First, a small disclaimer: No matter how you slice up conferencing solutions, categories you use to group them are mutable and subject to instant revision. Combinations of various elements make some applications basically impossible to categorize. Depending on how you look at it mail lists are even a form of conferencing and so is email. Real-time versus asynchronous is even becoming blurred as text, audio and video merge in varying combinations.

That said and out of way, lets look at some of ways conferencing solutions are categorized.

1. Real-Time Conferencing. Real-time conferencing refers to synchronous communications such that participants are concurrently virtually present and able to actively interact as if they were physically co-located. Some typical and common applications are instant messaging and interactive chat, participatory webinars, interactive webcasting, online interactive teleseminars. Now these are primarily web-based, however old-time telephone conference call is still widely used. Call-in teleseminars are also common. Today however, they are merging into web applications as VoIP services with gateways into landline telephone systems become widely available.

2. Video conferencing is generally considered separately because it is a far more bandwidth intensive activity. To achieve reasonably acceptable simultaneous live video and audio, you need serious bandwidth. And more active participants involved more serious problem becomes. Internet chat services with webcams are one rather simple form of video conferencing that's quite popular for individual person-to-person links, but clearly not of sufficient quality to use for business purposes or for larger groups. Some video conferencing is one-way video with interactive audio. Others require high-speed networks or dedicated connections. High-end solutions may work well for large corporations because of savings involved in reducing travel expenses and time lost from productive work.

3. Forums, message boards, bulletin boards and so forth. These are asynchronous forms of conferencing or discussion solutions. Even blogs and wikis may, at times fall into this category. Generally these are linear or threaded, topic centered meeting places with chronologically tagged sequential entries that make up a discussion. Some prefer linear mode as being easier to use and follow while others insist that threaded tree-like structures often more scope and ability to develop sub-topics integrated into main topic. Whatever one’s preference, these are excellent solutions given nature of evolving internet and need for participation by persons in time zones spread across world. Real-time communications can be a burden when day/night cycles are offset by large amounts. Forums, with their purpose centered focus can develop extensive and dedicated communities which can be a source of extremely valuable knowledge and experience.

How to save money on Adwords network

Over years I have had many accounts with Adwords, spending a small fortune with Adwords service. So naturally I have picked up many cost saving tricks. I am aware that most people feel Adwords costs too much and delivers little results, this is completely untrue. Adwords is a service that is here to help us, so I have written this article to help web developers make most out of service.

1) Set your currency, First and foremost, select currency of which you locally trade in. You may think its wise to start your Adwords account in USD, but if you do not live in USA you may get a shock when you find how much you have been charged.

2) Use negative keywords, You are using Adwords service to generate website traffic, so obviously you want right traffic to generate revenue. Start by using negative keywords for people whom you do not want to click on your advert, best place to start is keyword “free”. As I doubt you want to waste money on traffic that will not generate revenue.

3) Make a strict daily budget Make sure you have set out a daily budget, Adwords generally advise a way out of proportion budget. After all most new Adwords customers have no idea how effective advertising will be. Do not start off with a bang, your pocket will feel it.