ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the technologies that can allow two or more people to interact without the need for audio or visual contact. A new generation of team members, well accustomed to chats, BBS, newsgroups, SMS and other media that allow the exchange of ideas with simple and short text messages, will feel comfortable having discussions while performing other tasks or having knowledge exchange sessions that complement the tasks with questions, hints and tips. This can be accomplished very easily with desktop sharing tools that allow people working in different corners of the planet to share computer screens in order to understand complex processes and solve problems. While instant messaging tools are suitable for a few people to exchange ideas in an informal manner, larger meetings require more preparation and a different technology set: web conferencing. The main elements to be evaluated when comparing different solutions are the quality of the images across the network.
