | also required a trained staff at both or all stations |
| people in different places, with distance between | | | | of the video conferencing. That made this |
| them not withstanding, being able to partake in a | | | | technology available only to the very large |
| discussion simultaneously with all of the | | | | business in the private sector as well as |
| participants being able to hear and see any of the | | | | government agencies. The cost implications were |
| other participants at the same time. Desk top | | | | prohibitive for small industries and companies who |
| conferencing is like being in the same room at the | | | | found flying across the globe to meet their |
| same time. When NASA used the technology for | | | | business partners a more economical way of |
| the first time the costs were prohibitive, besides | | | | communication. The Internet has changed all that. |
| the distance of tele-video conferencing was | | | | Desktop conferencing has become a reality with |
| severely limited as transmission technology was | | | | the advancement of the Internet. Business |
| not as developed as it is today. | | | | executives, government heads and even house |
| Companies have pooled their resources together | | | | wives can turn on a video conferencing at the |
| to setup the infrastructure that is needed to vide | | | | flick of a button through the computers on their |
| conferencing all over the world. These | | | | desktops. The technology is easy to use with |
| technologies have been networked so that all | | | | even fifth graders being able to use it. Through |
| countries can use the system economically. The | | | | desktop conferencing people can connect to a |
| Internet has enabled desktop conferencing to be | | | | group of people and discuss subjects ranging from |
| used by all people all over the world. The Internet | | | | the afternoon lunch recipe to North Koreas |
| is the cheapest mode of communication. The | | | | nuclear program. |
| technology is growing by leaps and bounds and | | | | The ultimate analysis is that desktop conferencing |
| the cost of using it is reducing every day. The | | | | is the cheapest and most effective way to take |
| problem with desktop conferencing is that one | | | | part in a group discussion with participants from |
| needs a fairly fast Internet broadband connection | | | | any spot of the globe - of course that spot does |
| for effective transmission of video and sound | | | | need to have access to the Internet through a |
| signals. This is because unlike sound signals, video | | | | broad band connection. |
| signals form fairly large packets of data and the | | | | |