[sw-l] An important new tool for people to SignWrite long distance

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
September 9, 2004

Dear SW List Members:
Please read this message, which I just received, and we can talk about
video-conferencing for SignWriting:

From: rdowney14 at cox.net wrote:
Subject: An important new tool for people to SignWrite long distance

Hello Valerie,
My name is Roger Downey.  I am the Vice-President of Media Relations
for FaceToFaceMeeting.com - an internet video-conferencing company
based in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  I am not a salesman for the
company, but in a moment I'm going to sound like one.  Let me begin by
saying that I know you have left your mark on society by developing
SignWriting.  The Internet has now come of age to allow people to use
your invention to communicate long distances.
 
Six months ago, Peter Moriarty - the founder and president of the
company - began offering a way for people to see and speak to others
long distance via their home or WIFI computers, using the public
Internet.  This system is FaceToFaceMeeting.com, which is also the name
of the website.
 
Of course, there have been earlier attempts to video-conference on
the Internet, but FaceToFaceMeeting.com is uniquely different.  Instead
of a small picture that moves in a herky-jerky
way, FaceToFaceMeeting.com really let's you see the person to whom you
are talking in full-motion video and synchronized audio in picture
sizes that range from 3 inches by 3 inches to full screen, with other
sizes in between.  Personally, I prefer the 4-inches by 4-inches video
window size.  In that way, I can accomodate five others on my 19-inch
monitor.  The picture is near TV quality. 
   
You can video-conference one on one or with up to nine other people,
whose video windows are stacked "Hollywood Squares" style on your
monitor.  It is like looking through a window at the other person(or
persons) who may be hundreds or thousands of miles away. 
FaceToFaceMeeting.com has business clients already using the system in
Malasia, Japan and China with the same excellent picture quality as if
they were simply down the block.  But there is a consumer version of
the software as well.
 
The difference between the business and consumer versions is the
ability to share PowerPoint Presentations, Excel spreadsheets, Word
documents (any Microsoft application).  The consumer version of
FaceToFaceMeeting.com does not come with that feature. 
 
I am not hearing impaired, so I can only imagine what this could mean
for people who are.  Instead of communicating through an intermediary
on the telephone, now a person can SignWrite to another over the
Internet, as if he or she were in the same room.  And since September
1st, people without hearing can also use text to communicate with
people at the other end.  (see this story on the Dallas Morning News
website 
  http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?
ACCT=danews.story&STORY=/www/story/09-01-2004/
0002241975&EDATE=WED+Sep+01+2004,+07:18+AM )
 
I am confident that you and others in your organization would
enjoy FaceToFaceMeeting.com.  With a laptop and the internet link now
available in most hotel rooms, you could say in touch with family,
friends and business associates when you travel.  Or, you could go
wireless with your laptop in a "hot spot" like those at most Starbucks
and airports. 
   
The beauty of FaceToFaceMeeting.com, besides the high quality of video
and audio, is its relatively low cost.  For starters, you do need a
computer and a broadband internet connection, cable, DSL, ISDN, etc. 
Webcams cost between $80 and $100.  These Webcams are so light and
small, they easily fit into a laptop case or backpack.  For people who
do use speech, a good microphone costs less than $15.  And finally, a
subscription to FaceToFaceMeeting.com runs $29.99 a month PERIOD -
nothing more.  Less than a dollar a day - whether you make one,
ten-second FaceToFaceMeeting call or keep the connection going  24
hours a day. Once you have installed the camera on your computer and
downloaded and installed the FaceToFaceMeeting.com software, you can
begin using it immediately.  In fact, we let people try the service for
15 days for free, with no obligation.
 
I could go on, but I don't want to waste your time.  At your leisure,
visit our website, www.facetofacemeeting.com to get more information.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to email them to me.  But I
really hope you save them for your first FaceToFaceMeeting call...  to
me.
My FTFM username is roger.downey at facetofacemeeting.com .  It's the
Internet version of a telephone number.  If you would like to chat with
the President of FaceToFaceMeeting.com, give him a call.  Peter
Moriarty can be reached at peter.moriarty at facetofacemeeting.com .
 
With kindest personal regards,
 
Roger Downey
Vice-President, Media Relations
FaceToFaceMeeting.com
It's the Next Best Thing to Being There
FTFM username: roger.downey at facetofacemeeting.com
email:  rdowney14 at cox.net