My library colleagues enjoy enjoy meeting in a web-based conference. The PLCMC subscribes to Wimba Classroom through Web Junction. A team I'm on convened a meeting of eleven people today using the Wimba classroom. The meeting itself produced nothing remarkable - some conclusions based on previously shared information and some discussion of how to move forward. I was running the technical aspects of the show and another librarian was leading the meeting itself. I asked the participants after sixty minutes of talking and viewing content together how they would rate the experience. The chat transcript captures the emoticons used in their responses. (I have deleted last names):

Karen_*** is clapping
Amrita_*** approves
Tiffany_*** approves
Linda_*** is laughing
Bobbie_Sue_*** approves
Claudia approves
Dana says, "approves"
Beth_*** is clapping
Cassandra is clapping
Heidi_*** is laughing
Linda_*** approves
You approve
Beth_*** is laughing
Carol_*** is clapping
Karen_*** is clapping
Tiffany_*** says, "thanks Tom!!"
Amrita_*** says, "This is so efficient!"
Karen_*** says, "Thanks Tom!"
Amrita_*** says, "And saves on gas!"
Amrita_*** says, "Thanks Tom and Claudia!"
Linda_*** says, "Thanks, Tom and Claudia!!"

Wow! They loved it, eh? I shouldn't get carried away with their approval. I think the gee-whiz factor will make any reasonable attempt at a meeting look good the first time we try it. This meeting was thrown together at the last minute and would have suffered from fewer pauses and "oops!" moments with more planning and rehearsal. Still and all, it's nice to think that next time, when our users will be more sophisticated and demanding, we'll be more expert ourselves, thanks at least to this practice.