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What are the different Moderator modes in HotConference?

Based on your earlier article on web-based conferencing systems (What's the Best Web-based Conferencing System?) I've just tried running an informal half-dozen person conference using Hotconference and I'm impressed. It's inexpensive and works pretty smoothly. My only question is: what are all the different "moderator" modes available?

Dave's Answer:

I've been running different conferences on Hotconference too and that's something I've always wondered about too. When you're moderating a conference, there are lots of things you can do that regular conference attendees don't know about, but the most important is to control their overall experience: do you want them surfing to other Web sites while you talk, or do you want them to be able to click on pages you bring them to, or do you want them locked down, only able to see exactly what you're seeing?

Here's the Moderator menu in hotconference:

To gain clarity between all these options, I asked the Hotconference tech support team, and here's what they shared:

Standard mode: No presentation mode is active. Guests and moderators can use the browser to visit Websites independently of each of other.

Follow me mode: This is the first level of presentation. The presentor can visit pages and activate the whiteboard. Guests see what the presentor sees but they do not control the browser.

Soft presentation mode: Same as follow me mode except that now, the address bar in the browser is not shown to guests. This is great for visiting competitor Websites and content that is not for public access.

Medium presentation mode: We step it up a notch. The address bar is hidden to guests and the text chat is off. This is for instances where you want people to follow the presentation before asking questions or participating.

Hard presentation mode: Full screen mode. Guests only see the browser or whiteboard.

Whiteboard mode: Draw shapes, write, illustrate. You can even use the whiteboard funsctions directly on a webpage!

Desktop sharing mode: Show your desktop to people in the room.

Typically I've been using "follow me mode" since I don't want to hide things, but instead want to let others explore what I'm showing them, but I'm very excited about the possibilities of "desktop sharing mode" and am eager to test that out with a few of my client groups!

Thanks for your question and for prodding me into gaining clarity on this rather puzzling aspect of the otherwise pretty darn slick Hotconference online conferencing system.

Addendum: after realizing that I haven't actually used Hotconference for quite a while, I canceled my subscription so I don't know how they are extending and expanding their service. If you sign up, do pop back here and let us know how it works for you. Thanks!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 4258)
Tagged: online conferences, web conferencing, webinars
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Comments

I have recently been using and selling Hot conference and I continually discover new things it will do. I have tested other much higher priced conference software and their rooms and they do not offer the ease of use, nor the simplicity that HC does! it is now available in multiple of languages as well.

Posted by: Roger Finch at August 26, 2006 12:05 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!