Webex Demo: Teaching SketchUp through the NET
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We can simulate a classroom situation. I'll add all 3 of you (mateo, gai, mike) all at the same time and see how it goes. If I can get you all at the same time.
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Reporting in on results.
I was not able to get around to testing with the kind people who offered to help me out but I had the Webex people give me a demo and here is what I found out that is NOT very clear on their site:
There are one time usage fees but the voice part is then very expensive
There is $50 monthly fee to use webex but you commit to a 12 MONTH contract upfront.
The $50 fee is ONLY good for a simple version which does not allow for file sharing within applications so that you can help each other out NOR does that include MAC support
The fee for the service to allow file sharing is actually $150 per monthbut you commit to a 12 MONTH contract upfront .
At this fee rate you are covered for up to 15 participants per session.
If you want voice support, the conference calling telephone feature is quite expensive. You can get an integrated VOIP package for about 450 man hours of VOIP per month for about $30, paid monthly with an annual commitment. IF you want to save, even the chat feature is extra.
There is a $399 set up feeChrstmas is a good time to commit to a package because they are anxious to meet annual sales targets and are inclined to bargain some with you.
QUALITY
All depends on available bandwidth and usage at the time the you are demonstrating. For just demo purposes the speed isn't bad at all. Taking control of a "students" computer is slower and can potentially be bad. Need to close all bandwidth using applications on your desktop to speed things up. Not a deal breaker as it was with another competitor procuct I looked at.I generally teach from the back of the class so that I can see how people are progressing on their computers to guage when I am able to move forward.
I will not have any visual cues when I teach in this format. However if students have a webcam, I am able to see their faces in little minimized icons . hell, I could ask them to point their web cams at the computer. Hmm. I wonder.Any way the students can either have 2 monitors and place my demo on the one and their work applicaton on another, OR with one monitor they can shape the demo window to occupy half the screen and the work window the other half. the demonstrator would work with a full screen of just the application (but then he couldn't see the little icons of the people, hmm. Don't know)
Anyway, that is what I've got. There are other options, such as virtual classrooms where they load the software on to their workstations so the students don't need a license for the software being taught and you can have more than 15 students but of course that is a more expensive option.
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Susan ,
Thanks for the information.
Thanks to You I did have a quick glance at webex and
It opened some new options for me in working with clients
and other professionals across the globe.
Most of our clients are not from our area but they would
like to keep track of their projects.
The problem is that all the parties involved would have to
have a one year contract as I understand. -
No Mateo, only one party needs to have the contract and then you "invite" people to the meeting. It doesn't matter if it is the same people invited each time.
If one party has the contract, they need to do the inviting but they do not need to "run" the meeing. The host passes control over to an ivited guest and they can run the meeting. You can pass control back and forth to different people during the session.
I won't go into too much pricing detail but I did get some really special pricing, as well as the agreement to add extra people above 15 for $15 per person per time plus they waived the $399 set up fee if I signed up before the end of the year.Mateo, for your business needs, this may not be a bad thing at all.
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Thanks Susan, that sounds much better.
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Susan, don't know if you looked into "go to meeting", I've taken a couple of cad classes where the instructor used this and it worked very well. https://www1.gotomeeting.com/t/gg/gotomeeting-ext/g2msem3?Portal=www.gotomeeting.com&Target=m/g2msem3.tmpl
Mike
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Thanks for that link, Mike. I went and checked it out. The good points are that it appears quite a bit cheaper than Webex and it too covers PC & MAC. Also, you can commit to a monthly service only if you wish. No need to have a yearly contract, though it is cheaper that way.
The shorcoming is that they do not offer a VOIP option at all and the conference calling feature is toll based. 5 cents per minute. It would appear that that is paid by the client calling in. It is so open ended and unkown a figure that I beleive that to be off-putting. Using Skype for free is an option but then it isn't integrated and just adds another layer of technical difficulty with conference attendees.
Can you tell me more about how you made voice connection when you attended your on-line seminar? Was there file sharing? Instructor accessed a student' remote computer to make corrections? With you at all? Was it fast, slow, in- between? Anything else you can add? Webcam? Instructor guaging pace at which students managed or did not manage to follow? -
Susan, I don't know about the file sharing as I was e-mailed a practice project that we used for the online training sessions. But I was able to see the instructors screen (his project) so that I could follow along and also he was able to remote controll my mouse and make changes on my screen (my project) when needed. The speed seemed good as there didn't seem to be any lag time although we were only states apart and not oceans. Also as far as the voice connection, it was just like a conference call, I took several 3hr classes and didn't really notice any big increase in my phone bill so maybe that depends on what kind of long distance calling plan that you have. There also was a online chat feature, but we didn't use it because I imagine it would have been difficult to work in the program and to try and type questions and wait for replys. Over all, I was pleased with the sessions and as I mentioned before the go-to-meeting software seemed to work very well. Also I don't know if a webcam option is available since I don't own one. I believe that they have a 30 day trail that you could try.
Mike
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Im available Susan if you still need testers in the UK in the future.
I have mic and webcam. -
Thanks Dylan, I may just plan a major SketchUp Love In. Invite 15 of you at a time just to hear voices and wish good cheer of the season. In fact. I'm sure I will. Maybe just before XMAS.
BTW Dylan, how did your training sessions go?
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Susan - I use skype everyday, to Mac and PC users worldwide. My current project is in Dubai. I've had clients in the US walk me through their constructions with mobile laptops with camera, I've had three way conference calls with the client and builder, all with their sketchup file open and exchanging pics and links as we go - and it's all for free.
I use Skype for my calls to mobiles and all long distance calls because it's cheaper than my local telco and is payable via paypal as a debit system.
I have a logitech camera that gives me hands free operation so I no longer use a headphone with mic so if you want an aussie trial I'd be happy to assist.
Skype is utterly fantastic and I couldn't operate without it.
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@sorgesu said:
BTW Dylan, how did your training sessions go?
It did'nt, yet!
Unfortunately I found out our training suite at work is now being used as a temporary office, due to the floods we had in the UK a few months back.
Apparantly it will be returned to normal in January sometime, so I have some breathing space and lots of time to prepare. -
Hi guys. I thought I would give you an update on this. Thank you all for your kind offers to test this out. We really couldn't get our schedules in sync but I did test it out.
Ray Brown, a sometime contributor on this forum, helped me out with the testing.
In fact, I just launched my online instructor led webinars on my site and there is a video/audio clip providing an example of how one of these webinars works. In the clip Ray is "Ed", a student who is on a MAC, while I am teaching from a Windows based PC, who runs into a problem during the class.
Unfortunately the video clip doesn't show the class list which is normally floating so you can't see when he "raises his hand" to ask a question and the audio didn't record the bell sound that is audible when he asks a question. I found the Webex with the integrated VOIP to be very successful and I have already done a distance day long training using the WEBEX tools. I've signed on for a year. I was much impressed.If you have a chance, check out the clip, Ray is a hoot as a poor lost student trying to make sense out of SketchUP : http://www.entouragearts.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=142
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Susan, that was awesome!!! You are going to be very busy, as if you aren't already!
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Very good Susan.
I know Ray, and you probably really did teach him how to use the Move tool properly.
Last time I talked with Ray was during 3D Basecamp. We were buying each other cool beverages at the airport after the conference. We were talking, talking, talking. I realized what time it was, and had I delayed another minute, I would have missed my flight!
Todd
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I tried out different types of meeting softwares with more and less success. Let me know about Webex.
Burkhard
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Susan, the video won't load for me
I'll try back later. -
That looks pretty cool Susan, I hope this works well for you.
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Susan My time is more limited right now but if you add me to the list and let me know when you are going to do a webex or other online demo SU meeting let me know and if I can attend I'll do so.
Regards
Phil
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Todd, I don't think you were talking to Ray. He cries every time he thinks of basecamp because he couldn't make it. I wonder who it was that you were talking to?
Phil, I'm not really doing any demo's any more, just classes, but you are welcome to sit in and assist!!
Boo, it runs under Windows media player and it should link to the download if you don't have it installed. Can you tell me if you continue to have trouble with it, that is not a good thing at all.
Tina, Dylan, etc thanks much for good wishes.
PS> Ray did ineed learn to use the MOVE tool I assure you.
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