Off Topic: Video Conferencing

I've been using video communication tools since the late 90's. The first webcam I ever used (probably in the mid-90's) was black and white and connected with a parallel port interface. I only had one friend with one, so it wasn't all that useful. By 2000 I was doing it on a regular basis with friends, using Netmeeting or other tools - I forget what they were all called. I think AIM and ICQ had some sort of video features.

Anyways, the war was waged and Skype is the winner (on Windows, anyways).

I've used it in my personal life quite a bit. Not so much anymore since the wife moved in, but since my parents are overseas I still use it every so often. As a personal communication tool I find it a mandatory install on all my machines, and will for a long time.

As a professional tool, however... I'm undecided. We have a paid account in the office that lets us do multiple video chats at once, and when it works well it really makes a difference. However, when it misbehaves it tanks the productivity of the meeting.

Here are the reasons I think the technology is not quite there yet:

1) Interface. There needs to be a full screen UI that assumes you're viewing the screen from far away, like in a conference room. I'm fairly young and even I can't see text that well from fifteen feet away. It often turns out the person closest to the front of the room controls the system.

2) Problems compound when more people connect in. If someone cuts out in the chat it might not be cutting out for everyone. One on one it's easy to tell who's having problems. Two people joining in and everyone has to confirm with two people that they're audible/visible. Three people... four people... etc. The first ten minutes is everyone asking each other "can you hear me?".

3) Feedback. I've imposed an insistence that everyone wear headphones so to avoid squealing feedback. Laptops are the worst offenders since the speakers are too close to the mic.

4) Not knowing who's available. I wish Skype was smart enough to do some face detection to set the here/away indicator when someone is actually in front of the computer.

Is video even that great of a leap past audio for your average meeting? The quality isn't so great that I could hold up a small device and anyone could discern details. I might be too socially dim to care that much about seeing someone's face.

Anyways, just some off topic thoughts that run through my head several times a week.