So, today I needed to show some web dev stuff to a client. Figuring this would be great time to try GoToMeeting, the service that is advertised ad nauseam on almost all of the podcasts I listen to, I fired up the browser and headed that way.
After a quick sign up for an account, I was presented with the request for a credit card number that can be charged in case I forget to cancel my account. Umm… no. I set out to find a free alternative.
Enter Yumga. A quick setup and install of the Yumga application yielded no request for credit card numbers nor birth certificates. However, testing showed serious problems… Like the lack of audio and laggy performance of screen refreshing.
I went back to GoToMeeting, entered in a number from an old debit card with maybe $12 in the account, and set about testing. The performance was better, but the audio still gave us fits. The best solution ended up being a combination of screen sharing with audio transmitted via the ancient phone system. It worked but was far from elegant.
So, my question is: Why is it that in 2010, with broadband connections on both ends, screen sharing (let alone video conferencing at the same time) is so difficult to accomplish? Seasoned veterans of technology were involved here, and we still resorted to POTS.
No wonder people hate computers. =)
