UNIFIED PLATFORM FOR TECHNOLOGIES? - Will a unified conferencing platform
of some sort emerge to unite disparate communications devices for meeting and learning,
asks Stephen Regenold, associate editor of Presentations Magazine? Patty Azzarello of
Polycom answers, "Yes, the world is moving in this direction. In fact, Polycom has a
conferencing platform that combines audioconferencing and videoconferencing with
Web collaboration...a single system for all of the conferencing needs." Praful Shah of
WebEx adds that, "WebEx has something like that today. The WebEx MediaTone
Network brings together high-speed dataconferencing, IP, and teleconferencing, and
multipoint and full-screen videoconfereing into a single Web-based service." But Bernie
Rosen of Norlight responds, "For a completely unified platform to emerge, there is
still some work to be done. Norlight has a video bridging service that lets users on a
variety of connections (ISDN, DSL, cell phone, etc.) work together, but standards
still need to be developed that will support these disparate systems." (Presentations
Magazine, Oct 03)

IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS WITH ONLINE LEARNING - Ziff-Davis has
teamed up with a leading provider of online learning to present a wide range of
courses that will help advance any career. They've got everything from web design
and development to Linux, Java, project management and more, and are offering a
free course to get started. Find out more at: http://elearning.ziffdavis.com/

ONLINE CONSORTIUM RELEASES LEARNER ASSESSMENT TOOL -
A network of universities founded to help companies and employees secure a quality
online education, announced a Web-based assessment tool for prospective students
considering online degree programs. The Online Learner Assessment, unveiled by the
Online University Consortium, helps students determine their aptitude for online
education in order to choose the best source for their individual learning style. The
tool helps Online UC to match learners with qualified degree programs. It also helps
learners avoid costly mistakes by making the best education choice for their
individual needs, allowing for targeted development and the enhancement of ROI for
corporations funding employee training. Read more at:
http://info.101com.com/default.asp?id=31 (Syllabus News Update, 14 Oct 03)