caution - one paragraph of rant included ...
Marc said:
To be honest, we're really close to video-audio conferencing - chat is 'old hat'. I know on the Mac iChat, and I think AOL's chat program, are now audio-visual enabled. That I would like. I played with I-see-U (or whatever it was) some years back and it was kinda nice.
I don't particularly like chat, but then I have rarely used it (I don't have the time or patience to seek out chat sites) and I don't type very well under pressure. About the only times I use it is when a supplier forces me to use it to get support -- my at-home ISP for example.
Audio-video conferencing is more atractive on several levels, largely because its a more personal and flexible interaction. I have used Microsoft NetMeeting (part of windoze) a few times and it's OK within its limitations. However, I would be restricted to doing anything like that from home - not the office. At work it would require software and hardware not included in my computer "package" and asking for such is sure to bring down the wrath of the Information Technology demons. (Their immediate knee-jerk response is "
NO!" and things rapidly go downhill from there ...
I hope they're not logging my keyboard today ... I suspect it may be similar in any organization large enough to have an IT department that is a division unto itself.)
Even instant messaging is a problem. As for installing MSN IM, Yahoo!, ICU or any other IM client,
forgetaboutit! ("
After all, you can get viruses from them things and we can't allow that") [yet they refuse to install an effective spam filter on the firewall so many people get tens to hundreds of gabage mail pieces per day.

]
I like the idea of using a forum topic to set up a date/time for chat (or videoconference) for specific topics. My initial thought was that I would have to get off work to go home for it -- but then rationality hit. We have a
global audience, so no matter when something is scheduled (in terms of UTC)
somebody somewhere may have to take time off so it doesn't matter.