Donnita's Cakes

We currently use Adobe Connect at work for our webinars and conference type calls, so I thought I would look at Elluminate and compare the two.
The cost of each program is comparable at under $500 a year, and both appear to offer monthly rates. Elluminate actually offers a per use rate as well, but you do pay per user with this choice.
The equipment needed for Elluminate is a computer with high speed access (preferred to dial up), and enough RAM on the facilitators computer to load the initial software. The participants do not require the space to load the software but will still need the computer and Internet access. A head set or microphone of some sort is ideal for both sides although strictly using it as a chat program is an option, and a video camera may be added from either side. All of this equipment is similar to Adobe.
No special training is required for Elluminate although I feel that it will require more introduction time for new users than Adobe does.. Getting participants logged in seems a bit more cumbersome but it seems easy enough to navigate once you have been orientated and have seen the tools that are available.
Support appears to be readily available through the help links and buttons, tutorials, and 'live sessions' that you can attend to become more familiar with the program. Adobe however seems to be a bit more robust with its tutorials and is laid out well as far as who each lesson is intended to help. Also I know that we have had wonderful support from Adobe any time that we have had questions at work.
One thing that I came across in Elluminate that I did feel might be useful to our company is the add on packages, specifically the translation options and the Bridge that is available for Moodle. As far as I could determine these add ons are available to download without an extra cost.
Another option that I liked was the ability to "organize, script, & package" different pieces of the presentation ahead of time. This could be useful for us with the webinars and polls that we use with our current sessions. It may decrease the amount of support that the facilitator would need during the presentation (ie bringing up different screens at different times.
Using Adobe for a conference call the other day we found it difficult to switch between who was controlling the screens. I would need to do some more research to see if this can become as easy as it is by using Elluminate.
One area that I found I did like Adobe better for was the 'cleaner' look. I can customize the screen at bit more- resize each window or open up more windows to fit my needs.
If the technology doesn't work, both programs allow you to go back from video to voice or to text based communication.
Both of these programs enhance communication. They remove barriers such as distance, time, cost of travel. Groups of people (professionals, students, etc) can collaborate on projects that would not have been feasible otherwise. In that sense it can extend each person, certain groups or a society in general. With the ability to record the sessions, it definitely can help to extend our memory.
I don't feel that the technology here makes face to face meetings or classes obsolete, just not necessary as often. There still is a place for this type of communication techniques but more so in smaller settings or more centrally located projects. I do feel that Elluminate and Adobe have come a long way towards replacing the basic teleconference, as now we can incorporate so many other mediums. People can see not just hear, and they can participate easier than 12 people all trying to talk at once without visual cues to know that someone else was speaking. (Something that it retrieves too I guess-the non verbal cues and facial expressions)
As far as what these programs reverse- I would say that we need to be careful that we don't get so wrapped up in the convenience of the technology that we forget that as humans we need the social connection!